Everton move for Dundee United prospect

Andrew Robertson is 20 in March and is a LB. And would not make much sense buying another established LB from the SPL if Martinez plans to keep Baines at Goodison park.

Good young players should always be brought into the club when possible, who knows what will happen in the future - if for example Oviedo has a good WC campaign he might want to move and perhaps Baines does want a final payday and will leave us sooner or later. I had been hoping we would get one of the other talents from Scotland 'McMessie' but he can probably name his club at the moment.

Moyes used to pack the team with right backs, Martinez seems to want his fair share of left backs. With Baines, Oviedo and Garbutt, who's out on loan, this lad must be thought highly of by the manager to go after him.

I really thought he was going for the other guys.. Gould and Souttar... But this might have legs... Agree with Patrick.. Good youngsters welcome. Imagine he said the same about James McCarthy.

Anyway if it is true might be paving way for Baines to leave. Just speculating.

It deffo shows Garbutt may not crack it..

Go get him!

On the topic of Baines, he's 29, would be great to have him retire at the club and guide youngsters through the ranks but Oviedo and his backup (NOT Baines) is the future. We'll always need to have a few backup plans, be it Garbutt or this lad or some other chap. Gotta be young of course!

That said, Baines is still a great player and we'll be foolish to let him go cheap. Like I said, I hope he retires with us but you got to play the market to compete with those billionaire clubs.

Also nothing to say that, just because this guy plays LB now, that he has to in the future. Or that RM might see Oviedo's long term future at left midfield, and therefore needs more LB cover in order to move him forward. Signing him doesn't necessarily mean Baines is leaving, or that Garbutt isn't rated, etc.

If Andrew Robertson does sign for Everton he will be part of the Everton first team squad and not destined for the academy, because he is already an established left back at Dundee United at nearly 20 years of age in March. So if he does sign, then Baines would have to be leaving. Makes no sense having 4 left backs, Baines, Oviedo, Garbutt and Robertson. Although, I do remember Moyes collecting right backs, maybe to be part of his previous swop collection?

Originally came to Dundee Utd as a forward left side player and is able to cut inside and score goals. Don't know much about his defensive ability but was Scottish player of the month for November. Not sure the chairman will accept the bid but I can't see us going much higher.

I saw Garbutt at Hereford a couple of seasons ago and was underwhelmed by his performance. I'd be surprised to see him back

Remember Harry at spurs when he signed two right backs, Kyle Naughton and Walker, thought he was a bit of a dick, no more left backs please Roberto, I hope you are spending all your time looking for Romelu and Gerard's long term replacements, particularly the former.

I love Baines but the form that Oviedo has been showing it would be very tempting to accept anything over £16 m for LB which we could hopefully turn into a good striker and young central midfielder. If so then will need a young LB to understudy Oviedo...

If baines is not leaving now or in the Summer then there seems very little sense in this.

I feel there is too much worry when it comes to Baines. Why worry?

1) Having backups is pretty much a necessity to challenge for the title (which we should be as part of aiming to gain and maintain UCL spots)

2) Players can develop to play in other parts of the field

3) Baines is not a young lad. I mentioned hoping he retires at our club but we can't realistically expect him to be our left back in 5 years time while maintaining our growth upwards

Some day, if Oviedo/Barkley/Coleman/Stones/McCarthy stays with us long enough, we'll be looking for his replacement too. Quit worrying! More cover is good! As long as our budget and wage bill is under control.

Think Souttar looks a real player for what I've seen. Needs to beef up a bit but certainly a ball player.

Heard good things about this lad. Has already won SPL player of the month. Unfortunately I think its further proof that Baines will likely be offloaded in the summer. Martinez has gone on record saying nobody will be sold in this window. If some club bids £15M for Baines in Summer I think it likely he will be sold, Oveido has proved a very capable replacement.

Just because a young player is at left back for his current club doesn't mean he has to be in that position for us. If RM does sign him then maybe he has other ideas about what position he will play in. I doubt the signing of this player will have any bearing on the future of Baines one way or the other.

BTW. I see on the teletext they want £1.5 million for him. Twice what we appear to be willing to offer. So it could all come to nothing anyway.

When Spurs signed Gareth Bale from Southampton he was playing as a left back, indeed he started at that position for Tottenham.

Spurs claim they were always going to move him further forward, and they were quick to get Southampton to sign away the sell-on fee a couple of years later when they were in Administration.

Wouldn't read too much into his current position.