Should We Battle to Hold On to Mirallas?
Everton may have been putting some distance between themselves and their reputation for being a selling club over the last few years but recent events concerning Kevin Mirallas suggest that the time could be right to cash in on one of their best players. The dilemma shouldn’t be whether to sell the Belgian or not, it should be instead how to command the best possible fee for him and look to rebuild and take their place next season in the battle for top four places.
Penalty-gate
The highly-publicised episode of apparent indiscipline from Mirallas recently, in which he jumped in front of Leighton Baines to take a penalty, was perhaps the final straw for many Evertonians in terms of their relationship with the player. It has been a delicate one for some time, given Mirallas’s public courting of a move away from the club, and there is a growing feeling that there is little more to be extracted from the player in the long-term.
The Belgian is Everton’s best player from an attacking midfield point of view, but the money they could possibly command now before his contract dwindles down further would go some way to reinvesting within the squad. Roberto Martinez has an eye for talent, and if Everton could get a figure north of €10M for Mirallas, then it could be perhaps distributed amongst the signing of two, or three, different players.
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The party line
Martinez’s system is based upon collective effort, from a defensive and attacking point of view, and if anyone is not toeing the line, it can all become undone. It explains Everton’s form this season, hardly a beacon of consistency or the values you’d associate with the club. Because of their financial limits, and difficulty attracting top talent, Everton will always look to make up for this with work rate and effort. Under Martinez, they are more technically able, but still, that graft needs to be there.
Mirallas, while extremely talented, is someone who has not shown enough of it lately. His form at times can be spectacular, but he can drift out of games for long spells. His impact from the bench has perhaps been the most defining feature of his Everton career so far, where he can provide attacking impetus down the final stretch of games. Over the course of 90 minutes, however, the Belgian can struggle given his fitness is not at a particularly high level. David Moyes encountered, and mentioned, this issue before. Martinez is also experiencing it much to his own detriment.
Big boots to fill?
The problem is how do Everton replace him? Some suggest the recent loan signing of Aaron Lennon, with a view to making it permanent, could facilitate the Belgian’s departure. The truth is, however, Mirallas has been Everton’s best player this term, and this is despite his injuries and the waves he has caused with his public comments, and the furore over that penalty. It seems clear the 27-year-old is seeking a move if the Blues can't provide him Champions League football and it puts Everton in a difficult position, given that they would not ordinarily be looking to move the player on unless an out-of-the-market offer arrived. Everton must be sure they can replace the player, be it with one particularly strong talent, or various players to fill the role.
Mirallas himself clearly wants to play in the Champions League, though how many clubs will be willing to put up with his aforementioned fitness issues would be interesting to see. Atletico Madrid, one of the teams more strongly linked, are heavy when it comes to focussing on physical work. Could Mirallas honestly handle that in his current shape? In contrast, Diego Simeone might view impact from the bench as enough, given his issues with squad rotation. Spurs meanwhile may look to involve Lennon in any deal, and Mauricio Pochettino could certainly do with more creative options from the bench as he continues to develop the squad at White Hart Lane into his own shape.
Triumph in the Europa League this season – and the path to the Champions League that winning that trophy now provides – would put an entirely different face on the situation but, otherwise, there is perhaps only one option for Everton, and that is to move the player on. It’s a classic case of being the best for all parties involved.
Reader Comments (89)
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2 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:00:23
4 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:04:58
6 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:03:47
Kenwright is an artistic person, but obviously hasnÂ’t a clue about business. Nobody at the club has. Take the disastrous Kitbag deal. We signed away our shirts income for 10 years, to a company with no outlets. The RSÂ’s 𧷤M deal makes ours a complete embarrassment in comparison.
7 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:15:52
And that bollocks about a Martinez team requiring players to give equal effort in attack and defence and kind of hinting at Mirallas not pulling his weight is stupid, I canÂ’t remember people bringing this up last season...
Giving 100%, equal effort going forwards and in defending, is a must at any club with any manager, not just for Martinez, and for me, Mirallas does do both.
HeÂ’s a good player, one of, if not our best imo and we need to convince him to agree to the year option and give us another year to see how we get on next season, and if thereÂ’s no improvement, then fair enough, he can go, but if we do well and mount a serious challenge at the top 4, then itÂ’s upto him if he wants to stay or go.
8 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:15:25
ItÂ’s not as if heÂ’s been a match-winner all season. He looks totally disinterested; if we can all see it so should the Spaniard. A decent player on his day but his days have been few and far between. A total and utter wanker, and IÂ’ll be glad to see the back of him. I can’t see him getting the big move he thinks he deserves though... it’ll be some German or Turkish nonentities – not Madrid, Barca, Munich, etc. Anyway, good luck with that, Kev.
9 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:14:31
Deulofeu and Perisic for two, and if any one wants to give us are money back for Lukaku, rip their hand off.
10 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:23:14
11 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:19:51
I think it is fair enough if he chooses to go. Not sure where he would go, mind you, where he could get CL football and maintain his current earnings. I doubt Atletico Madrid are going to increase his earnings. With players like Koke and Turan, he will be a squad player after all.
He could go Tottenham but that won’t guarantee CL football. I think they are third to Man Utd and Liverpool in the race myself. Teams in Germany won’t pay wages or challenge the latter stages of the CL if we accept he isnÂ’t good enough for a Bayern Munich and Dortmund seem unlikely to be in the tournament for the foreseeable future.
I wonder whether the grass would be greener for him. A good player, like when Pienaar left us, but not quite good enough to be a top player at a higher level than what Everton are operating...
12 Posted 17/02/2015 at 18:24:26
Hopefully if we can get clear enough away from relegation danger I would be happy to see some of the younger players given a chance to show what they can do. We might lose some millions through league placings but we might end up with a few stars for the future saving millions. It’s a risk but sometimes worth trying
13 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:00:43
14 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:18:22
15 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:22:18
16 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:27:26
Failing that, how about swaps? That way Kenwright wonÂ’t be able to keep it.
17 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:34:40
On another note, one of my hopes (wishes) when we signed Martinez was that, being Spanish, heÂ’d have a great network of contacts in Spain and South America and would bring in a couple of Michu like gems, for little money.
However, having discovered that he moved to the UK 20 years ago, I imagine his network abroad is a lot smaller than I’d hoped – his professional career has been spent in the UK and the only overseas signings so far have been Delboy and Besic (who he saw during the World Cup) – the current Everton scouting network has been pretty underwhelming. I’m not holding my breath as far as us signing any Spanish rough diamonds on the cheap.
18 Posted 17/02/2015 at 19:51:56
19 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:01:54
He can repay that with some good performances between now and may so we can get a good fee for him!
20 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:03:33
Spends far too much time injured for a club like Everton who need much more consistency from their core squad of players. Compare his attitude to someone like John Stones who has more talent in his little toe than Mirallas will ever have.
Get shut as soon as the season is over, there has to be players with a better attitude out there, who can show us more consistency.
He seems to forget, Moyes plucked him from the obscurity of greek football, now he suddenly believes heÂ’s Â’champions league materialÂ’.
21 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:08:46
Champions League more like championship material with the inconsistent performances this year. There are far better players in their price range around.
Turkey may be the only option for these two turkeys.
22 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:27:58
If he wants out, thereÂ’s little we can do other than haggle and get a good price. Over 㿀m and he can go.
23 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:39:11
24 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:42:53
Also, for the other gobshite, seeing we fleeced Man Utd for another Belgian big timer, IÂ’d bite anyoneÂ’s hand off for 㿀 mill, take a loss and move on.
25 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:52:34
26 Posted 17/02/2015 at 20:57:50
But heÂ’s leaving. Nailed on. We will get ٤-10M for him and do well to replace him for that. Perisic would cost twice as much and is unlikely to leave a CL bound Wolfsburg.
Deulofeu is all fart and little poo, barely able to get a game for Seville. Hopefully the scouts have got some options lined up as replacing him effectively will have a big impact on next seasonÂ’s success.
27 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:06:13
What IÂ’m trying to say is, fuck him, weÂ’ll miss him as much as we missed Radzinski.
28 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:25:36
29 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:19:50
Mirallas, for all his faults, is still one of our best players and one of our big problems this season has been a lack of decent fit wingers. Keeping him playing is therefore something we need to try to do so we can move up the league.
Keeping him integrated in the squad, playing and advertising himself is probably the best thing we can do to get a decent fee for him in the summer. None of us have any loyalty to him, but we should all care about whether our club gets ٣M for him or 㾶M.
30 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:45:24
31 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:41:03
Had me in stitches and made me spit my tea out.....thanks Sam!!
32 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:50:24
Having said that, who knows what is going on in the minds of the players at any time? If they are not getting enough playing time in their own minds, then they may also have some thoughts about moving on and not necessarily to a team that is assured of Champions League football.
Kev has been somewhat injury-prone which I believe has stunted his form, especially this season, and this I suspect has affected EvertonÂ’s offence frailties. The Blues are in desperate need of another striker with strength and pace to help Lukaku as, although Naismith works his tail off, he is not an out-and-out striker.
33 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:51:25
34 Posted 17/02/2015 at 21:58:34
Personally I hope we win the Europa and he stays. If not, I hope we bring in Delboy or Peresic. The latterÂ’s fee was rumoured to be around ٦M before his injury after the World Cup. I think 㾶-12M would land him, but would he want to leave Wolfsburg who look certs for the CL next season.
35 Posted 17/02/2015 at 22:11:37
No doubt he has talent but after the recent penalty debacle I reckon itÂ’s time to cash in; fortunately for us there will be no shortage of clubs around Europe who will be lining up for his services.
36 Posted 17/02/2015 at 22:30:15
Seems heÂ’s gone shit all of a sudden on here.
Ambitious. Pfft!!
37 Posted 17/02/2015 at 22:48:22
As for him going to Spurs, I don't see it. Pochettino puts an emphasis on fitness and high intensity pressing of the ball (it's what used to be called football until "philosophies" took over). Mirallas is not the kind of player they'd be looking for.
He's just another "good on his day player" and there has been loads of those. Ask yourselves this... When have you ever heard the following players being described as good on their day... Beckham, Baines, Wise, Winterburn, Dublin, Cahill, Sutton, Mills?
Those players don't or didn't display the Zola/Scholes/Giggs kind of ideal football but they tried hard and made the best of their undoubted talents. "Good on their day" refers to players like Carlton Palmer, Robbie Savage, Phil Babb, Phil Neville, Kenwyn Jones.
Lets get a little perspective of what he's done for us. Mostly, fuck all, for 80 grand a week.
38 Posted 17/02/2015 at 23:11:12
39 Posted 17/02/2015 at 23:26:00
40 Posted 17/02/2015 at 23:43:08
41 Posted 17/02/2015 at 23:56:34
42 Posted 18/02/2015 at 00:18:18
If only Mirallas was as good as he thinks. Does anyone think he will go elsewhere and be a star? I see him going to Spurs and slowly disappearing. Everton is as good as it will ever get for him. I said the same about Moyes many years ago but I think it even more with this self-regarding fool.
43 Posted 18/02/2015 at 00:37:06
44 Posted 18/02/2015 at 00:51:16
Have they??? When?
45 Posted 18/02/2015 at 01:12:50
46 Posted 18/02/2015 at 01:31:15
Keep it positive; look at how Martinez managed to get ٤ million for Jelavic.
48 Posted 18/02/2015 at 03:13:12
49 Posted 18/02/2015 at 03:36:49
50 Posted 18/02/2015 at 06:48:46
The theory of us being a selling club has been diluted a little by the huge and recent increase in TV money. We don't appear to be in the situation now where we need to sell just to survive. From the outside, being in the top 20 clubs makes us look almost affluent. However, dig a little deeper and you will soon see that our other revenue streams are a joke. Yes, we're not dependent on transfer money, but we are still an awful lot more reliant on that type of revenue stream than we should be.
In terms of the summer transfer window, I have said before that a lot may depend on how many dead rubber games we have between now and the end of the season. Finishing in the top six has consistently been a big earner for us. This season, we are going to be several million pounds short in terms of prize money for league places. This, and putting away money for a new stadium, is going to have a big impact on what summer transfer budget we have. You would presume that any agreement with the local council around the stadium and them providing us with a site would involve us having the cash to back up our half of the agreement.
Depending on when we are fully free of relegation, there may not still be enough points available to really affect our league finish for the season. With this and the above in mind, Martinez may decide to give a lot of the youngsters on the fringes of the squad game time in the dead rubber games. It will give them experience, fully cement their places in the squad if they're good enough and will show us what senior players we have in place for next season.This will allow Martinez in turn to decide who he can offload to free on wages and also decide what he needs to bring in.
Financially, I don't think Martinez will have any choice in the matter.
Firstly, I think he will have to sell Mirallas as he will be the easiest option if he does want out. There would be a mutiny if we sold Coleman, Besic or McCarthy without them seeming to agitate for a move, which they aren't at present. The cash raised will probably be used to finance loan options as this is our forte at present and will work well in tandem with our lack of cash and loss of prize money.
Secondly, with all the hype around our younger players in recent years and their reputed collective talent, Martinez would be mad to ignore them at a time when he can least afford to.
That I think of it, injecting three or four of 'our own' would have added benefits also outside of the financial. Bringing through three or four of 'our own' from the academy would be a justification of all the hard work and faith that has been placed in the academy over the years. It would give the whole club, us fans included, a huge lift considering the season we have had. For Martinez and the Board, it would definitely take some of the pressure off and allow Bill in particular the chance to put a positive spin on the lack of investment in the senior squad. If I am being objective, I think I would have to admit that a lot of effort by the club as a whole has been put into the academy. If there is a payout for the senior squad and our financial situation, as a result then fair enough to give credit where it is due.
51 Posted 18/02/2015 at 08:38:18
52 Posted 18/02/2015 at 09:23:53
Any negativity or hesitation then straight onto every newspaper and agent there is to inform them of their availability.
53 Posted 18/02/2015 at 09:18:59
Forget all this rubbish about the CL, average-to-decent players (like Mirallas) know they can make far more money playing for someone like WHU or QPR than they can for a team like Marseilles or Porto even though those teams qualify on a regular basis in the CL.
54 Posted 18/02/2015 at 09:53:34
As for him being less than a nice well rounded fellow, well, perhaps he isn't the right man for a role with the UN on a Palestinian peace mission, but we're talking Premier League football. As I don't have to sit down and drink with him, then as far as his personality is relevant, provided he doesn't disrupt the dressing room, the fact he is a bit of a pain (heaven forbid we have players who are competitive) shouldn't come into it. It would be nice if all of our players were like Naismith, but unlikely these days.
Of course we should be trying to keep him, and getting in some more players who can score goals. Goals being handy things for winning football matches. Someone was complaining about Osman only scoring 4 goals a season (I looked it up and he averages about 5 regularly getting 7 a season at his peak and played out of position), well that's 4 more than any of our other midfielders, or at least that's how it feels.
We really do need more creativity in our team and I'd like us to get a couple of players in before we even think of selling anyone. Selling Mirallas without having a couple of players who can provide threat first would be suicidal.
55 Posted 18/02/2015 at 10:19:06
Everton have no choice but to get the best possible deal for him and hopefully sign someone even better.
56 Posted 18/02/2015 at 10:41:13
Who is going to put the ball in the net for us if Mirallas and Lukaku leave?
57 Posted 18/02/2015 at 10:44:37
That might be the case, but I bet we could find a few decent players with more commitment, a better understanding of 'team' and who want to be here.
We should imo sell any player employed by Everton who doesn't want to play for Everton.
58 Posted 18/02/2015 at 11:22:06
There are plenty of players who would show commitment to the club, but how many of them have the quality to improve things next season, and fit into the budget?
59 Posted 18/02/2015 at 11:37:31
"Let's get a little perspective of what he's done for us. Mostly, fuck all, for 㿼 grand a week."
The trouble is that what he's done for us has still been more than virtually every other player! In an attacking sense at least.
He's right at the top of our assists and chances created lists for the last few seasons (only Baines has more) plus our only midfielder who scores more than 1-2 goals a season (except Osman maybe).
He might be a dick but he's one of the best dicks we have.
60 Posted 18/02/2015 at 11:37:03
61 Posted 18/02/2015 at 12:10:29
Is it wrong for players to want to play at the highest level possible, especially if they are capable of doing so? No.
Is it wrong to leave a job to achieve your objective of playing at the highest level? No.
Does it suck that Everton players want to leave because they are not playing at the level they want achieve? Yes. However, there is the arguement they could stay and build a team which can win things. The flip side to that is Stevie G's loyalty for the reds where they've won minimal silverware despite his passion for the club.
Bringing it all back round to Mirallas. I will be sorry to see him go as he's been one of a few Everton players to show passion, desire flair and creativity to win games.
The team has looked very flat and missed a cutting edge when Mirallas and Barkley have been missing from the team.
Personally, I think the team should be built around players like Lukaku, Mirallas, Barkley, Besic, McCarthy, Coleman, Stones & Rubles.
The major player types the team is missing are proper wingers who are able to provide a quality final ball into the box. All the midfielders we have at present are CMs, with the exception of loanee Lennon.
62 Posted 18/02/2015 at 14:36:34
We're perilously close to the top of the Fair Play League; so if Gareth stops picking up the cards, we could be back in Europe next season.
63 Posted 18/02/2015 at 15:11:24
64 Posted 18/02/2015 at 16:31:32
65 Posted 18/02/2015 at 16:40:43
66 Posted 18/02/2015 at 17:40:57
Answers on postcard please...
67 Posted 18/02/2015 at 17:45:40
Last season I think it was in the run up to Christmas he was our only player showing the necessary desire.
I am not sure we should pull out all the stops to keep an unhappy player but I can't pretend Mirallas on form isn't our most potent attacking player and one of the few who seem to step up against the better opposition.
68 Posted 18/02/2015 at 18:50:44
Osman got 44 PL goals in 11 seasons. Plus 1 this season makes it 45 in 12. I was quoting league goals which I feel are a better standard.
69 Posted 18/02/2015 at 19:58:30
70 Posted 18/02/2015 at 20:26:59
As with other posts on here, I do wonder what on earth is going on with our worldwide scouting system under Roberto. We don't often appear to be seriously linked with anyone of any promise outside this country. That's one of the reasons I've argued on here that we take a punt next season with at least two of our own home grown academy graduates and see where it takes us?
71 Posted 18/02/2015 at 20:33:35
I've been saying the same. Only 1 goal from our midfield four. Also Naismith has only got 2 since August and no assists all season and he is really our second striker. It will be worse if Mirallas leaves. Lennon doesn't score goals either.
We desperately need a proven striker and a goal scoring attacking mid in summer, but I don't see Martinez landing them or the funds being available.
72 Posted 18/02/2015 at 20:46:35
Naismith provided the assist for Lukaku's goal against Palace (as you well know!)
73 Posted 18/02/2015 at 20:43:04
74 Posted 18/02/2015 at 21:45:05
He didn't, it came back off the goalie, so isn't classed as an assist. His cross wasn't going to Lukaku.
None this season, 3 in 3 seasons, he's just not creative or a scorer.
75 Posted 18/02/2015 at 22:25:25
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/fair-play.html
West Ham are currently top ahead of Burnley and Liverpool.
76 Posted 18/02/2015 at 22:42:34
We are very defensive throughout our defence and midfield. We missed the boat on Lallana, Delph and others who actually shoot! Even Shelvey at Swansea can bag a few each season.
As I said before our midfielders are behind the full backs and Jagielka for scoring goals. We cannot afford to play two and sometimes three defensive midfielders and expect to win matches against organised sides. Surely one of our midfielders should be chipping in and between them they should be averaging ten goals a season.
What on earth is happening to Barkley too ? This lad should be scoring regularly by now.
77 Posted 18/02/2015 at 23:31:06
Our big issue is the manager, we get an awful lot of criticism of individual players, but basically they can all look brilliant if well managed and playing in a confident and successful team who knows what it's doing, and they can all look awful if the collective unit isn't working for whatever reason. Last season under Martinez we were the former, this season we have been the latter. Which one is the real Martinez is something we'll just have to wait and find out.
We have some outstanding young players, and plenty to be excited about in the future, depending on whether or not Martinez can learn from the huge mistakes he's made this year. Mirallas is only a minor part in all this. Let him go to Spurs and sit on the bench as far as I'm concerned, Everton Football Club is bigger than any player, and it is far, far bigger than a jumped up, arrogant Cristiano Ronaldo wannabe.
78 Posted 19/02/2015 at 00:48:25
79 Posted 19/02/2015 at 10:02:35
TW have, but not the proper stat sites I use. Either way, it is still very poor. His stats for tackles and shots on goal are also poor.
80 Posted 19/02/2015 at 10:39:15
82 Posted 19/02/2015 at 12:26:58
83 Posted 19/02/2015 at 12:50:50
84 Posted 19/02/2015 at 14:22:55
We lost both games!!
He's a bellend that is nowhere near as good as he believes he is.
He doesn't get involved in games anywhere near enough and is happy to stare at his colourful boots on the wing waiting for the ball to come to him so he can do a step-over then do fuck all with it.
Get shut, get some moolah and buy someone who will actually want to play a whole 90 minutes and isn't a jumped up little bellend with delusions of grandeur.
86 Posted 19/02/2015 at 15:04:24
87 Posted 19/02/2015 at 15:07:32
88 Posted 19/02/2015 at 15:11:52
89 Posted 19/02/2015 at 16:31:19
Sell him to the highest bidder: if Spurs are daft enough to believe he's better than Townsend or Lallana, then they can buy him.
90 Posted 19/02/2015 at 20:34:54
91 Posted 20/02/2015 at 20:38:11
92 Posted 21/02/2015 at 01:16:30
How many big clubs have made bids for him? None!
Anyway, he will be nearly 29 at the end of his contract with us. The club should not be giving big contracts at that age.
93 Posted 21/02/2015 at 08:01:28
94 Posted 22/02/2015 at 21:16:26
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1 Posted 17/02/2015 at 17:52:01