Centre-back options?

Van Dijk would be my first choice.

Galloway and Browning should get more playing time. Cannot be worse than Alcaraz . They need to play more to improve!

Although an experienced back up to go along with the two youngsters would also be sensible! Huth? Cheap and experienced!
Spend our money on other areas of the team.

I would also like Van Dijk but if we donÂ’t get anyone we have the likes of Barry, Hibbo, Besic, Galloway and Browning who can all play there if necessary. Not ideal, I know, but right now I believe the attacking side of our game is the bit that needs the most strengthening.

I canÂ’t seriously see us getting Dann if heÂ’s signing just to be back up.

We need to sign a decent CB who can challenge for a first team spot – Jagielka turns 33 in August so whoever we sign should be with a view to them replacing Jagielka next season.

Browning and Galloway are there to fill in for injuries and be back-up next season.

Vlaar on a freebee... left sided CB IÂ’ve always rated. Splash the cash (if we have any) on a playmaker.

We canÂ’t forget Besic is actually a centre-back trying to forge a career in midfield... So that is an option when short. Of course I donÂ’t believe itÂ’s an option RM would take.

Number 10 is the key position we need to sort out. If Browning canÂ’t step up this season, I donÂ’t see a future. And it might be a year too early for Galloway.

I like Van Dijk but agree that a playmaker is the priority. As such, Vlaar would be a sensible choice while Galloway, Browning and Pennington develop.

I agree with Sam, while my preference would be for Van Dijk or Kjaer from Lille, I think Vlaar would be a lower cost option who naturally plays on the left side (unlike Jags) who could come in and be first team ready.

On the little IÂ’ve seen and heard of Galloway I think it will only take another season in the U21s or out on loan before he could become the long terms natural left sided CB playing alongside Stones (hopefully the tabloid stories about a departure is bollocks) and we could have a partnership for years to come.

WeÂ’ve also got Browning and Pennington who could both do with a season long loan at a competitive championship club IMO. IÂ’d wrote off the latter but his new deal gives him more time to show his worth.

So on the assumption we sign Deulofeu and keep Mirallas we would be truely frightening in attack if we spent most of transfer budget on someone like Nolito as the No 10, with the three of them playing behind Rom.

I know some Evertonians donÂ’t like the idea but IÂ’d be happy to get Jonny Evans. HeÂ’s an organizer and a motivator with a lot of presence. HeÂ’s combative and a better footballer than he is given credit for. He has been prone to a few catastrophic howlers and this has unfairly overshadowed some solid defending.

Only yesterday, Michael OÂ’Neill said he was a major influence in Northern IrelandÂ’s fine run in the Euro qualifiers. HeÂ’d add a bit of steel and edge, is experienced and a good age for a centre half.

Andy, if we could get him for ١-4M, IÂ’d be pretty happy... but I have a feeling theyÂ’d be asking for double that and at such a price IÂ’d rather have Van Dijk.

Ogbonna on loan, with an option to buy would be my choice. The lad is 27 and is kept out of a talented Juve defence, but is a talented left sided centre back. He cost €13M, so about ٧M.

I like Evans as well, although his injury record is a concern.

Good shout Gavin re Kjaer from Lille.

I was impressed with him in the Europa League games; and heÂ’s had a very good record at Lille - he was part of a defence that had 21 clean sheets in 2013-14.

HeÂ’s 26 (just coming into his prime you would think) and still got two years left on his contract in France though; so I doubt he would come cheap. But he would be a quality option and would give serious competition to Jags and Stones.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and comments. Good to see we have a number of options at CB.

David and Gavin, about bringing in Nolito or some other Number 10, where does that leave Barkley? If we play our usual four on the back line and two defensive mids, then with two wingers, Lukaku as our Number 9, and a new Number 10, thereÂ’s no room left for Barkley in our starting XI.

I think we must stick with Barkley, and whether we call him a Number 10 or not, he will be an attacking central mid playing behind Lukaku. I donÂ’t see what else we will be doing with him.

Geoffrey, I would alternate Nolito with Barkley for the number No.10 essentially meaning the end for Naismith. NolitoÂ’s equally adapt on the wing so he could also play on the left when Mirallas is either injured or playing beneath himself. ThatÂ’s if heÂ’s even with us next season.

Jesus, if Nolito is adept on the wing I would put him there straighaway, and keep Barkley and Naismith as attacking mids. Naismith has a useful role to play in our squad; a winger like McGeady does not.

IÂ’d also be fine with adding Podolski as another winger. The more the merrier, given how thin we are there right now and Mirallas wanting out.

Evans is decent but his injury record seems shocking.

Another one on Saturday night!

Geoffrey, IÂ’ve had a bit of U-turn on my assessment of Naismith. HeÂ’s scored some vital goals and heÂ’s a grafter but I donÂ’t see him as anything but an impact sub now who can come on and make a nuisance of himself. I think we have to buy a cultured playmaker.

I think we really need to get away from the Cahill, Fellaini and Naismith types who play behind the striker. Especially with our absence of creativity with MartinezÂ’s reliance on ball winning type players sitting behind the attacking midfielder.

Perhaps Cleverley could do a job in this role as it seems to be his best position rather than sitting deeper, but again, heÂ’s more like the aforementioned players than the cultured archetypal No.10 we really need. I see Cleverely as more of a successor to Ossie, who can fill in everywhere across the midfield. HeÂ’ll probably adopt OssieÂ’s mantle as chief whipping boy on TW too.

NÂ’Koulou or Van Dijk, players who can play football & are good on the ball.

Although, Caulker is another option I’d consider – tall, strong, pacey and also young!

N'koulou or Van Dijk, Vlaar, would be great , there were rumours about LaPorte being available too. He would be a big ask, but if we could find the cash he could be amongst the very best in Europe if he continues to develop at the rate he has been.

I'm with Andy with regards to Evans. Not world class but a solid professional and good performer in the Premier League. Would rather have him than Jones or Smalling who seem to be first choice for both Man Utd and England.

Caulker... no thanks. Not good enough for Spurs, not good enough for us, plus he's been relegated twice in two seasons. So he can't be that great.

I've never seen the lad at Celtic so can't comment.

If Jonny Evans is available he'd be my choice.

Given our lack of money, I'd say that good value is as important as anything. Apparently N'Koulu might be available for ٢-5M and I reckon that would be pretty excellent value. Having said that he's not the tallest and I think we could really use a CB able to dominate in the air. As such Dann and Van Dijk might be better options.

If we could get N'Koulu and Deulofeu for a combined fee of around 㾶million that would be some pretty impressive business.

N'koulou is the best we have been linked with. Or possibly the Dutch lad but if he was really any good what the hell is he doing in Scotland!

James, continental view here: in Holland a central defender has to be very, very, very comfortable on the ball and the big clubs always thought Van Dijk was too much a hoof-baller. Mind you, in Holland you get that label when you hoof it up the field more than once a season. So the lad got disillusioned at his mid-table team in the Netherlands and left for Scotland. His defensive qualities were never in doubt. I read an interview with the lad last week and he badly wants to play at Euro 2016 in France. I think we would get a highly motivated professional more than capable of doing his defensive duties. And one that - from a British perspective - is comfortable on the ball as well.

Warning in advance: a year ago, the lad had a fall-out with the Celtic leadership about him talking too much about moving clubs. If he comes here and has a good season, there will be talk in the Dutch press about him moving to a "bigger" club and he will say he is interested in that. It won't go down well on ToffeeWeb.