Season 2014-15 
Opinion Talking Points
Looking forwards (silly season begins)
Thought I'd get the first of these ilk of articles in for the summer in a bid to have something to get excited about. Even if it is the sort of excitement usually reserved for Football Manager-playing schoolboys, if it distracts me from the painful drudgery of last season then I'm all for it. Most of the transfer targets I'm going to suggest are picked up lazily from tabloid nonsense or are my own daydreamings and, as such, all of them are total speculation...
So here we go. Martinez has said a couple of times that we will be looking for mainly 3 or 4 players to come in this season and has also said what positions a couple of them will be. A number 10, a centre back and a wide player. We can speculate on the 4th but I reckon most probably a CF or possibly even another MC. I reckon that we will have around £20m to spend if none of our big assets get sold.
No 10
We have been crying out for more creativity in the middle for a while and given Barkley's depressing efforts this season we cannot wait for him to live up to the media hype.
Will Hughes - A livewire and recent mainstay of the U21 international team. with Derby failing to get promoted he will almost certainly head to the Premier League this summer. Looks to possess creativity and good technique but will be overpriced most likely at £10-15m which is a lot for someone yet to perform consistently at a higher level.
Nabil Fekir - High quality player who would provide goals and assists. Sadly an excellent season with Lyon has probably garnered him admirers with deeper pockets than us who will be able to pay his £15m+ price tag.
Georginio Wijnaldum - Has been in excellent form for PSV for a few seasons with pace, trickery and the ability to spot a pass. Could likely be much sought after this summer. Would be a coup if we got him and possibly cost £10m+
Gregoire Defrel - A less glamourous option but someone we've been linked to a few times. Similar remit, young, fast and with a few tricks ups his sleeve. Possibly more of a winger than a central player.
Gerard Deulofeu - Martinez distanced himself from this move recently due to Barcelona's embargo but it would still be popular for many blues. If it did happen I'd like to see him more as a second striker no.10 than a winger as it would give him more freedom and his defensive work is poor. At £8-10m would surely be good business for the future.
Centre back
Ideally a left sided one as both Jagielka and Stones are right footed. Again we conceded from a diagonal ball against Spurs and someone dominant in the air would be high up my list.
Virgil van Dijk - The young dutchman stands at 6 ft 4 so certainly is a physical specimen. he is comfortable on the ball though still untested at a higher level. If available for £8m or so i think he would be a great purchase and would add a lot at set pieces from both ends. Also left footed.
Nicolas N'Koulou - A more experienced option and probably the better footballer. Would come cheaper too and would be an easy first choice if he were not a tad on the small side at 5ft 11. Having said that he has a great leap and is very decent in the air. Possibly available for £6m.
Jonny Evans - Not my cup of tea but a very experienced player who is only just coming into his peak years as a defender. Our Manchester United rejects have done pretty well for the most part though the idea remains a bit unsavoury. Tyler Blackett has also been linked on loan which seems even less inviting.
Micah Richards - Once looked like the great young hope but failed to deliver. Amazingly he's only 26 and has his best years ahead of him presumably in the Premiership where he is tipped to return to. Would be able to fill in at RB too and might be a decent option to back up Stones and Jagielka.
Kara Mbodj - Another giant at almost 6ft 4 and has been in top form in the Belgian league though I'm not sure how much that impresses. Is quite highly thought of and we have been linked a few times with a £5m move.
A winger
Right or left? Possibly both. Pienaar looks to be fairly spent and McGeady has impressed few. Mirallas seems our only true wide player and he may not even last the summer.
Aaron Lennon - Surprised a lot of us with his impressive work ethic and would probably be a no-brainer were it not for the likelihood of Levy shafting us for money when we have so little to spend. Hopefully he seems impressed enough by us to hold out and force Levy's hand...unlikely.
Bakary Sako - Has done very well for Wolves in the championship this year and has a scoring rate for the last three seasons of 1 in 3 which is very tidy. He has the pace and physique to makes things happen and is also out of contract this summer though reportedly looking for £50-60k. Might just be worth it.
Nolito - Memorably tore us apart in a pre-season friendly a few years ago and has impressed a lot of people for Celta Vigo since then. Would probably be highly sought after and too expensive at £15m+.
Adnan Januzaj - The mercurial young Belgian may be out on loan next season and i would be tempted ONLY if we could secure a reasonable purchase price otherwise i don't really see the point and it may well turn into another Atsu. Although i rate Adnan higher than the young Ghana winger.
Rafa Silva - Seen almost nothing of this Portuguese kid but we have been linked with him and watched him a few times and apparently he's pretty handy. If he's as good as his namesake David then he might be worth the reported £10m price tag.
Other positions
Tom Cleverley will continue to get linked and people would probably be more in favour of it now than they were a couple of months ago as his form has picked up alot since Sherwood came in. Personally i could do without him and think I would prefer to take Sergi Roberto on loan from Barcelona. He will not make it there but has more attacking flair from defensive midfield than Cleverley and would give us a different option from McCarthy, Barry and Besic.
Goalkeeper is another position we have been linked with others in and the targets have reportedly included Nyland, Heaton from Burnley, David Marshall and Fabricio Agosto from Deportivo. I don't have 100% faith in Howard and he has had some poor moments this year but for me we have bigger worries still and I'd like to see Robles given more chances before we splash on a new keeper.
Finally a new striker. I don't think we have the spare cash to make a proper striker signing though the likes of Javier Hernandez could be tempting. Much more likely is that we get someone on loan unless perhaps we can persuade Danny Ings to come to Goodison who i think would do a good job as a support to or possible replacement for Lukaku.
So a quick round-up of some of the people we have been linked to. No doubt the list will be totally different from the one sat inside Martinez's highly guarded transfer HQ bunker but from what he's said the positions should be pretty similar.
If I were to have my imaginary £20m to spend I'd go for:
Deulofeu - £9m
Lennon - £6m
N'Koulou - £5m
Ings - Free
Sergi Roberto - loan
Highly, highly speculative i know but i reckon a lot of people would be happy with that and it might even see us sneak into the top ten next season!
Please don't bother to tell me I'm playing FM and wasting everyone's time as I already know and don't care. Please do bother to give up some of the ridiculous rumours you've heard and who you'd like to come in to perk this team up.
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Reader Comments (60)
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2 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:38:22
Januzai ( loan )
Aaron Lennon - perm deal.
Johnny Evans
ThatÂ’s your lot. Get used to it.
3 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:39:26
4 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:43:50
6 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:53:28
7 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:55:26
9 Posted 27/05/2015 at 20:31:18
Good to see youÂ’ve added Will Hughes into the mix. HeÂ’ll be a great signing for someone but canÂ’t see us going for him unless we had a major outgoing. Steve McClarenÂ’s in talks with the Barcodes so can see Hughes being their big summer signing.
10 Posted 27/05/2015 at 21:05:15
Cleverley has dropped a clear hint that he will be staying at Villa and I can't see a deal for Lennon for various reasons. We have become a club that is finding it difficult to attract the right kind of player.
11 Posted 27/05/2015 at 21:23:58
12 Posted 27/05/2015 at 21:36:14
14 Posted 27/05/2015 at 21:37:57
Deulofeu can come back and as a winger. Excitement.
IÂ’m not sure on what type of centre half weÂ’re after? WeÂ’ve got Browning and Galloway possibly a season or so away from being classed as proper back up.
Whoever we get isnÂ’t going to get much game time as neither Jags or Stones are going to want to be sitting on the bench, both need to have excellent seasons with the Euros coming up.
Would you have Johnny Evans as back up for a couple of million?
I have no idea who is available for the No 10 spot or if theyÂ’d want to join us but IÂ’m expecting a decent signing for some reason. Martinez has said as much in his recent interview, he knows what he wants, I just hope he knows who he wants.
15 Posted 27/05/2015 at 21:43:51
16 Posted 27/05/2015 at 23:01:52
Phil 3- come on Phil, we know youÂ’re not super keen on the gaffer but play along....
John 15- Yes, heÂ’s one of many linked names who slipped my mind. Apparently his wage demands are exorbitant and I actually think Sako would fit in much more quickly if we were to go down the Â’free transferÂ’ route...
17 Posted 27/05/2015 at 23:26:12
We need someone to inject a bit of passion and fight too but there arenÂ’t many around. Defour would do me if he is over his injuries.
18 Posted 28/05/2015 at 02:07:54
I am not sure how Cleverley will improve the squad, and his hint at Villa is basically good PR. HeÂ’s a free agent in June, and basically selling himself. And if he is keen to move to Everton, thatÂ’s agent speak for "time to see who can outbid the other".
19 Posted 28/05/2015 at 06:07:44
Really!?
Well youÂ’ve certainly kept that quiet.
20 Posted 28/05/2015 at 13:49:31
21 Posted 28/05/2015 at 19:31:12
23 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:26:53
Evans is a good shout. HeÂ’s a combative leader with good years ahead of him. He is prone to the odd hilarious howler which is why some Evertonians donÂ’t want him. However, that is one reason we might get him. If that tendency is sorted out we could have a really good centre half for years to come.
24 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:15:23
Lennon played a fantastic role for us but I wouldnÂ’t sign him because he doesnÂ’t create or score enough goals. I hope your right about Deulofeu, Colin. Danny Ings would certainly complement Rom nicely in my opinion.
25 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:38:32
26 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:43:06
27 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:50:59
The ladÂ’s finished as far as Barca are concerned. Luis Enrique doesnÂ’t rate him as first team material and after this ringing endorsement I canÂ’t see him going to another Spanish club.
I was told before Christmas that a, verbal, €10M deal between Everton and Barca was agreed on. Martinez is being very cautious as Barca pulled out of another loan deal in the summer at the last minute.
28 Posted 28/05/2015 at 22:48:43
One of the least favourite aspect of being a football fan is the daily tittle tattle linking us with the world and his mother. We even have our own Rumour Mill, which I sometimes post something facetious which is usually removed within hours!
For all the tabloid links and wish lists the reality is that we’ll probably get a player that’s off the radar; was Fellaini or Bily or Besic on anyone (tabloid or fan) wish list. Who would I like? There’s a fella that plays for Barca called Messi – now he IS a Number 10.
29 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:07:20
31 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:18:13
If he does arrive at Goodison, I hope itÂ’s a loan as we canÂ’t afford to waste too much money on yet another passenger.
32 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:27:11
33 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:42:06
34 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:41:07
Although IÂ’m not a huge fan of his but I donÂ’t doubt his innate talent and box office potential. The goal against Arsenal was pure genius and if we could get him to do that on a more consistent basis then weÂ’d have a little gem on our hands.
35 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:46:39
However, I do agree his goal at the Emirates was special but we already have Mirallas who can be just as infuriating and lacking in the team ethic on occasion. I wouldnÂ’t mind another loan for Delboy but spending 㾶M on him could prove troublesome.
36 Posted 28/05/2015 at 23:52:38
Like I said, IÂ’m yet to be convinced by him.
37 Posted 29/05/2015 at 08:00:36
HeÂ’s nowhere near the finished product and if he were we could not afford him but he has some raw unteachable skills. If he could get settled, mature and apply himself then he could be a superstar.
But itÂ’s a big if and 10m does seem quite a lot when you think that Stoke got Bojan for free (why were we not in for him?!)
On balance id be happy if Gerard came as he would offer us something we donÂ’t have enough of but the onus will be on Roberto to bring the best out of him.
38 Posted 29/05/2015 at 10:33:00
39 Posted 29/05/2015 at 08:39:10
Gerard Deulofeu – yes please (although I really like Lennon)
Bakary Sako – oh yes Sam!! – a left footed left winger.
One for each side and one in the middle.
That would do me.
Goalkeeper
Stones, Van Djik, Jagielka
Coleman, McCarthy, Besic, Baines
Deulofeu, Lukaku, Sako
As Harold said on another thread – I’m getting excited.
ItÂ’s a form of insanity, this you know, but it sure as anything beats being miserable.
Thanks Sam for restoring my will to post.
41 Posted 29/05/2015 at 13:10:46
I like Van Djik too. They would be great additions. But we still would need a No 10.
42 Posted 29/05/2015 at 13:42:37
44 Posted 29/05/2015 at 14:16:18
Seeing as that it is unlikely, and going off ColinÂ’s ear to the ground, I think the recruits could be something like:
Deulofeu for ٦-10M
NÂ’Koulou for ٤-8M
Henen for 𧺬k
Oliver Torres for 㾶-15M.
45 Posted 29/05/2015 at 14:49:09
47 Posted 29/05/2015 at 15:54:50
48 Posted 29/05/2015 at 16:16:02
Funny, his goal against Arsenal referred to. A wonderful goal. My best memory of him was BarkleyÂ’s goal against Newcastle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbRpCe_iW-Q
That chest-pass under pressure, sent Barkley on his way, was when I thought, "This kid!" Much more so than the Arsenal goal. Yet, heÂ’s embarrassed himself at Sevilla.
So, he comes in. He up one flank, Mirallas up the other. Leaves Baines/Coleman attacking dead, no? OK. Gibson manages a season healthy? Oh yeah, chance after chance for the two of them.
Lot of "ifs" in there, though. The big "IF" is Dellboy pulling his head out and applying himself.
Away from that . . . . Petr Cech? Huh? HeÂ’s 41 years-old, at a club in for all honors, being paid a Chelsea wage, and his manager wants him to stay.
Better Robles gets worked into the squad. This, IÂ’m certain about.
Petr Cech . . . .God help us.
49 Posted 29/05/2015 at 19:45:26
50 Posted 29/05/2015 at 22:50:13
Now that it looks like Mirallas is leaving we might need an extra winger.
Konoplyanka is a good shout but IÂ’m also hearing Nolito may not be as expensive as first thought. Athletico may have bid for him and that might be the end of it but heÂ’d be a great player to bring in.
Martinez has been saying that targets will be brought in early so hopefully all this gossip will turn to reality soon. I do think Bako would be a very sensible free signing. Wolves fans loved him.
51 Posted 30/05/2015 at 07:49:19
Always that player that gets you excited when heÂ’s on the ball as you know he has it in his locker to do the spectacular.
He definitely has more to offer than what weÂ’ve seen of him and the only one we may have a chance of getting imo.
Good post, Sam, keep them coming.
52 Posted 30/05/2015 at 21:25:34
53 Posted 30/05/2015 at 21:38:50
54 Posted 30/05/2015 at 21:47:06
55 Posted 30/05/2015 at 22:00:45
IÂ’d be tempted. You could probably shift him on for ٣m plus next Summer if it didnÂ’t work out.
56 Posted 30/05/2015 at 22:06:33
57 Posted 30/05/2015 at 22:45:43
58 Posted 30/05/2015 at 23:48:27
One name that I really hope we do sign is NÂ’Koulou. Classy operator and at ٣-6M he is a steal.
59 Posted 31/05/2015 at 22:23:44
60 Posted 02/06/2015 at 16:53:30
Â’Â’Evans is a good shout. He's a combative leader with good years ahead of him. He is prone to the odd hilarious howler which is why some Evertonians don't want him. However, that is one reason we might get him. If that tendency is sorted out we could have a really good centre half for years to come.Â’Â’
Yes, I can see how you might think that Martinez might be the man to sort that out, the same Martinez that has transformed one of the best defences in the league into a sieve
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1 Posted 27/05/2015 at 18:27:27