Martinez remains unfazed over Garbutt's contract

What message does this send to the kid? If I was him I would feel very disappointed; if another EPL team came in and offered first team football, IÂ’d be off. How did EFC let such a promising player's contract run down.

ItÂ’s astonishing how this is yet to be resolved and would be criminal to allow him to leave; which would undoubtedly come back to bite the club in the ass.

ThereÂ’s nothing but dead rubbers left this season; the guy needs to play.

So not an immediate advance for him whereas on the other hand heÂ’s a known entity with us, and is likely to get a starting place earlier than if he moves away.

In reality, he won't take Baines's place next season for sure so, if he stays, he's looking at more of the same.

Ask yourselves: in that position, what would you do?

ItÂ’s difficult to see how heÂ’ll stay though if weÂ’re not giving him any game time.... Guess weÂ’ll find out in July....if Baines is sold to Man City.

Most top clubs do have more than one player for each position and sometimes the understudy does spend a lot of time on the bench. ItÂ’s a conundrum that needs careful and sensitive man-management, and Liam (#5), the next few games are not dead rubbers, as the financial rewards system in the PL means more money for a higher league position so we would want to finish as high as possible and hopefully, some of that money can then be used towards either signing new players or towards contract negotiations with players such as Garbutt and any others in the pipeline.

As good as Garbutt may be one day, we have to be realistic and be grateful we have a terrific first-choice left back already and Luke Garbutt has to work bloody hard if he wants to displace him, unless Leighton makes the move to left midfield, as has been spoken of more than once this season.

OR move Baines into the rumoured Lahm position. Or do what Moyes did with Coleman, play Garbutt left wing.

The lads will work it out whilst the fans do the worrying. Managers are for philosophising.

So I see his options as:

1) Move to another PL team where he wonÂ’t play now as heÂ’s an unknown quantity, and wait for his chance against other established players, ie, no better off than he is now;

2) Move to a Championship team where he has a chance to break into the first team early but be in a Championship side, is that better off than he is now;

3) Bide his time with us, a club that appreciates him (I hope) and will give him a chance but currently has the best left back in Europe who he might learn a thing or two from;

4) Move for more money and sit on someoneÂ’s bench as Rodwell, Gosling, Lescott (to a degree) did to make up the local quota, and not play. HeÂ’d be better off financially anyway, before moving to a bottom-of-the-table club in 2-3 years where heÂ’d get regular games.

Tough choice for a 21-year-old with an agent looking to make some money for himself.

You would hope he can be persuaded to stay and develop, moving to another club where he canÂ’t be guaranteed a starting place would be detrimental for him. But with a minimal transfer fee the likes of Swansea, Southampton even Stoke could probably offer him more money, a starting place and a manager who could convince him their club is on the up. Now that would be depressing, losing one of our brightest prospects to one of the "S"s.

Is that enough to keep him with us until he gets more of a chance... only he knows, but I hope it counts for something...

and when Martinez says "If Luke wants to stay..." I hope that doesnÂ’t really mean he hasnÂ’t asked him yet!

Please stay Luke, because we want you!

That way either Garbutt excels himself on loan and becomes our first choice by right. Or we sell him with years left on his contract.

Win-win for everyone?

A club like Everton canÂ’t keep top class players waiting on the bench. Either way, it's very bad that this has been allowed to happen.

ItÂ’s a difficult situation for Everton as well. We want to keep the lad but we canÂ’t spend a lot of money on a guy whoÂ’s essentially roster filler right now. Maybe we could have sold him a year ago but his value wasnÂ’t as high then and he did help us out this year when Baines & Oviedo were down. Garbutt has some potential but I still donÂ’t see him as a future top-tier left back.

I wish the kid luck wherever he goes.

Except sign the new, improved contact that was offered to him.

When Baines was fit he became the LB and Lescott reverted to being the LCB before moving on to City after which time we got Distin in.

I recall much frustration on these pages at the fact that he was choosing a centre back at left back over a natural fullback in that position for whom he had shelled out ٤m.

Hmmmm, IÂ’m not convinced that will happen.

I hope Garbutt stays. Like many have said, no Premier League team will guarantee him first-team football just yet so he may as well stay as Oviedo is finished IMO.

Lescott was performing admirably as LB which is maybe why Moyes was reluctant to change a good thing, but also Baines arrived injured (from Wigan!!) and took time to get fully fit.

Personally, I think heÂ’s got an offer and heÂ’s off. But donÂ’t worry; we have at least one player who is much better.

However, is he as good as Baines was at 21? To be honest, I canÂ’t remember Baines at 21. Can anyone say whether Garbutt is a better 21 year old player than Baines was?

If so, could he improve like Baines has over the last 4 seasons? And could he maintain his form like Baines has? IÂ’d say keep him either way!

Garbutt looks a talent; pace and a wonderful left foot. Lots in front of him and we all want him to stay. The financials say different, though. ItÂ’s too bad, but just one of those things.

A lot hanging on these next three windows. With the players out of or about to be out of contract? A lot hanging. DonÂ’t think IÂ’d put Garbutt way up on the list. Of course I want him to stay. But heÂ’s firmly in the driverÂ’s seat for where he winds up. Better we hope the Club has a solid argument at the tribunal.

If he stays, IÂ’m one fan that heÂ’ll have to win over because IÂ’m not convinced on his loyalty, ability, dedication or self awareness. He just looks like another kid who wants to milk the fans before heÂ’s done anything.

If he was as good as some of you think, he wouldnÂ’t be a defender.

If City offer 㾶 million then we should bite their hand off and use the funds in other weak areas. We have one decent winger on our books for starters. We need about 7 new faces and we know our board won't deliver so Roberto needs to be clinical and I'm sure Baines would be happy to be playing in the Champions League anyway.

As opposed to Leighton Baines who is probably the most loyal servant we have who could have been playing CL football for Man Utd, but chose to stay with us, the club he loves.

At present, Baines is still twice the player Garbutt is, and no one knows for sure if Garbutt will continue to develop, or remain at his current level of skill and performance. You seriously want to dump EnglandÂ’s first choice left back in favour of a kid with less than a dozen PL starts under his belt? Reality check needed my friend.

I respect your opinion, but really, Baines in many ways is the symbol of all that is good about Everton, whereas Garbutt, if he is holding us to ransom over signing a new contract, most definitely is not!

Typical Everton fans on here though blast the player we need and want him to go and want to keep a player who is 3rd behind two other players who are the starting backs for their respective squads (4th if you count Hibbert ahead of him). If he wants to sign, great; if not, go.

The sky will not fall in and there will be other left-backs coming along we can buy. If he was truly the next great back, why havenÂ’t any big clubs come in for him last summer or in the January transfer window? He is not a true defender first and attacker second, but rather, is an offensive player who is asked to pay defense and gets turned around and bamboozled at the Senior level too much.

With Leighton Baines and a fit-again Bryan Oviedo, we have two terrific international left backs at our disposal (no complaints from Oviedo about being second to LB), so why the sudden mad rush to secure GarbuttÂ’s signature on a contract he has had on the table for months? Like you, IÂ’m very much in favour of Â’loyalty firstÂ’, especially where that loyalty is tied to the ability of players like Baines and Oviedo.

Seems he and his agent are waiting to weigh up the various offers during the summer. HeÂ’s not a local lad. His credentials put him firmly in the driving seat and all we can do is offer him a decent wage to continue his present situation with the possibility of a high level loan spell elsewhere. I say "possibility" because it all depends on whether another club wants him and are willing to pay his wages. Alan Stubbs always said that arranging a loan to a good club was very difficult.

What if we offer him ٟ.25M and another club offer him regular football at ٟM? WÂ’eÂ’re talking ٣k-a-week difference and thatÂ’s a lot of money to give up. WeÂ’ll see.

Did I say Garbutt is a better player now?? No but I have seen enough of this guy to see he is the real deal. Yes, he only has a handful of games but that is because Baines is in front of him.

Garbutt is quicker than Baines, is going to be much better than him defensively and has better set piece delivery also. Of course I accept the qualities of Baines who has probably been our best player over the last 5 years but this season has been his poorest and he may only have 2 or 3 years left at the top level.

If we had decent finances, I wouldn't even suggest letting Baines go as no-one appreciates him more than me but if we were to get over 㾶 million our squad needs strengthening with no money to do so.

Reality check?? Well I'll make this prediction now that Garbutt will have a lot more England caps at the end of his career than Baines. By the way, Sterling had only a handful of appearances last season and Kane this season and they are doing ok so don't worry about his inexperience.

You make a good point about Baines's character, Brian, so much that I feel bad expressing this view but we have a core of young players we must build the club around and if we have to sacrifice a player then I would much prefer it to be Baines than McCarthy, Stones or Coleman.

Brian, from what I gather, Luke is a great fella and isn't holding us to ransom. He wants to make the right move for his career and doesnt want to be a 3rd choice left-back, just as Baines wanted to join Man Utd when a deal was close. Its not disloyal to do what's best for your career.

Like all I want to keep both and ideally see our board to at least outspend bloody Hull.