Transfer Realism

Deulofeu on the other hand was great business and adds something we lacked, pace and directness.

We still lack a reliable keeper. We have no centre-back cover unless Browning and Galloway are being promoted. No right-back cover.
No creative No 10. No striker cover. Kone does not count.

All-in-all, we still need to do a lot more business then, just to get back to a Moyes strength squad.

We have spent around ٧.8M net over the past 5 seasons. We will receive around 㿊M in extra TV revenues this season alone. We swopped Lukaku for Fellaini in financial terms. Hopefully we can match the likes of West Ham, Hull & Stoke when it comes down to transfers.

The problem isn't that the manager doesn't want to sign players, is it?

Martin, do you really think the tripe in the papers reflects the reality on the ground in terms of what Roberto's buying policy is?

I think realistically we can expect two more paid-up signings (maybe others on loan). A CM who can pass the ball forward with a bit of flair, and a CB.

The club knows that we need a CB as an absolute must given we let two go in June. Added to that we need some creativity badly in attacking midfield. A CB and the elusive no.10 are the main things we need. After that another striker and decent GK. (All 4 would be great but I'll stop dreaming...)

Not panicking just yet (I will be come end of July and we've still not signed anyone else...)

Number 10 might be a loan signing (SR from FCB?) and we might splash the cash on a forward like Ayew.

Five in, two out and BK's cronies laughing all the way to the bank.

Look at what Martinez has spent at us BEFORE sales since the existing TV deal has been in place! He's spent roughly between ٤-10m in each of the past 2 seasons before selling someone or a couple of players.

So clearly not all the TV money is going into the transfer pot! It all goes on increased wages and wages across the board, operating costs at the club, new gear, lick of paint on the ground before the big kick off, putting bits aside for a new stadium and reducing debt!

How true this is, I don't know, but I read that Liverpool council had advised the club to clear our debt in order to get help with funding from the council themselves or potential investors towards a new stadium and that's what the majority of the existing TV money has gone on, reducing debt?!

But at the start of next season, the new and increased TV deal comes into play and there's no excuses from our board to put up a decent transfer kitty as well as pay for other overheads and totally reduce debt and put money aside!

But I think this summer we will have a very modest transfer budget again as always. We all have this argument every summer since the TV deal came into play, some saying we should have 㿊m or whatever to spend etc but look at the figures in black and white, BEFORE sales, we spend nowhere near that amount each season, only until we sell a player or two!

What followed is we got Lukaku for ٧ million a year over 3 seasons and increased some wages but should have plenty down the back of Bill's sofa, together with more increased TV revenue.

So we need to ask why are we being outspent by the likes of Stoke, West Ham and even Hull.

Martinez has spent about 㿨M in two years and I reckon that will rise to around 㿲M by the time this window closes. Not quite Chelsea, or City but probably more than anyone outside the rich six. He needs to be smarter, because this crew will never give him the sort of money the big boys give their managers.

Now, I would never use the phrase to describe Everton player, however it is the job of the coach to identify and replace those who are well past their best. Using that criteria there are players who should be gone. Howard, Hibbert, Barry, Kone, Osman, Pienaar. I have admired most of those players and wish them well but none of them would start in a side with ambition. None will bring in much money but would at least free up some money for loan deals.

A good summary of what we need... simple, concise, to the point.

He spent Â٤ million on Kone, even though he had a ٣ million release clause, which was then cancelled out by the sale of Victor. He got a couple of loans, and bought McCarthy, but only after selling Fellaini.

After the sale of Jelavic, we must have been at least 㾻 million better off at the end of Martinez's first season in charge.

He has since signed Lukaku, Besic and Deulofeu for about 㿏 million, so must have a net spend of about 㿀 million.

A lot of money for Everton, that... even with the increased Sky money. Maybe you're right, Darren, expect our new Number 10 to be another loan signing, unless we sell one of our own players first.

Either that means two major signings with some loans later on, or just 2 signings full stop, which is nowhere near enough.

We need a No 10, a GK, a CB, RB cover for Coleman, another winger and a striker because Kone is terrible and McAleny isn't Premier League level.

I don't think we should be looking for a striker, in view of our financial constraints. Kone can still find some form after a full pre-season; Mirallas and Naismith offer out-of-position options, and McAleny may yet offer a realistic back up choice. If we are to consider a striker, I'd try for Hernandez on loan with an option to buy (even with his injury).

The biggest concern is at centre-back. Stones is only 21, and is our backup CB. We cannot trust any of the young CBs in our squad, and if/when Jags gets injured/suspended, pairing one of them with Stones could be suicide. We must bring in a senior CB. Martinez has acknowledged this, but my concern is whether Martinez can bring in the right kind of player.

Personally, I expect that we may try for Evans once Man Utd bid for a first choice CB (possibly Otamendi). I would still prefer a fourth CB, but three would be understandable in view of the promising youth prospects in the squad.

Our next major concern is another creative midfielder. Osman and Pienaar are on the decline, and we cannot rely on them to give us what we need – ie, someone who can create chances, get our speedy players in behind, and someone who can control our tempo. Personally, I'd like the creative presence to be able to function in a wide and central position, so that we do not alienate Barkley. I'd like to see us consider Kagawa, Mertens or Hakim Ziyech for this role.

We also have far too many midfielders, as many posters on here have noted over the last couple of weeks. Personally, I'd like to see McGeady moved on irrespective of who we buy, and Pienaar moved on if we bring in a creative player. I also expect that Martinez will bring in another wide player on loan if we lose numbers in midfield (in view of his appreciation for wide players). Sidney Sam has stuttered at Schalke, and is likely available for loan in view of last season's events. He is a super player at his best, with all the abilities to thrive in the Premier League. Personally, if we are looking for another wide option because of sales, I cant think of many better affordable options. He could well be another Pienaar or Arteta.

I think it's important that we do not panic. It is best to negotiate for the right players, not to just bid for any good players that are available. The readiness of some on here to criticise Everton for failing to bid for some of the recent incoming purchases/rumours is exactly the kind of mentality we should avoid.

We don't need Shaqiri – he is exactly what we already have. A player who holds onto the ball for too long, shoots too often, and who wont take up the creative mantle. We don't need a 29-year-old Cabaye for 㾸 million either, because he is better in a deeper position. We don't need to follow the model of Liverpool and Spurs in recent years.

We should concentrate on getting the right player for our squad, and that might take a little time. We are 13 days in, and have brought in two senior midfielders so far. We need to stop the Mirallas and McCarthy speculation, and concentrate on getting in a CB and creative mid, and then look to the loan market for further strengthening depending on the position of the squad and finances. I'll be worried if we haven't added anyone else to the team in two weeks time, but I'm not worried yet.

I would love to see Vidic join Everton – the problem is he would want to start every game. Rightly so in my view – one of my favourite footballers.

Then again, I think about what happened with Eto'o.

I am sure it is a consideration sometimes when players are bought - if not, why else do so many moves happen towards the end of the transfer windows? If we buy someone at the end of July, they could still play in the first game, but would have just done their pre-season (and been paid 6 weeks wages) elsewhere.

I think we might get another 2 in before the window closes yet. I would love Ospina in goal, I think he would be in our price range too. I would also like Lennon. I can see McGeady leaving, and possibly someone else like Oviedo, to balance the books and squad numbers out a bit.

I think our squad is decent. We don't need an overhaul, just a top up. We will be a bit fragile at CB unless we get someone in to cover Jags and Stones. I am hoping one of the young lads might be able to do this.

We lost Fellaini and his goals and brought a replacement for half his value who rarely gets near the opposing box.

Ross has not developed and shown his undoubted ability and Cleverly is an average player.

Only Mirallas and Naismith (when he plays) are a regular goal threat.

IMO we currently have the worst MF at GP than at any period over the last 10 years.

Just passing the ball around to each other is not an option. It needs to go in the net occasionally.

If those two positions are covered, a forward who can operate on the left would be next on my wish-list. Although Mirallas can play there, he can't cross with his left foot and is a bit predictable with that cutting-in and shooting off his right move.

I know it's only mid-July, but I am getting a wee bit worried now. It's all gone a bit quiet.

Martinez has signed 2 main strikers: Kone who was 29 for ٤ million and he blew his stack on Rom. Both signings showed a fundamental mis-understanding of how transfer policy needs to be conducted at Everton.

Any player, but especially a striker, needs to be under 26 so they hold value. Kone was dead money straight away at that age even before the terrible injury he's had. With an ageing squad, the Fellaini windfall was probably mis-used. Rom was too steep for us as things stand.

I think its fair to say we could have found a striker who could have netted with the same frequency for about 㾻 million and got one other quality player in. A Pienaar replacement and a centre-back is paramount.

The Barry signing... jesus wept. Nothing has changed in midfield really and it still looks wrong. Two 34-year-olds to provide the craft and balance. It's no good.

Personally, I'm hoping Rom has a stormer and some fucker pays an inflated Premier League fee for him so he can fuck off to somewhere that fits his ego.

You can't have it all ways. You guys want to bleat about our immediate rivals, clubs like Spurs and Liverpool being able to spend millions more than us, but you never want to talk about the money they generate from sales of players like Bale or Suarez.

As soon as the focus comes on Martinez you are desperate to make it all about "net spend".

Dress it up anyway you want. Martinez has already spent around 㿨M, probably even more if you take loan fees into consideration. Suggestions that smaller clubs have spent more simply aren't true.

I'll be amazed if, by the end of this this window, he hasn't spent north of 㿲M... That's in two years.

We have Lukaku, Kone and Naismith

Our rivals from across the park have

Borini, Ings, Origi, Lambert, Balotelli, Sturridge, Firminho and Lallana

So which team is more likely to be able to change things around if one of their strikers is injured or out of sorts?

The fact remains, the figures you use are now the norm in the Premier League. Even the likes of Hull

Anyhow, the statistics in black and white don't lie if you look at what we've spent before sales in last 2-3 years. It just shows you how much of the new TV money got put up for transfers. We could only do the Lukaku deal due to the sales of Fellaini, Jelavic

Bear in mind that he was stopgap in many positions, his effort was second-to-none. Give him the No 10 shirt in and around Lukaku, feed them the early ball and let it develop. The things they have is fair bit of pace, ability to score goals given the correct service, stamina and sack loads of heart. Minuses, ball control of both players and lack of height but both are good in the air.

There are some great midfield partnerships in the Premier League but not all have been manufactured or divised. Most just knitted together through injury or form. It's a settled midfield that does the business. We can put all the top names on the park but if they don't knit, defencewise... oh to find a young Distin.

Jags is at full pelt most games to keep the back four as solid as possible. Stones is a work in progress and sometimes needs a kick up the arse to wake him up, as does Coleman and Baines. We still need a central defender that is dominant in the air, just look at the aerial goals we conceded .

Basically I think we need cover and a change of pace to our game and if RM is staying, to change his style as he asked the players to do last season (which obviously didn't work).

Surely they would be better than blowing money on some unproved players? Also, if they don't work out, we should be able to recoup their wages in small transfer fees after 12 months.

Basically it's like owing the bank say ٟ,000 and having nothing else. You're debt to the bank is ٟ,000 and your net debt is also ٟ,000 (ie, ٟ,000 less ٞ).

Now your Gran gives you say 𧷤. You put this 𧷤 under your pillow. You still have debt of ٟ,000 that you owe the bank but your own net debt position is now 𧽴, ie, you have NOT paid off any debt owed to the bank but your own overall financial position has improved. See the difference?

The amount of debt the club owes did not go down year on year, in fact it actually went up significantly, from 䀆M in 2013 to 𧴣M in 2014. But we have more cash and debtors hence the overall financial position looks better. But we have yet to reduce the actual debt we have, despite the player sales and extra TV money.

The 2015 accounts may look different admittedly but we'll have to wait a few more months before we see these.

In fact that increase is nearly 19%, which is a huge amount that has largely gone under the radar.

So does that mean the club owes somebody/somebodies getting on for 𧴦 million!!! No wonder we can't build anything, we can't build a dog kennel!

I suppose all clubs have debts and Man Utd's is probably massive. But is it because they have so much success and sell so much merchandise and have full grounds, they can carry the debt?

High finance baffles me but what you've just put down clearly shows we're in a bit of a mess... I think!

Our managers who ever they may be, (Martinez at this time) are asked to be successful on the cheap.

With the amount of transfer money spent on players, I reckon this club does remarkably well in the Premier League.

He puts up a chart listing the net spends over the past 5 years. Martinez has only been here for two of them and he has spent twice as much as Moyes did in the previous three.

Contrary to the claims you guys repeatedly make, Martinez is not being outspent by a hole host of smaller clubs.

He inherited a better team than any of the others outside the rich six, spent 㿨M and has taken us backwards... Do you actually understand that?

You don't rate Martinez, I do, so time will tell who's judgement is correct. You may well turn out to be right about Roberto, but I hope not!

Can I hire you as my accountant? You never include incoming money in your figures. I'd never pay any tax again!

Although our overall debt went up last year, we do have more cash/assets thanks to Mr Sky, so overall we're in a much better shape financially than a year or two ago. It's the 'net debt' phrase that can be confusing as it's just accounting jargon. Elstone was just talking about the club being in a better financial position as opposed to any specific debt reduction.

Bottom line is we should have had the cash available to pay down some of the debt but we didn't last year (for whatever reason). It will be interesting to see if any is paid down this year.

When managers have to sell players they have relied on or who have carried their teams (Bale, Suarez) it usually leaves a huge gaping hole because they are irreplaceable.

To try to suggest Martinez has recouped a lot of the money he has spent by wheeling and dealing is cringeworthy. Fellaini was sold because he wanted to go and because a desperate man made our board a ridiculous offer for him. He wasn't somebody Martinez had signed, somebody who had been part of his grand plan. He hadn't played enough for him to be considered a loss... but you guys want to give him the credit for the sale? Like he could have stopped it?

Fellaini amounted to little more than a windfall for Martinez. We all knew he was going before the Spaniard even got here. He contributed nothing to bringing in Fellaini and given the offer, it would be naïve in the extreme to think he could have stopped the sale.

It's not Martinez I dislike Ray, its the claims made by his acolytes I have a problem with.

My point is the price wasn't right for us.

Just another example of how the media want to establish the transfer agenda.