Everton plan bumper pay rise to persuade Lukaku to stay

I think I am in the minority but I would like Lukaku to stay.

I realise he has been shouting his mouth off (which players don't?) but he is an asset to our team and I would rather pay him more and bring in 1 or maybe even 2 strikers as back up/competition for him than see him leave and have to replace him.

I like having a striker who scores a 1 in 2 ratio, we haven't had somebody like that on a regular basis since the days of Cottee!

Mixed views on this. I feel that with a second striker or players who actually run beyond (didn't happen last season) he would flourish. Hell, he scored 20+ last season through his strength and determination despite not having this.

On the other hand, he's lazy, inconsistent, STILL has a terrible first touch and mouths off about leaving.

Take it all into account, and considering everyone has his price; id say his price is around £50M.

He lacks the class or strong work ethic to justify a pay packet like that. Aguero or Suarez he is not!

Lazy bugger with no hunger left and has developed a delusional view of himself. Sell for a decent price in my view.

I'd sell him Paul, I wish we'd sold him before the Euros, as his price is going to drop if he continues to play like he did against Italy.

This is the worst thing we could do. Offer a man who's only there for the money, even more money. He doesn't like Everton or have an ounce of respect for the club. Move him out quickly. He's another Anelka/Adebayor who will finish his career having played 1 or 2 seasons for 10 different clubs because nobody will ever be good enough for him and it'll never be his fault. He'll be on loan at Norwich in 6 years time.

The good news is that this is complete bollocks and is purely the very intelligent majority shareholder letting other clubs know that we "don't want" to sell... So Lukaku is going to cost you big.

Off you pop son. Good riddance.

No good turning up every now and again. It amazes me the amount of suport this guy gets, how many sitters in important games did he miss last season? I think the Chelsea goal in the FA Cup has blinded people into thinking he is world class, plus the Cahill defending for that goal was goddamn awful!

Same here Paul. Our best striker in decades but with a gob bigger than the Mersey tunnel. I honestly think Lukaku will cack in his pants when he meets Koeman and become a good boy and a great player.

Please Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

Not arsed either way, for our most prolific forward in a generation to produce so much apathy amongst the fanbase tells its own story. Self-centred, egotistical and not a team player, I would prefer to take the money. Also off-load Kone and Niasse and go with a clean sweep.

Despite him being so maddening to watch (and listen to!), it would be great to see him reach his full potential with better coaching and hopefully a more coherent way of playing the game under the new Everton manager.

All this is very good, offering all this money to lure players, if true, we certainly are certainly making statements.... But, it does make me nervous, is it sustainable? Will we be another Leeds? I know there is more money kicking about than ten years ago, but it still makes me nervous...

I said a month ago that, after the Euros, we will be lucky to break even on him. Let him go; he will forever be moaning about leaving for somewhere else.

Look at his first touch again for Belgium – appalling. If he carries on like this, very few teams will want to invest heavily in him.

"...he wants to join a "project" team"

A 'project' team? Rom's going to have to toughen up right quick if he really wants to cut it on that stage:

Link

ToffeeWeb vote required: I can't make my mind up whether I want to keep him or sell for the right price/// 㿔 million.

He is not as good as he thinks he is....in fact I reckon he is very poor. Best thing would be to get a decent fee for him, and use it to buy a player who could at least control the ball.

We don't want Shane Long though.......he is not Premier league standard. We seem to be overloaded with Center Forwards who are all not good enough, its time we had another Tommy Lawton or even Dixie( if only it were possible).

He's got three years left on his contract, no need to give him another one until next year.

I can't see him being allowed to leave for less than £50M-plus and – after His showing against Italy plus the abysmal last ten games of the season – I don't see many takers.

We definitely need another striker to put pressure on him.

Sell we can get better

Tell him to pack his bags and fuck off.

We can do a lot better than a 20 something that can't trap a fucking ball.

Deal's as good as done then - he's staying, 100%!

I was almost convinced of this after reading 'according to reports', but when I noticed 'other rumours' say the figure could be £140,000 a week, I thought deal done, that's accurate enough for me.

Oh shite...hold on, now it says there have been 'suggestions' he's not happy in the north-west and that there had been 'reported interest' from Chelsea.

Tut, you don't know WHERE you are!*

(*other than avoiding the shite that fills the pages of Britain's most vile rag)

Agree with all who are saying Bye Bye... So much disrespect for our club... his fellow players must be fed up listening to his gob.

Can any one ever – and I mean Ever – see him being a centre-forward/striker the likes of our club has seen down the years? He couldn't and doesn't hold a candle to any one of them...

Dixie, Davie, Alex, Fred, Big Joe, Graeme Sharpe, Andy Gray, Lineker to name but a few from our glorious past.

I'd be more than happy to keep Lukaku, but as a second striker. Backup to whoever gets injured. Lukaku coming off the bench sounds a lot better than Kone or Niasse. That'll also keep him in his place. Or play two upfront.

I could name 10 strikers better than Lukaku who would be willing to play without CL. However he's proven his pedigree at the premier league level time and time again. Astonishingly without the basic skills. I.e. making simple passes/runs trapping the ball.

If it comes to us selling Lukaku I'd rather we have our first choice replacement in before he leaves. I don't want to be stuck with Long, Pele, Berahino etc as our go to man.

Waste of time anyway the lad want's to play in the champions league!

Had to laugh though after all his and his dad's big talk about being ready to play for a team in the champions league he put in a performance like that against Italy and got hammered by the pundit's.

If I'm being honest though I'd like him to stay, the first half of last season showed if his head is right he can be quality and without your main goalscorer where are we left??

Add my name to those wanting him to stay.
My mind goes back to another striker who could not trap a bag of cement nor keep possession nor was he a good header and he also very average at passing to a team mate.
When this player arrived at our club we were going through a dearth of goal scoring. Headlines described it as after you Claude as our strikers seemed afraid to take a shot.
This new chap had a solid build with legs as thick as tree trunks. As per Lukaku he spent much of his time seemingly unconnected with team or tactics.
Give him the right kind of ball and he could take shots from any distance that most times hit the target.
His name, Fred Pickering, look him up on Google.
Before casting Romelu aside I would like Koeman to have a chance to work with him.

After his performances in the FA Cup semi-final and for Belgium against Italy, I doubt that any Champions League team will offer big money for him now. He is under contract, so there's no need to offer him a pay rise until his standard of play merits one.

Zahir Jaffer

Just out of interest!! Name that tune (10)...

You reap what you sow, and Rom – like many other Belgians and others – is overrated, needs daily ego massage but is not a natural forward in any guise other than his physique, which he doesn't use, and his gob, which is saga mega drive – Ariston, in one.

He has no genuine respect for EFC, and is destined to be a modern-day version of a the one that never bloomed, in terms of a striker in the EPL. Get rid asap, he's not worth the aggro, and Koeman won't take no crap. Start fresh in terms of the forward line and get shut of all the known deadwood at the club and embrace the new era.

If they are staying for money then get shut, as the desire is misplaced.
Sell and get someone with a hunger, he looks as though he has had enough and wants out. There's no point keeping a playing on that basis hoping he will really be happy it just delays the inevitable.

His goalscoring record in the Premier League era probably compares to the likes of Fowler, Owen, Les Ferdinand, maybe Henry and Rooney but has nowhere near the rest of their game obviously, cant live with Andy Cole, Shearer, Aguerro, RVN, Suarez, Ian Wright or Kevin Phillips at their best.

He does deserve to be mentioned in the same company though which is quite something at his age, and is ahead of Drogba who seemed to click at 24. Will Lukaku go into overdrive now and become a truly great goalscorer? I don't think so.

I think Scott Hall is pretty close comparing him to Anelka and Adebayor; is very good but thinks he's just that bit more special than everyone else. He could take a leaf out of how Gareth Bale conducts himself, plays for and talks about the team - and Rooney for that matter.

No matter how good he is he'd be nothing without the players around him and he needs to remember that given how poor the rest of his game is.

Personally I think he's shown his colours too many times, I don't think he'll improve tremendously with age due to his self indulgent attitude and personally would swap any of the strikers above for him tomorrow.

Sell him for big money and get someone in who can be truly great.

And Chris Owens #19 - you're absolutely right, the big print giveth, but the small print taketh away. Now let's see those shuttle runs Rom, after three....!

Really weird that Lukaku came out and said he wants join a "Project Team" on the same day as Koeman called Everton a Project...

Also, why are people so harsh on a player that is honest? He has ambition and if he stays it is a good sign that he feels we are more ambitious than before.

A bad player doesn't score 25 goals and have the record that he has at such a young age. If we can keep him then he will only get better.

Stuart #24 - ambitions great but rubbing the people who pay your wages noses in it isn't too clever, that's all it is.

Please please get rid of him. He just doesn't have any respect for our great club or the fans who backed him.

Why are people so harsh just because someone's honest. Because he's a tit.

Spot on Mike Green # 25

I want to play in the Champions League aswell but I'm not good enough...

One thing we can rest assured is that he will not end up at Chelsea! After Mr Conte had such a close look at him in the recent International; after seeing how naive was his play and how easily top class defenders found him to handle I would be very surprised if the new manager at Chelsea would be considering investing the sums that people have bandied about for Lukaku as he exists at present.
I also find it surprising that some people talk about him improving with "better coaching" as though he has just started playing football having been a bricklayer since he left his schooling. He has no doubt been coached to death since he was a very young boy and been at a number of premier league clubs in his adult years. The man still finds it difficult to show that he has mastered the basic technical aspects of the game, ball control, passing, heading, movement etc. He may well be an intelligent young man in many ways but he certainly does not seem to be showing any fundamental development of football intelligence when on the pitch. In fact I think his demeanour on the pitch is often nothing short of lamentable particularly his lack of physical commitment and application. Although it grieves me to say it, when he gets home from the Euros he should be required to sit and watch recordings of someone like Ian Rush to really see what constitutes a top class centre forward, goal scorer and team player. Too much money too early? Perhaps. So keep throwing money at him? I do not think so. Get Him to get down to some serious professional hard work or find another employer.

Eugene @15 nice to see you back in bold. Your opinion is very much respected bold or not. Personally I like it, shows personality.

Eric #20 to quote Mr Meat Loaf........you took the words right out of my mouth!!!!

Come on Zahir, name names (10 of them to be precise) and keep it sensible !!

Personally I would like to have Koeman work with him, and whip him into shape. Lukaku has the ability there but needs the right coaching and guidance.

Yes his motivation and attitude sucks, but if anyone can "sort him out" it's Ronald.

Lukaku's a waste of money he is lazy he has no 'Team Spirit' no motivation and precious few ball skills. Sell him and hopefully get our money back.

To those suggesting that Lukaku is not good or that "we can get better," I ask simply, who for the money we will have (not spending 100 million on Suarez are we)? Who can we bring in who is his age and has his goal scoring record in the EPL (60 goals in 139 appearances with West Brom and Everton)? Sorry but I want my striker to score, not stand with his back to goal and try to hold the ball all day to lay it off to someone else. I hope Koeman can design a system to play to Lukaku's strengths to produce 25-30 goals a season, as his goal scoring record under RM is nothing short of miraculous.

Then we turn to the following:

"I also find it surprising that some people talk about him improving with "better coaching" as though he has just started playing football having been a bricklayer since he left his schooling. He has no doubt been coached to death since he was a very young boy."

Ironically, these comments slate Lukaku but could be applied more aptly, to John Stones, but yet again the Englishman, attitude, errors and transfer request, gets another pass and is being advanced as a future captain on TW. In fact, on here people claim that with more years and a better manager he can learn to do the basics and improve. so we should keep him. Odd that Lukaku is not extended the same TW optimism or courtesy, or is it something else?

JH #35, could you please point out to us all where John Stones or his father or his agent has been gobbing off on the press about wanting to leave Everton and needing to win trophies and play CL? no didn't think so. Stop making things up, your hero has been poison in the dressing room and gobbing off for close to 2 years, btw how many goals did he score in the last 11 games for us including a semi final that he cost us? waiting....

Give him the right kind of ball and he could take shots from any distance that most times hit the target.

And there's the glaring difference Dick #18

I agree with Scott #2, I'd like him to stay but am fed up with his attitude that he's too good for us.

All accounts, too good for Belgium, as I speak, his dad is rooting through the loft for a German birth certificate.

Would not be surprised in f he gets dropped for the next Belgium match, if we could match his skill with his ego, we would have a world class player.

Personally I hope we sell the guy, as soon as things go against Everton, he will be asking to move on, get rid now, rebuild and build a team with spirit and passion.

I don't like the fact that Lukaku uses the press to force a transfer, those kind of things should be conducted behind closed doors, because "us" fans take these things to heart. We all like to think that our team are a collection of "true blues" who play for the pride of being Everton. The truth is, that football is a mercenaries game now, players go to the highest bidder, and then move on when someone offers them more. They kiss the badge at goodison, then move to Utd and kiss the badge there.

I am ok with that, as long as when these mercenaries arrive, they have respect for the fans, and play their hearts out for the team. I don't care how they feel privately, as long as when they are on the pitch they give everything they have. Lukaku has been that player, but recently he has not.

I think Koeman (who also fits the mercenary definition) will get the best out of someone like Lukaku. So, if he stays, I will cheer him on and hope he scores, if he leaves, I will cheer his replacement on.

Maybe I have become slightly mercenary myself!

Kevin Rowland,

Stones handed in a fucking transfer request last year.

Kevin 36
Stones hasn't gobbled off in the press, but he has put in a transfer request, which is worse, in my opinion. So Stones and Lukaku are the same. I would go as far as to say "most" players these days are the same. They all want the most money they can earn, and they want to win medals. The difference between a player that we love, and a player that we hate, is a good PR person. So get Rom a good PR person and we will love him. Haha.

Except Lukaku was for the most let very good, scoring 25 goals, while Stones was fairly awful and dropped for periods of time, making countless mistakes that cost us games.

I would hate for us to reward Lukaku a contract after him mouthing off while just doing his job, probably not even worth his current salary for the last 2 months. The team was built around him scoring!

We should reward performance, sure, but if that does not come with loyalty, we'll just have a band of mercenaries. That's what I fear Moshiri's millions will make us, and hopefully this piece of news is just hogwash plotted by the agent.

Jim 35, he is good. He is NOT that good. Which top 2 team from any of the major leagues need him? To my knowledge, none. Rumors sure, but why would they change their gameplan for him? I would take Morata over Lukaku any day.

Andy@39, I do not agree Rooney went to utd for the money, he went there to win trophies, one of the few players who will always give their best is Rooney, cannot fault him for wanting success.

Other players spot on in regards to only interested in money and mercenaries, not many loyal players left in the game now, who play for the love of the game.

Only few remaining at Everton for me is Jagielka and Baines, possibly Barkley if the boo boys do not force his hand to leave, rest I have no doubt would leave if someone came knocking.

Jesus, we may have a billionaire owner but we appear to still have a lot of small club mentality supporters. You don't hear City or Chelsea or United complaining about what wages they pay their best players.

David 45, they also don't have to deal with wantaway players. Also, just because it is not your money doesn't mean the club should spend it without a plan. We can have that structure to attract better players and if Lukaku proved himself beyond this season, sure. Until then, it would be like rewarding a petulant child with toys, and it will only stall the inevitable.

Dennis43 spot on, we did the same with Lineker, we changed our style to suit Lineker, he scored 40 odd goals for us that season, but the rest of the team played as you say with Lukaku and the team built around him scoring.

We got rid of Lineker, built a team up and won the league.

Now I am not saying premiership champs next season, but we certainly need to change how we play to Lukaku, personally, I would sell and try to bring a team player and goal scorer, someone who will run into space in the box, and expect the ball to be fed there, and not a striker who stands still, hands on hips.

Jim Hardin

"The English attitude" ?

I wish I'd have picked up all that knowledge and understanding of the game watching top class soccer Jim. then I too could have come out with gems like "I want my striker to score".

Here's a little secret Jim . . We ALL want our striker to score, but we don't want him to need three good chances in order to convert one.

It seems this . . . "English attitude" isn't just confined to the English. Koeman, Conte, Mourinho and Guardiola will all be vying for the services of John Stones this summer, perhaps they should adopt your "Soccer" attitude Jim?

Maybe you should put that deep understanding of the game to good use . . set yourself up as an agent ?

Get that Goalkeeper on your books, You know the one ? The guy you told us about, who despite being too much of a short arse to be any good, is still better than all the outfield players in their positions . . Then you can produce your master stroke . . sell him as a Goalie to some chump with an "English attitude"

Get across here Jim, a fortune awaits you, unlike America we dont just have suckers born everyday, We have people born with an "English attitude" and its spreading all over Europe.

BTW Jim; Trump or Clinton ?

Our new manager is being paid big money to make big decisions, I like many have wanted the money for Lukaku but will be happy if he stays or goes, the same for Stones.

If Koeman can mould them to his way and get the best out of them then would support him, if he sees no future in either or both then sell them, just let the manager decide, that's why he was brought in so let's see what he does.

Nobody has put in an offer for him yet so why would we offer him more money to stay when it's obvious to every blind man and his dog nobody wants to pay the asking price for him? He needs to earn the money He is on with bonuses attached for scoring x amount of goals,not given a pay rise for missing penalties and playing with his back to goal pointing to a blade of grass 10 yards away. If we buy a midfielder who provides the ammunition for him and he scores for fun then maybe he will have a legitimate case for earning "superstar" money but until then he needs to knuckle down and show people there is more to himself than being a top player on FIFA 16.

Jim Hardin,

I can see your point. 44 goals in 92 games will need replacing IF Lukaku goes. My opinion is that, if we ask for anything north of 㿞 million, he will be playing for us next year. If he goes, my idea of a replacement would be Benteke.

Re your point on Stones. Again, in my opinion, Conte will not bid for John Stones. He is a manager who likes his defenders to be out-and-out defenders. Described by Martin Keown in commentary a couple of nights ago as "proper defenders". I agree with that description 100%.

I think it is down to a straight choice between Man City and Everton for where Stones will play his football next season.

Ultimately it is up to Koeman now. The simple decision he faces is whether he can turn Lukaku around or he thinks that, with the attitude displayed over the past few months under OFM, he is beyond redemption.

So will it be Lukaku staying or Pelle from the scunners coming in?

I guess now we know why he was so keen to secure a move before the Euros started but where's the club he knew he was going to?

He is at his most prolific when he is getting decent ball into the box, see Deleufeu's crosses, or proper ball from midfield to run onto. Playing balls to his feet when he is standing still with his back to goal well outside the box doesn't suit him. A six year old child could see that yet.

Change our style of play around, give Lukaku the chance to make more runs and get in the box more and you will see a different player. A striker wants chances. Asking him to play upfront on his own, islolated and without another Everton player within twenty yards of him is not going to give Lukaku chances. Over the course of a season any striker will get frustrated and mouth off.

He is not the player we thought he was or could be and he has no feelings or loyalty towards the club that paid a fortune for him to have the opportunity to enhance his career. I don't think he has genuine football ability but, if he had shown any kind of passion in his play, he would or could have been a folk hero in a time when we were crying out for a hero.

He has been found out by the fans. He could and should have been dragged off or left out many times last season. He is nothing special and should not be treated as some kind of superstar.

He is on a contract already that is better than he deserves or earned if he thinks the grass is greener on the other side then let him go. If we can get our money back then we should take it. Anything else would be a bonus.

I agree with Dennis Ng, why reward a player who has stopped trying for a quarter of the season, and regularly pontificates about his future being at a better place?
I would sell him at the right price, but I would prefer to buy another top striker and give him some real competition for his place.
Martinez did drop him once, but the back-up strikers couldn't do the job.
He isn't as good as he thinks, but the record shows that he can score goals. We just have to show him who's boss and make him knuckle down and give his all.
If he isn't into it, then let's get in a couple of new lads who are.

Win win situation. He is a good striker and I wouldn't be unhappy if he stays. Or we can sit back and let PSG, Manchester City, Bayern Munich etc fight it out and push the fee up into the stratosphere. Or not.
By the way Andy 48, have you any details about all this gobbling in the press. This sort of thing leaves a nasty taste in my mouth

Kieran - he had chances beyond number after the Chelsea game. Two one on one's and a pen against West ham, a header three yards out at Watford, three good chances and a penalty in the semi - he missed the lot.

All strikers have good and bad spells. Lukaku was terrible against Italy but it wouldn't be the greatest surprise if he scored a couple in their next match, if selected which must be a doubt. At the end of the season for us he was also very bad.
When you think about his positives there are many. Do they outweigh the negatives? Does Koeman want to keep him? If he stays will he put in a shift? Many questions. If the answers to the last two are yes then I would want to keep him.

Depends on the price for me. His attitude isn't great but can't argue with his goal stats.

If we get a massive offer, say 40m+, then I'd sell as I think we can replace him with two decent strikers for that sort of money. However, if no club comes in for him then he has to stay anyway so there's no point in smashing our wage structure.

All in all, I'd wait an see if any club is interested. At the end of the day he's been saying he wants to go to a CL clube for ages.

Alan 60. Oops!!

I would like Lukaku to stay, put in effort of the highest order and improve on what we have already seen. However, it would be after he has been told how long he has on his current contract and that to move Everton require a transfer fee between 55-65M. If he can find a club willing to meet his and Everton's requirements he need only put in a transfer request. I might also remind him that clubs like Juventus have baulked at meeting such wage demands. Otherwise, we will discuss his wage demands in about 18 months.

Embolo
Jackson Martinez
Milik
Lacazette
Icardi
Dybala
Lavezzi
Ibra
Alcacer
Zahir Jaffer
Enner valencia

I've left out a few other potential candidates but your more than welcome to add to this list. And before I receive any cruel judgements I can easily trap and pass a ball.

Obviously Lukaku has some abilities that he excels in. He's the best striker we've had for eons. I'd love for him to stay but there's no point having players who don't want to play. Hopefully Koeman can get through to him

I don't think Farhad Moshiri is going to let the Daily Mail, Romalu Lukaku, or anyone else for that matter, set his agenda for the future of Everton.

I think he (and the chairman) will talk through the future of Romalu with our new manager and see how he wants to handle the situation. Then they will back him up and - if we are wise so will we.

For all those we should sell, or are no to a pay rise.

Firstly to my knowledge no one has bid in him, so £50m+ where does that come from? I see nothing more than paper talk.

Secondly he was the fourth best goal soccer in the prem, his stats are consistent with those around him, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/top-scorers; so when people say we could get better? Who can we get who is better? Are they going to come to us or Man City, Aresnal etc?

Zahir # 66 - I think the best striker we have had in eons was Samuel Eto'o.

Link

Pity it didn't work out - a complete striker.

This is simple: if we can't get a better player who is likely to score more goals, keep Lukaku. If we can, consider getting rid.

I hate what he's (allegedly) been saying to the press, but let's sell him when we qualify for the CL and can get someone better!

Stephen @65, fair point but all of the chances you mention came about because either he got a proper cross into the box or got a good ball to run on to. My point was that him standing on his own, back to goal and well outside the box is not his game. It is unfair to criticise him on this alone. Fair enough, he didn't take the chances you mention but given what he has scored in three seasons at Everton, he does take a good number of the chances he gets.

Why feed his already massive ego by paying him even more ?

Pure business.. A decision will be made based on cost of keeping versus cost of replacing, if he is replaceable for Everton.

Please sell him. I've had enough of him and his daddy!

Jim Hardin @42, well said!

Lukaku has a better scoring rate, at his age, than everyone mentioned in this post except Aguero.

He is one of the only players who can justify claims of Champions League football based on this past season. We had one striker, who went through a bad patch, like all players.

How many times has Mirallas claimed he wanted CL football and he's not even close to Rom's standard.

It worries me that people think we're going to spend 𧴜,000,000 without buying any egos.

Rom was also one of the leaders who told RM very clearly he didn't know what he was doing.

He's a striker (who actually scores goals), he's young, he's ambitious. Convince him to stay with our ambition. I don't want him kissing the badge or tattooing himself with the crest. I want him to want to win the title and see that that is exactly what the club, the fans and his team mates want.

I worry that Jim Hardin @42 is right.

Looks like I posted on the wrong thread earlier. I'll go and fetch it and put it on here...

Mike Allison
14 Posted 16/06/2016 at 10:13:01

How about we stop being so insecure and sensitive and match him.
He wants to play Champions League football? Hang on a minute, that's what we want.

He wants to win trophies? Hang on a minute, that's what we want.

He's ambitious to get to the very top? Hang on a minute... and so on.

He's a high quality, proven goalscorer (despite what some of you are trying to tell yourselves) and is exactly the kind of player we should be buying, the bonus is, he's already here.

Some of you want rid of a huge asset because you don't like his interviews and he has bad games. Grow up and get over it. In the same week we're all excited about Koeman sacking off Southampton to jump ship to us for the sake of ambition we're supposed to get rid of the one player in our squad who is outwardly showing the kind of ambition we're now supposed to have?

We finished 11th, on 47pts, two seasons running. I want us to sell all the players who don't think they're better than that.

Although I should add I wouldn't give him a pay rise, he gets paid plenty already and has three years left on his contract.

We also need to buy some serious competition for his place in the side.

Mike, you're right on point on us going the same direction as where he said he wanted to go. If he stays, works hard and play well, I'll be made up with us paying him more. I'm not convinced he will stay even if we pay him higher. If we're not in UCL next year (a realistic outcome) and he still mouths off about UCL and more money, then what? That's my point about not budging. Let RK try to talk him down and see what happens. We definitely do not want him on $200k and then sulk if we fail to reach UCL.

Gareth, many UCL teams have big egos, but they put their head and heart at the right place by trying to win with the team they are at. Again, RK should assess the situation, but Lukaku's action and performance since April doesn't fill me with confidence he is the type of player to bring us forward. We will get big egos as we bring players in, but the ones that make us better should be the ones we reward.

I get your reasoning, reward our best players, but I don't think we can use last year as a judge of whether we should buckle to their demands. Any pay bump we give is a commitment for the future and if a player doesn't see his future with us, we should cut our losses ASAP.

Daily Mail nonsense. Can't see the club throwing money at a player who's wanted to leave for months. I think we'll just wait and see if any bids come in after the Euros.

Laurie 73, I wouldn't say Eto'o was the best striker we've had in so far as when he was with us he was way past his peak. We had Gazza and Ginola as well but I wouldn't be saying they were amongst the best midfielders or wingers we've had.

Massive mistake to keep this guy. Not that good terrible attitude.

I would let this guy go for the right money. He gave up half way through last season: poor attitude, thinks he's better than us.

We only want guys ready to die for the cause and there is plenty out there. Big Ronnie will know who he wants and who will give everything and a bit more for the Blues.

Lukaku's attitude stinks. Take the money if anyone comes calling. He's not nearly as good as he thinks he is.

Can we out-pay PSG or should we be trying to keep a player who wants to leave?

Lukaku clearly doesn't want to play for us anymore – it's sad but true. He can't go to Manchester United; Chelsea doesn't fit into his Champions League wish... seems PSG are one of a few who would meet our transfer price.

I'm sure Koeman will replace him with a more all round striker.

Kieran (#75), but he missed them didn't he. Everyone else did their job and he screwed up.

20 years ago I made a mistake in work which cost my then employer ٟ.1m. I was sacked on the spot; no-one asked me to come back next week and try again.

Those chances cost EFC a of minimum ٠.5m just in prize money – and we want to give him a huge pay rise... God give me strength.

Dennis Ng @83

'Many CL teams have egos but they put their head and heart in the right place'. Good point but 2 things. First we're not a CL team at the moment and; Second, it's easier to have your head in the right place surrounded by top quality through the squad and easier to hide your heart.

Also, 'the ones that make us better should be rewarded'. That's exactly my point. Without doubt we are better with him than without. Whoever our striker is will go through bad patches even with a top manager which IMHO Roberto definitely wasn't.

As far as your final point goes, he's not making demands regards salary he's saying he wants trophies, he wants to play in the CL and he believes he's good enough. So do I and I would like him to stay and get into the CL with us. A year later, yes, but far more rewarding surely.

All that said, I'm also not convinced that we'll convince him to stay but I don't believe that money will be his main reason for staying, I'm sure it'll play a part but I do genuinely think it's about ambition and Ego which is exactly what we will be bringing in to replace him with, with additional risk that they won't score as many goals as Rom.

I reckon that RK should make the decision when he has chance to meet him if he really wants him then pay what you think he's worth for an almost guaranteed 20-30 goals.

Just my thinking and I'm no expert. Let's just hope that whatever happens we can enjoy the coming season(s) eh? COYB

Gareth 90, you are correct to point out that he said UCL so far and not money. My point is towards the reports that says we'll break our salary structure just to keep him, so perhaps the disconnect there. If RK can persuade him to stay and do his talking on the field, then I'll be made up in no time. Salary is not a sticking point if he is a massive contributor towards us winning consistently.

I agree, he is ~20 goals guaranteed, but he has very little input on the defending. That's why I do not think as highly of his goals as evidence of his impact. If RK can improve on the aspects he is lacking (e.g. touch, press), that would be the ideal scenario even if we have to sell him at the end.

I'm also just a fan, not an expert. Hence, it is all faith on RK doing the right thing now. My hunch is that this is all down to money. UCL is just a very good excuse. That's why I think if this saga goes pear shape, we'll be better off cutting our losses quick.

Are you kidding me? If Lukaku were working for a living, he would be getting a written warning for work performance. Since when did sulking and complaining all day warrant a pay rise?

The ongoing Euro 2016 has done little to enhance Romelu's reputation. His displays have been very reminiscent of the languid mood he often displays at Everton and any appraisal of him based on his recent form would hardly encourage bids exceeding what we paid for him.

Although he has been adamant that his primary desire is Champions League football, Moshiri's penchant towards a 'double you money' strategy – so effective in acquiring the new manager – would, I am sure keep him at Everton.

Whether such a strategy would ensure another 20 goal season is another question altogether.

For those of the older generation like myself he is the quintessential "goal hanger". No one can dispute the fact that the lad can score goals but he's lazy, can't head a ball, can't trap a ball, can't hold a ball up AND lay it off. More importantly all he and his Dad ever talk about is him moving on. If he was half the player he think he is Mourinho would never have allowed him to leave Chelsea. I'd prefer he was moved on for more than he was purchased for. There are plenty of blokes around who are more are more skilled and would welcome the opportunity to play for us. If you could get $40-50m for him you would rub your hands together

Players who guarantee goals are hard to come by so I hope we keep hold of him and improve him.

That said, his all round play isn't top drawer. His replacement doesn't need to score the same number of goals, he just needs to be part of a team that performs better overall.

So our goalscorer scores goals but we want rid of him because he doesn't run around a lot of defend? Even if that's true it's barmy.

He's a much better all round player than many of you are making out. His assists stats are good and he links up well when others make runs around him. Most of the season was spent watching us fanny around with it at the back from a distance.

He also played pretty much every minute of every game in every competition without a break, having not had a proper pre-season or fitness training. I'm not surprised he looked tired towards the end when we had nothing to play for.

I think fans of other clubs would be laughing their arses off at the comments made against Lukaku on here, and I think they'd all want him.

He'll probably leave, and we'll move on, but he's seriously good, and we'll do well to find someone who can match his goals. One thing I think we can all agree on is that next season we need more than one player in the squad who can lead the line and score goals.

Gareth Prytherch @79,

Don't worry, I am often right, as I continually have to remind my skeptical wife and kids.

Kevin, I am sorry but what did I make up? The transfer request, shushing the crowd, or the poor attitude evidenced by quitting on his team during a game?

Darren, glad to see you still trolling with your familiar "dog to a bone" vitriol. I wasn't aware there even was an English Way other than the route of the pilgrims across Spain.

In fact, based upon the lack of English results in soccer I am not sure anyone else claims that such exists. I couldn't find it in a google search but admit I didn't look under ways not to excel at international soccer or footie. Not sure I would want to subscribe to it though. BTW, since you must be the expert, does it by any chance include overly harsh criticism of foreign players and fawning and drooling over home-grown under-performing players?

He carried us til the FA Cup Semi-Final; then, when we needed him most, he flunked it big style. I wish RK had the chance to assess him before he is given a new contract or sold.