Transfer Deadline Day

Call me cynical, but all this stadium talk surfacing now in years gone by we would have said it was to try and deflect attention from the lack of arrivals.

The fact BK is there and the 'watch this space' phrase coming up again . hmmm

䀋 mil out the 𧴜 mil war chest
Other lads have come from the Stones money.

Champions League on the way.

Hart is off to Torino, thankfully. The rest, yeah why not. WIlshere on a loan is a good idea for me but we'll see!

Hopefully we get the Brahimi deal done, and then a GK, backup RB, and another forward; while announcing Bramley Moore on Friday.

Hopefully will be a few great days for us.

Trying to build a team with seven or eight new signings never comes off, I would like to see another couple added then see were we are at January/ end of season.

I agree with you mate, I've been telling anyone who would listen too whilst being shot down.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Add Hibbert wages as well, BTW.

Denver Daniels (#2).

Agree with you too, this lad is cheap as chips at 㾷m and the deal was simply a no-brainer, even if he wasn't quite ready we could have loaned him to Ajax. Very frustrating.

We have a good squad. I'd much rather give minutes to Davies, Dowell, Holgate etc than spend 㿀M on some duffer who's lit up Serie A for one month in 6 years.

Your a very optimistic guy, I really hope you are right.

I would be relatively happy with Brahimi and Kone, let alone a few surprises.

That said I feel like a lot of good players are drifting away from us.

Bruno Martins Indi on a loan deal with a view to a £7m move is one id have liked us to have done, along with Ziyech, both these lads are the right ages, play in positions we need and are excellent value. We could have taken these and still had the money for Brahimi.

I'm starting to feel like tomorrow is going to be slightly disappointing, but I hope I'm wrong.

I don't believe were desperate for a centre-back, and I'd agree we need an attacker.

But I really think we need someone in the attacking third who is above the level we have with Mirallas, Del Boy and Lennon, someone who can really push Ross on or link up with him, but I don't think Bolasie is that player.

For me Bolasie is no more consistent than Mirallas, and if also go as far as to say Deulofeu will surpass him soon in terms of being a threat.

A Oscar or Mata style player would be great IMO, not as a replacement for Ross but as a player capable of getting more from him in terms of being on a similar wave length. If there's no decent options available in that position then I'd look at a top left sided player and try to build something with Mirallas and Rom ahead of Ross.

Stones: 㿔 (nett after Barnsley's ٥.5m cut)

Martinez out: circa ٦m
Koeman & team: ١.5m
Walsh: ٠.5m
Stekelenburg: ٟm
Guaye: ٥.1m
Bolase: 㿈m
Williams: 㾸m

Total: -㿂.1m

That's not forgetting the Moshiri promise of the 𧴜m to include any uplift in current players' salaries to encourage them to stay à la Lukaku going up to around 𧴜k/pw.

No agent's fees have been included in these figures either and they are always a hidden consideration.

Taking the management costs, agents fees, Lukaku wage rise all out we are still -٦.1m nett so whatever way you shape it I believe it to be unfair and Man Shitteh/Chelski-esque of us to be screaming about a lack of investment in this way at all - let alone to be doing so a whole day before the first transfer window has closed.

We're better than that aren't we?

Axel Witsel has already turned us down and decided to stay in Russia for another year with the hope of signing for a bigger team eventually.

History means nothing in football anymore, it's all about where you finished last year and where the joining players think you'll finish next year.

On a personal level i'm hoping for a marquee bid something big that makes everyone take notice, James Rodriguez at Real Madrid, exceptionally slim chance of actually signing him but everyone would take note if we told Madrid we'd give them £70m for him, then people would know how serious we truly are.

In the last eight weeks our squad has been trimmed of a lot of dead weight and that process is still going on as we speak.

We have invested in some excellent new recruits resulting in an improving squad and most importantly a really promising start to the season under a coach who just might be the best this great club has ever had. Plus we are all expecting a historical announcement of a new stadium on the river in the city of Liverpool that won't be there to anchor a Tesco super store.

And we moan.

And thank you Lee #15 for some better maths than others questioning the Mosihiri "investment". I don't know where the £100m figure came from, frankly I think the press just invented it. However we are clearly acting in this market in a way quite different than if we were in pure sell to buy mode – so I do believe there is some money there.

Finally the other big news is the stadium – actually more important than any transfer news let's hope we get it right this time but a ways to go I think.

You have to be joking. First off, we will not have paid Martinez a big fat lump sum of £8 million, especially since he is now reemployed.

Furthermore, last time I checked, a former manager, new manager, and a Director of Football don't actually contribute one thing on the pitch. Unless you're confident that one of those are going to step in and score goals if Lukaku goes down with a knee injury and Mirallas pulls another hamstring.

But if you want to play that game, then please also include the salaries of all the players we let go, the salary we are no longer paying Martinez, Howard who left at the end of the season, and the former academy players we have sold off. So in actual playing staff, we've spent what we got for Stones, only actually paying out £8 million when considering the sell on fee we had to pay. Wow, that's huge investment. What a difference from the past 20 years.

I would also like to see what Del could do in that role. Last season, some of his through balls to Lukaku from deeper positions were sublime. Rom owed a lot of his goals and chances to Del last season. There is no doubt that Del has great vision and great delivery to accompany it, and not just as a winger.

I'm struggling to see how we can possibly surpass the hopes our supporters have.

I can handle the despair, but it's the hope that kills you.

Officially, where has anyone seen anything factual that provides the transfer funds available? And as has been said before, why blow the lot now?

Take a look at Villa. Learner pumped money in for a few seasons and saw no great difference in league position then sacked the whole thing off.

And while it may look as if we've simply reinvested the money from the Stones sale, I think bad luck has been a factor. Witsel and Ghezzal both snubbed us. Arsenal swooped in at the last minute and snatched Perez. Moyes decided to be a complete tit and block the Kone transfer. Cuco Martina looked like a done deal, then Southampton's defensive ranks were thinned by injury. A deal for Gabbiadini seems to have stalled over Napoli's negotiating tactics. It's not like we haven't *tried* to spend more.

Anyway, cautiously optimistic about tomorrow. I guess we'll see.

No, that's not at all what happened at Villa. The year Lerner bought them, they went from 16th prior year to 11th, a bunch of money spent, followed by three consecutive seasons of finishing 6th in the table.

Then, they sold Barry. Then they sold Milner, Sidwell, Curtis Davies. Then they sold Downing and Ashley Young. And when they started selling off those players, they dropped down the league.

When they spent, they jumped from 16th to 6th in two seasons, and stayed there for three, only dropping after they started selling key players. Jumping 10 league places is a huge difference, and they were a very tough team. Every season it was one of the games we dreaded, because we knew they'd find a way to knock a goal at the end to either win or snatch an away draw. Twice it happened to me sitting at Goodison.

There's a back handed compliment to Moyes in there - despite Lerner's money (and money going into other clubs like West Ham and Sunderland at the time) we managed to match Villa over that period without spending hardly anything on transfer fees.

Don't go building straw men to knock down, claiming they're my words. Please show me where I say we should win the fucking champions league next season. Why not stick to a more accurate analogy. Would I be happy to see us jump 10 positions in the league over two seasons? Yes I would. 11th to 1st it would be, right?

I didn't raise Aston Vill as an example, somebody else tried to say their method of spending led to doom. I simply pointed out how their spending actually saw them jump up the league and stay there, until they started selling players and then the manager left after becoming angry with the lack of player additions and seeing his key players sold off. Just correcting somebody else's misinformation.

I can see Ziych being another Payet or Nolito.. another the club should, could etc ..

All we do need is someone to play alongside Lukaku or in his position.
For some reason I'm not 100% sure we need or want Brahimi. would rather see Del being given a run. Mirallas is in form and we bought Bolasie.

Good its a quiet day in the office!

Everton during the same period made a similar jump, spending less money and sustaining the relevant level of success for longer. In fact, since the departure of Moyes, there have been 4 players out of the top 10 most expensive signings ever added, how has that affected the finishing positions?

Look how much the top teams spend each year to stay where they are. Spend £100 million this year, it will require significant reinvestment each year to maintain the squad level, plus wages. Moshiri is a rich guy, but not rich enough to fritter hundreds of millions away

The current model would appear sensible and considered. Yes, Stones has gone, and so far the outgoings have been balanced by his sale. Surely that's just sensible business? The squad is decent (only 3 seasons ago finished with highest points total of Premier League era) and has been improved by the recent signings. There will probably be more additions.

The current coach is an upgrade on the last one, hopefully an upgrade on everyone we have had since the mid 80's. He is looking to get a better return from the current squad.

There is a new DF, who has had success in the past. He has already identified Gana, who looks a snip for what he cost.

The players we are being linked with now are of a higher calibre than before. Why can't we get the deals over the line? Because at present Everton are not as an attractive an option as Arsenal or Juventus. So pragmatism is being employed. Sign players who improve the team, chip away steadily rather than shoot the load in one glorious spurt.

Back to the original point, the new manager can have an effect on the pitch, otherwise why not stick with the last one? He can prepare the players better, adjust the tactics better and ensure the players are better prepared. All these things add value. This guy cost a lot to employ. And paying off Booby cost a fair whack too. We are not saving on his wages as Koeman is earning more, and there has been a big outlay in compensation payments for both.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and of course I can't say that this whole new era will be a great success. But it hasn't got started yet. There is already a difference between the past and the present.

And yes, of course I would take a 10 place jump, but will settle for 7 places this season.

They made a sustained jump, only broken up by poor ownership. They were challenging each season, then the owner, with a history of failed sports team ownership, blew it.

Then they thought they'd be smarter and build from within, find bargain buys to replace those stars they sold. Only problem, it failed, just as it almost always does. Most times talent wins. Occasionally you get the cupset. Occasionally, like once in multiple generations you get a Leicester. That's no way to go about your business. Those are called outliers, not trend setters.

"Furthermore, last time I checked, a former manager, new manager, and a Director of Football don't actually contribute one thing on the pitch."

If manager's make so little difference to the results and it's all about the players, then how come Man Utd went from world beaters to missing out on the Champions League? Why have Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea outlaid fortunes to bring in the best managers available?
And how come Everton have changed from a team who couldn't hold onto a lead and were a soft touch at home back into a tight unit that have 7/9 at the start of the new season with few new signings?

The reality is that the manager is pretty much THE most important signing you can make. Quite apart from deciding who we buy/sell, the formation we play, tactics and ideology in the camp, the good ones can take previously failed players and turn them into winners. I'd argue strongly this is worth far more than a couple of speculative signings.

Though not as core, a Director of Football who can unearth lesser known talents without spending the earth (as achieved at Leicester) is also worth more than his weight.

These management signings are far more shrewd and capable of a far greater RoI than simply throwing money at already ludicrously overpriced and overpaid footballers.

Does this mean we don't need a few more recruits on the pitch? Obviously not, everyone knows we need support up front (including Koeman) and we've clearly been incredibly active in making offers and trying to get deals done (as I expect we will continue to be today). But to say that a manager isn't a valid expense of budget and can't be worth extra points/goals is just plain wrongheaded.

3 seasons. 6th place. Then 9th. Then steadily downwards. The same owner who financed the good period oversaw the decline. He stripped the assets he bought. In 2008-09 Villa had a net spend of £50 million plus, and finished in the same league position with 2 points more than the previous season. The following season nearly £50 million more went out, some being offset by Barry's sale to city. 2 more points. Same league placing. He put money in. He lost money. He cut his losses and got shot. The club sold for 60 million, he bought them for £62 million. A Forbes article estimates he could have lost as much as $400 million. All to finish in the Europa Cup places.

During the same period they finished above Everton once. During that period their net spend was hugely above Everton's. If you doubt this please check. And what did they have to show for it? The InterToto cup and a league cup runners up medal.

One club used a sensible approach (No other option as skint), the other spent. one club is still in the Premier League, now in a healthy state under a new owner, looking at a new stadium and scouting for quality players. The other has had its best players sold and lost 2 of the first 3 games of the new season in the Championship.

Villa are only one example, but probably the best in comparison given their history and ours. Leeds are the blue print of how to fuck it all up. Blackburn are another good example.

Want to review the stats? This site is useful for transfer histories:
http://www.transfermarkt.com/aston-villa/alletransfers/verein/405

League placings is easy enough with Wikipedia.

Now that's the past. Which can serve as a good lesson for the future. Spend wisely and sustainably. Build consistently. Sell where it is beneficial, necessary and prudent to do so.

To finish, I am not suggesting that this year Everton will win the league, or the next either, but to get into a position where top players can be attracted without just throwing a sugar daddies millions at them the club need to improve league finishing placings and prove the can be competitive. I believe from the early signs this is the plan.

What do you mean by "poor ownership"? Lerner was a textbook good owner... until he stopped pumping money in.

But why should he continue to pump money in? He didn't try and hang on to his train set - the tried to sell (and has now done so). Not sure what else he could/should have done.

You have in previous posts referred to Man City as your preferred model of making a marquee signing and that we should be challenging at the top of the game (yes, I admit I exaggerated your views in my previous post). But Man City is not where we are. IF we try and follow that route I (and others) think it will be a disaster.

I just don't understand the thought process behind your views. I agree we are unlikely to win the league anytime soon... but I do think carefully spending what money we do have will lead to the optimal outcome... even if that falls short of winning the league.

Koeman has decided to target areas of the team which we were already relatively strong.. defensive midfield and the wings. Have we improved those areas? Possibly, but we've had 3 games with Gana and one and a quarter with Bolasie... 2 or games against West Brom and Stoke we won, but not comfortably.

In Koeman's own words we needed 3/4 more players this window... It's now over to the club. If we don't add them, I fear we'll be standing still, irrespective of the new management team.

I think lots of you need to relax, take a chill pill and enjoy the ride that is deadline day mayhem.

Let's all get together, have a group hug and ponder what will be with or without any new signings .

Brahimi hasn't been in Liverpool, isn't in Liverpool and isn't even scheduled to be in Liverpool!!! Now that's not to say he could hop on a plane and be in Liverpool in a few hours but the way these people make this stuff up is breathtaking.

It's called Transfer Deadline Day – not Everton Deadline Day. There will be loads of clubs doing last-minute deals and loads of supporters of other clubs viewing the day with the same trepidation and excitement, and even, as in your case, negativity!

It's the same every six months but this time we have a new manager looking to rebuild and strengthen, and some decent dosh to help him.

I reckon we'll get three in (Begovic, Kone, Brahimi) and you reckon none (?). Let's see who's closest eh? Loser buys a pint at the Boro game.

Prices to enter the grounds should have come down to no more than 㿅, the whole structure of prices at football matches should be investigated by the Minister of Sport. We are relatively lucky with prices at Everton.

COYB

It requires either Sheikh Mansour or patience and intelligent long term thinking.

Spending willy nilly just to prove you can is what Tong Fernandes tried at QPR. It took a while but he eventually learnt his lesson.

The other monies mean we've only invested ٦.1m if you ignore Lukaku's pay rise, Martinez's severance, managerial recruitment and agents' fees but that's not enough for you. With a day left of the window your entire armoury of Mattel dollies have been jettisoned from the Silver Cross!

How about you cool your jets a little, have a camomile tea and vent your spleen once the window closes. Perhaps then, and only then, you might actually have cause.

Mate, sarcasm and digs aside, I genuinely hope we all have a good day and are smiling at midnight.

What a bastard! I'm sure he probably, maybe, perhaps, promised me, personally (well almost), a 𧴜 million to spend. And, god dammit, he hasn't.

Twat.

The transfer window's still open and for some reason that lying git isn't pouring bucket loads of money out of it on piss poor players who aren't worth a tenth of their asking price, but would rid him of his hundred per cent promised hundred million quid.

I mean if he at least spent a hundred million on shite then he would have kept his word wouldn't he? I'd let him off then.

What? My round?! No way!

These must be searches by us blues otherwise Stockholm and Oslo would be on the list!

We need a striker. I know bringing in Bony would hardly be ideal, because he is not a second striker and him and Lukaku could not play together. But why not take a shot on loan and see what happens?

We need something today. We haven't done badly in the market so far, and Holgate's form has perhaps decreased the need for a back up right back, just as Stekelenburg's has decreased the need for a goalkeeper. But we could do with another cb if we want to play 3-5-2. And we could really do with another striker and a creative player in the middle of the park.

One point to make - according to solid sources, we have tried for players. Clearly we wanted Perez, but he understandably opted for Arsenal. Clearly we wanted Gabbiadini but there is an issue there. Luck has played a part, but perhaps more importantly, there is inefficiency in our negotiation process. Someone, or several people, are responsible and if we do not buy today, I would not say it is because money is not there, because it clearly is. Koeman wouldnt be here otherwise. But this window was always going to be hard with Koeman and a new director of football coming in after a new owner came in a few months before. This is not the market Chelski and City benefited from a few years ago: Much has changed, and it has got alot harder to buy quality players, especially for a team who finished 11th two seasons in a row.

Hopefully we can get some new players in today but there's no point getting players in for the sake of it. See Niasse for that type of deal. We also need players in who play for the team and who will foster a great teamspirit, it's been a while since that was paid attention to. So if we don't manage to get a marquee signing this window it's not the end of the world. I trust in what Koeman is doing and trust him to get it right on the pitch and if he can't get the right players in then so be it. I am prepared to wait till January if it means we get players who want to be here.
COYB

While Koeman will definitely be worth points..good management can only take you so far when you have to play Kone up front.

I feel like I'm waiting in an airport lounge waiting to flown out to paradise but getting the feeling it will be Bognor instead !

No disrespect to Bognor of course !

They're working on a number of deals but @Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri tells me it's an 'insane' window. #DeadlineDay
— Jim White (@JimWhite) August 31, 2016

I can't get him to say for sure if it's something he knows or something he suspects, but talk of insane Windows does sound like getting your excuses in early.

Hope he is wrong and my suspicions are unfounded

As at noon today, we shared the honour ( with Bournemouth, Hull, Swansea and Them of being in net profit for the window.

Whatever happened to' the brave new world' ?

oh, wait...

Or we didn't want Bony...

Very nippy but we need a proper striker for when Lukaku hurts his toe or sprains the finger he uses to point to where he wants the ball played

Now, we are pursuing the level of player, who hears of interest from Everton, and says: 'Who?'

We are in a whole new ball-game, and it will take a while to get used to it.

We don't have a great record with signing kids really. A couple of real gooduns (Stones & Holgate) but forwards not so much.

I hope we have a few pleasant surprises later; if not, we face another season of mediocrity.

You can't expect too much but we've done as well as you could hope with signing young players on the cheap from other clubs.

Geri is still a work in progress, undeniable talent, but the application is sketchy and too inconsistent at the moment. If he can get more hit than miss, he will be a monster of a player.

There are many more that failed to launch, than succeeded and got first team football for us. The occasional gem yes, but how many of the youth team, despite being hailed as the next best thing, fail to make it?

How many promising young kids have we signed, for them to never make the first team squad more times that they can count on one hand?

The percentage would be interesting to see, and it may be pessemistic. I hope I am and would be happy to be proved wrong, but I'll bet the stats are on the side of the doomsayer here.

Bolasie.

Yes he's unfit and Lazy, but he'll score goals and go on a scoring run at some point. If he's injured, do you really want to see Kone or Geri up front? Bit Risky to me.

Thanks god we've played them already.

I don't see anyone leaving or arriving today. Moshiri telling Jim White "market's is insane" is a message to all of us. He's not going to throw away his hard earned money on shite.

I've not really seen any good signings today apart from Bony and Bruno Martins Indi both going on loan to Stoke. I'd have taken Bony all day long to partner Lukaku but we've missed out there and on the solid defender.

I think the image of Ronald Koeman on this post could have been taken at 11pm tonight when he looks at the incomings and outgoings of our club. I think he'll be disappointed. I live in hope but my heads saying "no".

We are not attractive enough for the top players in the market and anyone who takes a punt on joining us is looking at us as an 18-month stepping stone only.

If Sissoko is signed, we will have such an overload in midfield and wide midfield/wing?

Just as interesting is who will be shipped out, as that will mark our intentions almost as clearly.

Apart from Niasse and McGeady, what does the future hold for Cleverley, Gibson, Lennon, McCarthy and Kone?

Even if they stay, their future seems to have no horizon beyond the bench - or like McCarthy so far, deputising for an injured first choice player.

Liking how our new manager is going about things so far.

Viva la revolucion!

I think its essential to get cover for Lukaku but any other business we should wait and do more research.

Maybe we should invest a fraction of the money we chuck away on these overpriced "superstars" every chance we get on improving our scouting. Might save us millions in the long run.

Utterly useless for Newcastle last year, had one decent game in the Euros and he's suddenly worth £30mill.

Are we entering a team in the AFCON?

What does Sissoko have to do with the AFCON?

Conor,

I heard the Brady rumour a few weeks ago. Would be a good squad player since he can play wide left, left back or in midfield but not exactly a marquee signing.

So much for the Moshiri millions. All we have done is spend the Stones money.

Moshiri, Billy Bullshit's glove puppet!!

Brahimi is though..

I feel sorry for Koeman, he'd better forget his Southampton days, when he could sell five and get in six players, this is Everton and we don't do transfers like normal clubs.

Getting players when they're cheap. That's what Walsh is there to do. He did it for Leicester, but perhaps the timing was not right for this window.

However we got muscled by Arsenal on the Deportivo lad, the Kone situations tricky, and I can understand us not wanting to pay silly dollar for players that aren't worth it. So there is evidence that we are having a go as well.

We would be ok staying as we are with some temporary cover for Rom coming in. The spine of the side has been improved with a keeper, center back and mid. It was much needed. Cover for Rom is essential, but if we only get that we're ok, we're a good side.

If, as someone mentioned BK is involved in transfer dealings, it is probably Gabby and Enid the tea ladies from Ellesmere Port.

You can hear him now:

"It was always their dream to fill the tea urn at a club of our stature, when they heard I stood in the boys..." blah, blah, blah...

I didn't think we would make any stellar signings, but Enner Valencia... truly staggered.

Bony to Stoke and Bruno Martins Indi but we say no to both of them. Why?

A player that set the Premier League on fire for a short time before getting a bad injury, I trust RK.

We have money (so we are lead to believe), a top calibre manager and an ambitious new owner and a great chance to finish high in the table with the addition of three class players in this window.

What happens??? We sign no-one of note. Very disappointed.

So the four players we have already bought are useless eh? Even though we have won two and drawn one of our first three games this season. It's always the next shiny object isn't it?

Still no playmaker after fuck knows how many years. Still no decent back-up to Lukaku. And still no No 1 between the sticks.

Talk about throwing all your eggs into one basket. We could have signed Cillessen and Ziyech for less than £25mil combined and here we are scratching around for other clubs cast-offs.

You can't tell me there's not a decent playmaker or striker out there in the whole of the fucking world. Pjanic went for just £25mil.

Damn, this is even worse than Moyes/Martinez because you build it up so much only for it to fall so flat.

What a let down. When are we gonna learn to get things done early?

The fact is, we all know including the manager, we need reinforcements but we haven't managed to get them.

Leicester getting Slimani, Stoke getting Bony and we're getting Enner Valencia.

Really believed that this window would be a big deal for Everton but looks like I was duped.

We must be desperate.

I had hoped our days of sell to buy had ended with Moshiri but apparently not.

It is no good saying wait for January or next season or whatever, we were sold a story about new spending power and it hasn't happened. I hope we may yet pull a rabbit out of the hat but I doubt it.

I hope Koeman is not too disappointed – I can't imagine he was lured to Goodison by the promise of a late swoop for Enner Valencia.

I know there is a lot of talk about forget how much these players cost as we have the money now but as others have pointed out, he cost them £5m and we've heard they're asking anywhere from 7x-10x more than they paid just a year ago. It it just a stupid amount of money at the end of the day even if Moshiri is pulling a Scrooge McDuck and swimming in monies.

I'd like to see us pull another "Henen" and *wink wink* have a non-PL team not pay stupid money with us waiting in the wings to take them off their hands at a reasonable price with some profit in it for them.

I read one comment last night that someone expected us to spend 𧴜 million today on 3 players or more. I thought that was a little bit much maybe but that's the kind of vibe the day had.

It is not his fault but Enner Valencia on loan would be devastating in the grand scheme of things. But if the players are not wanting to come or clubs not willing to sell or we are just being held to ransom what can we do?

Oh well... maybe the next couple of hours will save the day!

Have we really got millions and millions to spend? I don't think so!

Outstanding stuff from Everton.

Maybe it is the BK involvement, I felt it was strange Moshiri, early on, saying he was concerned with the lack of transfers and he was almost saying it's nowt to do with him if we fail to get the players in.

Need a decent striker in!

He's that shit Spurs wanted him, I'd sign him just to piss them cockney twats off, they have a history of gazzumping us on transfers.

We may have paid slightly over the odds for Sissoko, but I think he is a good player who will create some goals and pop up with the odd one himself...

I think that we should judge a player on his best form, not the form he showed at a relegation threatened shambles.

Set this against Spurs and Everton, Pochetino and Koeman – ambitious teams looking at the top end of the table with progressive coaches and both wanting Sissoko.

Looked decent last season for me.. we had two problem positions going into today.. numbers 9 and 10. We've done little to address that.. We've spent a ridiculous amount of money on sissoko and sod all on a striker... And not bothered with a creative midfielder.

Unless something changes in the next 2 hours this is the biggest transfer disappointment in years... Because of the expectation that we could start to make serious progression.

I hoped to be proved wrong, but we've a team on paper who'll finish 7/8th

We've overpaid but he improves us, no doubt.

Personally I think getting rid of Stones for ridiculous money was the transfer of the summer. Over rated, cocky and now injured... and we got £47.5m for him. That is great business. I would have liked it if Bony had joined us instead of Stoke.

After all, he was only ٥ million and he came from a relegated club. He must be rubbish right? Funny how he's turned out to be our best player so far this season.

Sissoko had a good Euros and, up until he signed for the Barcodes, he was highly sought after. If we could have got him instead of them I've no doubt we would have done. Like Gueye, he did the best he could in a shambles of a side at a disaster of a club. Who knows. He may turn out to be the best player we have.

If Spurs thought Sissoko was decent value at £30mill they'd have made an offer and he be at their training ground now.

This is classic panic buy... He's been on sale all summer.

Koeman himself was lamenting our lack of cutting edge only last weekend and it has been glaring for a long time. That we have not done anything about that beyond Valencia, presumably, is a disappointment we can't gloss and will, in my view, prove costly I am afraid.

Meanwhile, back on the real world, people may have been 'worried' that McCarthy was off to Spurs but he didn't actually go there, did he, and it was just paper talk.

Spurs were prepared to stump up 㿅m for Sissoko today. No-one seems willing to sign McCarthy on anything but a loan today. Probably because he is a one-dimensional, sideways crab of a player who has little or no drive to get forward or play a killer pass?

We need to focus on promising up-and-coming players like Haller and Ziyech rather than established ones. We simply don't have the pulling power. Truly disappointing.

Two can play at that game

Actually not that concerned about the rest, but I really thought another striker was #1. Oh, and to offload some deadwood.

I still think Koeman will keep us steady and that he will continue to improve us because he's a very good manager, but I'd started to believe, perhaps foolishly, that after our start to the season we could make a serious challenge towards the top 6. If we don't get something better to support Lukaku then I can't see that challenge being maintained at all.

Does this mean Kone to Goodison could still happen??

It won't be long before we are praying Kone doesn't get injured; I thought those days were gone when Martinez left the seat.

Just have a modicum of patience and support the team we all love.

We all on here bleed blue, but players wanting instant success are not interested in the history of Everton or how successful they were in the mid '80s (most probably weren't even born around then). Players want instant success, that does not mean joining Everton.

We need to try and regroup and look to get back into Europa League football and try at least to win a domestic trophy. We need some recognition and make steps to try and become successful.

There's still time to go I'd expect another two quality signings. Hopefully a striker in there.

Sissoko obviously didn't want to be at Newcastle last year but was awesome in the euros so no reason why he can't do it for us. I hate reading some of the negativity from our supporters.

New investment, new management and a lot stronger team this year. A bit of positivity is needed from the doom and gloom supporters. Are you ever happy??

It could only happen at Everton! Poor transfer business again.

I'm not sure how Mr Koeman feels tonight but I can't believe he will be too happy. Ronnie Goodlass and Michael Ball are feeling the same way as I am, disappointed and let down.

Before the apologists come on saying what about the arrival of Williams, Bolassie, Gueye and the Goalkeeper may I remind them that those signings were mostly made from the John Stones fee, and two of them were necessary with or without that money arriving into the clubs coffers.

How many players have been taken off the wage bill since Roberto left the club? What has happened to the circa 㿨m TV money? Unless an official announcement by the club about a new Stadium is forthcoming in the next few days, they have achieved less with more money than they did when the club was struggling without any cash – now that is quite an achievement.

YOU WERE DONE BY A KENWRIGHT SPECIAL!!!

Instead we got the exact same thing as we have for the past 20 years. Sold one player to buy a few, including clearing out quite a few on loan or releasing. At least we now know what this new Everton is, that is to say, the same old Everton.

We're a waste of space when it comes to transfers. Why were we even panicking and looking for striking reinforcements on deadline day when it was such a crucial area we needed someone in?

No creative player in either... we could have signed Ziyech a few days ago for about £10 mill.

Gueye aside, we have had a shocking window. Negative spend (rarely actually had negative spends under Kenwright but he was always slaughtered for it nevertheless), top cenre-back out, old plodder in and then a headless chicken in Bolasie. If we do well this season, it will yet again be in spite of our owners not because of them.

We must also hope that Lukaku stays fit and regains form pronto. It would be fun if Valencia surprises us all.

We've dodged a bullet with Sissoko, but why we were willing to spend £30 million on this clown when we've sod all strikers and creative players is beyond me.

Can't wait for the next Olympics... Everton should submit a track and field team... because we'll have sod all creative players by then.

Pace and power, pace and power.

"Enner Valencia. The West Ham striker emerged as a late-breaking potential loan signing from West Ham."

Didn't Moyes try to sign him but he chose WHU over us?

All we need now is an announcement of a Tesco tin-pot stadium at Crocky to top it all off. I like to try and stay positive but this window has been embarrassing.

I bet Koeman is furious. C'mon Farhad, throw us a bone to chew on with the stadium PLEASE!

More Dithering than Dave.

Less Phenomenal than Roberto.

Not so much Director Of Football, more Director Of Fuck All.

I sincerely hope this is about ensuring we have the necessary funds to make the dock stadium happen, otherwise Moshiri and his charges will be getting very short shrift.

I also see no reason why a board representative couldn't come out and say that's what we're doing.

11 times out of the last 12 we did all our business in the last frenetic rush... and people say, 'Why do we have to leave it so late, blah, blah. International break, blah, blah. Bedding in blah, blah. Fit them into the team,' etc, etc, etc.

We sold a kid of Potential (a loaded word if ever there was one), who, for various reason, not only wanted to go...inevitably was going to go come what may.

We got in – early doors, a better keeper, a replacement CB of known, not supposed or 'Indicated' potential, a shit-hot DM, Bolasie, and right at the death a loan-to-buy.

We didn't get a Barcodes mercenary who wants the bright lights.

We didn't blow €50M (did anybody buy him at that price, I haven't checked?)

We got rid of McGeady, but not Niasse; still, you can't win them all.

We even took a small punt on a prospect.

It wasn't quite zero net spend... No 𧴜M war chests were harmed in the completion of this transfer window. Koeman can see how it goes up to Christmas and have a dabble then if he needs to.

Not the end of the world as we know it; not the worst window we've ever had by a long chalk.

Like a single defeat, it feels a bit flat but you don't judge seasons on one defeat and shouldn't judge transfer business on one day.

We've got the squad we've got. Let's see if they can go and achieve something (until we do it all again in January). COYB!

The only thing I can take away from all this is we weren't willing to overspend and toss 㿞M at some dude, and we were outbid by another club with another ridiculous figure.

Is there anything wrong with not spending stupid silly money and bringing in a capable backup to Lukaku, seeing how we've acquired some excellent players in Stekelenburg, Williams, Bolaise, and Gueye already? Does the whole of the transfer window only get critiqued for what you do on the last day of said window?

I wanted another striker. I completely understand not paying asinine money to get that striker.

Seven points from three games. Roll on.

Morshiri was portrayed as an astute businessman and had experience in the football world. The outcome of the window has made the 'New Everton' look very much like the mess of the old days. We have a good manager in Koeman, I don't know how long he would put up with another similar scenario come the January window. With his statement of the amount of players he needed the other day and the panic buy that was bringing in Valencia in the last hour. If I was him, I would want assurances that things like this will not happen again.

And in other news, raging TW poster described as being 'off his fucking Jaffa' and 'fucking unhinged' by Evertonians who renew their season-tickets as a matter of course (ie: the majority) rather than because we might sign a couple of £30m players.

Seriously, this trend (see Martinez last 6 months) of 'Grrrr, you think you're angry? Let me show you how angry I am!!!!!!!!!!!' is becoming fucking ludicrous.

James' mum: "Bad news son, we didn't get Ronaldo or Messi - Link

Keeper, Defensive midfielder, Attacking midfielder, Defender, Attacking forward. Seems like all bases covered if you ask me.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

We have a strong squad with options from where I'm sitting.

Let's be having the stadium sharpish.

This is also worth considering when you look at our playing staff, and the way we've started the season.

Many reasons to be cheerful.

In the close of this window we were looking to make some additional improvements, and frankly, to improve on the first choice players we now have requires

a) money (we have more, but our spending uptick is limited by FFP, but it seems we were willing to spend, just not super recklessly),
and
b) a very strong sporting proposal, big enough to compensate for living in a less desirable place than Paris, London, or some sunny low-tax eurozone. That means challenging for top 6 and for European football.

Remember .. we were 11th last year. Let that sink in a minute. ELEVENTH. To be honest, we've done pretty well to hang on to the players we have kept and add in Williams, Gana, Bolaseie, and now Valencia.

I would have loved more incoming players but, considering we've also upgraded our manager / coaching staff and our scouting team / business office (or started - clearly work to be done still0, I think we should be happy enough ... for now.

If you'd told me back in April that we'd be in equal 3rd place on 7pts after 3 games, with this manager and squad, and the seemingly imminent promise of a stadium announcement, I'd have walked back to Liverpool from Austin to shake your hand.

We still have good "kids" to bring through (including Holgate, but Davies, Browning and Dowell) and this Walsh lad seems like a proper prospect too (enough that we let Ledson go). Then there's McAleny who maybe has something to offer.

We can bitch and moan about Niasse and others, but we've had these transfer mistakes before (Andy VDM springs to mind), it's a risk we take and sometimes we lose and have to keep paying them.

We're not Top 4 / Champions League quality yet, but I think that's where the 2 year project timeline comes from Koeman, he's realistic and not feeding us a line all the time like OFM.

For sure he will be disappointed to not get (new) Kone and Brahimi and a midfielder, as am I too, but it doesn't end our season; it means we have to have a bit of injury luck and some other players get a chance to step up their game under Koeman, either to earn a place or act least get a better retransfer out when the time comes.

That could be Davies, perhaps Dowell and another, or even Deulofeu and Mirallas who both need to deliver consistently, and who have talent that needs to deliver

Out season target should be top 6 and a good cup run; anything below 8th would be a setback on the timeline and a major disappointment.

NSNO (soon!). COYB.

In particular, I'm absolutely gutted the Brahimi deal fell through. If Porto was holding us to ransom, as has been reported, I can't really blame the club for walking away, but I also can't help but feel that we somehow found a way to muck it up. The fact that all the news outlets claimed it was a done deal and then had to backtrack makes the whole thing all the more infuriating.

Sissoko was a complete farce and he had no business commanding a fee anywhere near 㿊 million in the first place. Maybe Koeman could have wrung the best out of him, but the guy's a complete twat and obviously had no interest in playing for us, so good riddance. I consider that a bullet well dodged.

I seem to be in the minority, but taking a flier on Valencia was a no-brainer, particularly as a low-risk loan. The West Ham fans are all slagging him, but what do they know about anything? I think we all wish our striker situation beyond Lukaku was a bit more settled, but I remain cautiously optimistic about this move.

All that being said, I think the gloom and negativity around here is a bit overstated. We still have a solid squad; depth might be an issue, particularly if we're hit with a rash of injuries, but our ideal starting XI is pretty darn strong. Koeman's barely had time to put his fingerprints on the team and we're already off to our best start in a decade. There's a lot to feel good about. Honestly, of all the players we've been linked with in the past month, the only two I'm seriously bummed we didn't manage to acquire are Brahimi and Kone. I'm not going to spend tonight crying into my pillow over Gabbiadini.

I'm also not sure why so many people are convinced that Moshiri's some sort of con man who hoodwinked us with false promises of investment. The intent to spend was there - we just had a bunch of deals fall through (which may be an entirely separate issue that bears investigating, but still). I mean, we were literally a hair's breadth away from spending 㿊 MILLION ON MOUSSA SISSOKO! That's about as far from penny-pinching as you can get. That's more like "Whoops, I'm out of toilet paper, so I'll just use this handful of 100-dollar bills" territory.

Maybe the players just weren't there so we went with a stop gap. Makes sense, but we'd better get working on the next window straight away.

That said, I'm not particularly on board with Ron's thinking that the prices were insane in this window. Does he think they'll dip dramatically next year? Have clubs ever shown that kind of common sense before?

Nothing will be the same again, watch this space on deals, new ground on the horizon. Sounds all very familiar doesn't it?

Let's hope with Walsh on board we have a very different strategy for the next Windows. Time to move Kenwright on from negotiations as maybe tales of the boys pen just don't cut the mustard anymore.

No Mahrez type signing, no Vardy lower league chances taken and no impact from Walsh. I now wonder if he is just there to take pressure and criticism away from the manager and the board.

As for the window overall, we are in a better position than we were at the start. Are we strong enough? Over to RK to prove how good a manager/coach he is.

I think we paid over the odds for Bolasie but he adds pace and power. Williams, Gueye & Stekelenburg are all very good signings at reasonable prices. Valencia will add competition and cover for Lukaku and if he doesn't cut the mustard we send him back to West Ham.

If Koeman can get the best out of Lukaku, Mirallas, Barkley & Deulofeu as well as get the defence organised then we're in for a good season.

Those players were already here and the weakness in our squad wasn't addressed. We signed an old cb to replace a young one. Will he be better than Stones, I seriously doubt it, we signed a headless chicken winger who offers no end product to go with the one we already have and a shit striker.

It was an abysmal window, gueye looks class and I'm happy we have him but that wasn't actually an area we needed to address.

If Moshiri wasn't here everyone would be up in arms but apparently we have to trust this guy just because. No one can actually say why we should trust him seeing as he's done fuck all so far.

Also there are many players out there who would not look to come to Everton no matter how much money we paid. Some of the buys in the window will work out and the fans will say we should have got them and others will be flops and we will be glad we never got them.

It's going to have to be a slow improvement and hopefully a slow climb to the top. We have some good kids so let's use them. Now it's time to get our players at their best and go prove we can compete on the pitch.