Report: Valencia would cost Everton less than £14m

However, we will now need to sign at least 2 strikers in the summer especially if Lukaku leaves. Surely there will be better options out there to replace Lukaku.

I've been fairly impressed with some of his work here. Let's face it he hasn't had a decent run, and we only play in a way that suits him when he comes on late – bit of a Catch-22.

He certainly understands how to move and where to be, couple of good finishes. 㾸 million is not crazy money now but nor is it peanuts.

Guess I'll just ride this pony whichever track she takes...

I think that £14mil is too much for a squad player. Use it to bring in someone who will compete with Lukaku or who can replace him if he goes.

I cannot see Valencia leading the front line on his own. Nor does he strike me as someone who can provide a strong enough option to compete with a top main striker. So this is a pass for me.

Like others have said, 㾸m - 㾺m is too much for an impact sub.

Valencia is not in that category. He's filled a useful gap this season at times, but not a long term solution... move on.

I think he has done extremely well in the circumstances; always hard for a striker who is not getting a run in the team.

٤-8m would feel like a fairer price but we all know how inflated prices are these days and there will be less effective 㾸m strikers bought this Summer by Premier League teams, I bet you.

Cost us nothing, his return would be like a new signing.

He is decent enough, and would gladly have him in the squad... just not sure he will want to be.

With regards to Niasse – I'd love to see him stay, but I highly doubt he will – maybe a team like West Brom is where he'll end up and thrive.

Furthermore, he has apparently said that he likes it at Everton and would like it to be permanent.

I remember watching him play for Ecuador, in the last World Cup, and he was outstanding in the striking role, so he obviously has it in him.

In the crazy pricing of players these days, I don't think ٤-8M would be a gamble either, just make sure any outgoing deals (eg, Cleverley, McGeady etc) make a decent profit, we would be getting shut of dead wood, and replacing it with Mahogany!

Simples!

He won't come cheap, but this £12M should go towards that footballer.

The coaches will know the answer, and we will know their decision when he either stays or goes!

Nah, keep him as far away from the club as possible.

Yeah okay, Lukaku is a great goalscorer but he doesn't want to play for us and that is no good for the team or the fans. The Telegraph are reporting today that he wants to return to Chelsea.

Sorry to get back to this but it will dominate our news until he goes. If only he had Valencia's attitude.

It does matter how he looks when he is doing it, a striker that scores goals is a striker that scores goals. This ain't ballet.

There's a part of me that still thinks "this lad can be brilliant". To his credit we can not fault his effort in the bit parts that he has played. I'm in favor of keeping him for another season, if possible.

Is 㾸M so much in today's market? Don't get me wrong, I do still have doubts.

Then there's the Oumar Niasse conundrum. For me, I there is still an unspoken explanation about him. Yes, I saw his preseason shambolic performances. But, paying around 㾺M for a pub team player? He appears to be impressing at Hull (hardly difficult I know). The ball is really in Hull's court.

If we truly have higher aspirations then possibly Valencia is worth keeping as a backup. Whatever we do, let's not sell Lukaku within the Premier League, that is just equipping our rivals. That short-sighted thinking must end.

But the price is not at all attractive for a player who is nothing more than an impact sub or a squad option, as many have noted. I would rather the club keeps its powder dry for signings that will propel us further up the table.

As for people wanting Niasse back, well it's no wonder we never break that glass ceiling...

If we can swap Valencia for those 3 AND 㾶m in change – that's a deal I would do. He seems like a hard-worker, a popular squad player and definitely has an impact off the bench when he comes on.

He won't be a Lukaku replacement and he certainly won't be a marquee signing, but he adds quality to a squad that will need extra depth for European football next season.

Sign him.

Also, will Calvert-Lewin grow into this role? Bolasie? Will Lukaku stay?

Unsure at this point – but I've nothing against him.

Maybe we should be checking out another season on loan?
Or maybe offer a considerably lower fee and take it or leave it offer to West Ham.

Other than that it's not realistic to pay that much.

The fact he can't play this week only highlights our pathetic squad depth. Calvert-Lewin or Kone? Valencia all day long.

It also put the worth of the U23 squads forwards in doubt after they've done so well this season.

I'd like to see us spend spend spend but not on second rate players, we need to move forwards not sideways or, in this case, if we pay that for him, backwards.

Rom looks set on moving now he's got MUTV and Chelsea TV on his Sky box! I think if I was a multi-millionaire and a footy player, I'd have that too? But that's another debate...

It looks to me, although I haven't really got a clue, that the manager doesn't rate him, otherwise he would have played Valencia a lot more than he has. It's up to Koeman so I don't think he will be back next season... so, wherever he goes, good luck to him.

I agree with the above posts, he's not worth 㾺m or even 㾸m as a back up player and would hinder the chances of some younger attackers who have the potential to be better than him.

If we want to prove to Lukaku that we are improving the squad to push for Champions Lerague places, then we need to make some marquee big money signings... and not West Ham rejects.

I'm talking nonsense, sorry – I've just got back from the gym.

If we do lose Lukaku, we will get screwed over getting replacements in on inflated prices, the way I see it we were happy to give Niasse away waste of money some said, so using the money from that transfer is a no-brainier for me.

If we suppose Gana and Schneiderlin are here to play together and maybe Tom Davies will continue to develop, all of them being consummate defenders as well as all having scored this season, then the argument for a Sigurdsson-type player becomes forceful. That's the sort of midfield four that could allow two strikers to work together to convert chances they'd create, assisted by fullbacks.

So who would the two strikers be? Lukaku has unarguable ability as a scorer but would he be able or willing to blend with a fellow predator though? Hmmmm. In his brief appearances Valencia seems to have no problem blending with Lukaku but up to now I can't see his name ever being first on the team sheet. The answer to our forward line, and who's in it when next season kicks off, may be sorted by early, eye-popping midfield transfer activity this summer. I hope so anyway.

To be honest, at £12 million, I'd rather use that to get a decent lower-league striker, or use it to pay Rooney's wages!

Someone posted before the derby that Valencia should start and according to the stats we would score 7 in that match if he played 90 minutes.

So yes, the number of goals we scored pretty impressive when he's on the pitch.

Would I buy him? No chance. He is simply a template for the player we need, quick, hard working, decent in the air.

Valencia is ineffective over 90 minutes, most useful as an impact substitute. And his finishing is more artful than deadly; prosaic, to be kind!

I guess the finished article is Mane. Somewhere in between the two would do!

About 10 years ago we paid about ٧M for Andy Johnson and 㾺M for the Yak. Villa paid 㾷M for a 21 year old Ashley Young, Spurs paid 㾸M for a 17 year old Bale. Fernando Torres moved to the other lot for 㿊M, Man U got Nani for 㿀M, those two were perceived as the biggest talents of their day and age.

So about 㾸M bought you a great domestic talent from a perceived lesser club (Bale, Young), a proven goal scorer just not good enough to make it at the highest level (Yakubu, Johnson) and roughly the double was needed for world class potential.

But nowadays... I feel us asking 𧴜M for Lukaku is too much even in today's market, but if Valencia is 㾸M already... He couldn't get in West Ham's team after his injury and is a sub for us. A sub with injury history went for ٟM to ٠M tops ten years ago. If this exploded tenfold, then Lukaku, who I dare to compare to Fernando Torres ten years ago, should go for 𧷤M.

I really just have no clue anymore these days.

Moving forward to compete in Europe is similar. To compete at all needs a bigger squad with better quality squad players.To think of being competitive in the knock-out stage in either competition needs a considerable jump in quality at all levels.

The cost of doing this will be considerable. Given the gulf between ourselves and the mid-table teams, and accepting that they will improve their squads too, we may have a couple of years to assemble the players we need. Young players coming through will need to be a part of the process.

Chelsea, as an example, have squad players who cost as much as Valencia might. They sold one of them to us for 㿈m after all. Not saying he's worth it but there will be a lot of debates over players like this to come.

If we want to be a big club then we need to ask ourselves would he get into the RS team or the Spurs team, for example? We need a better calibre of player throughout the squad if we're going to be a force. For ٥ million I think he'd be a decent impact sub. For 㾸 million, there are better options.

"Sorry to add to the tangent but if we 'could' attract a European/World class striker, what would happen if we refused to sell Lukaku and still bought in effectively his replacement? I'd be interested to see Rom's reaction. I'm talking nonsense sorry I've just got back from the gym."

No you're not. That's some interesting food for thought!

Completely agree, mate. We need to stop thinking like a "bottom-half" club. Behaving like Southampton will get us treated like Southampton and the "Johnstone's Paint Tophy" will be the pinnacle of achievement. Not for me thanks.

We need a striker who hits the onion bag every week. That lad Lukaku would be my first choice. Bit of a bigmouth, but he scores shedloads.

Keep him, and others will follow. This has to be our line of thinking. If not, then Rom & Ross, Ronnie & Erwin will be long gone before St Domingo Park at Bramley-Moore Dock on the banks of The Royal Blue Mersey is even underway.

Reading the moaning over the price tag for the player, I do wonder what an assist, a run drawing two defenders to create space for another player to score, or a goal himself are worth? Especially if those things help secure a top four spot, to advance in the FA Cup, or to advance in Europa League action, regarding money for the club and in free marketing to attract fans, improve the club;s image, and hopefully help to sign even better players?

For me, IMO, that's a no!

Personally I don't think so.

I said we should have started with Valencia against our neighbours. With the way Lukaku plays against the big teams I suggested 2 forwards Liverpool would know little about and not be able to double up as they did against Lukaku.

For some reason, we seem to start slowly in most games and may have benefited taking a gamble before bringing Lukaku on to tear into them.

Valencia has impressed me and creates space for Lukaku when he plays, would like to see more of those two linking up in attack after the West Ham game.

Would rather bring back Rooney on a free.

Teams who want to compete in the Champions League, buy Champions League quality (like Robinho). Those who want to stay below the glass ceiling pay 㾺 Million for Valencia.

We need to be ruthless and ambitious to seriously compete with the Elite.

Basically, no player comes with a money back guarantee.

I am not interested if the above did not chase players we have had, I cannot honestly say he is worth 㾸 million, none of us have seen enough of the guy, what we have seen though is worth hanging on to, especially with the extra Europa League games.

I would like a top class striker, but again with the extra games coming up he will be a good addition to the squad, especially with losing Kone, Niasse, possibly Deulofeu.

Still too early for Calvert-Lewin, Donkor, Sambou, let Unsworth mature them.

It only takes a couple of injuries and we are thin on the ground, Only have to read the archives with what if Lukaku gets injured posts to see we have little cover, Valencia is one I would trust to do a job for us if called upon along with any additional striker we might bring in.

If we do sign him, it needs to be under 㾶m.

As for the comments about impact sub, only because he has been used in that capacity and has Rom in front of him. I think he is a class act and may surprise when given more responsibility.

That's how this works, right?

All in a day's work for J-Willy:

Link

Although, personally, I haven't the first clue what the fuck the Holocaust, transportation to Nazi death camps, Lyndon calling a vile newspaper "a vile newspaper" (in a different article, about a week ago), or almost 30 years having passed since Hillsborough, has to do with a ridiculous valuation being slapped on a guy who has been stuck on the subs bench for the majority of the season.

Could the fourth-placed Premier League team miss out on Champions League?

That was a possibility until the final English team, Leicester, were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.

I didn't want to ever see him in a blue shirt when he arrived but fair play to him. He gets his head down and as a sub he always opens a defence up.

As Kevin Ratcliffe asked today, are we in a position where that kind of fee is acceptable for a bit part player?

As I suspected, he's proven to be a perfectly solid addition this season – hasn't gotten a significant chunk of gametime, but has contributed positively off the bench more often than not.

Whether that's worth keeping him in the fold for £12-million... well, who knows? Given that West Ham seems to have little interest in him at this point, maybe that number could be shaved down even further.

I don't think he will play a major part in any Everton team He just doesn't bring enough to the table. So for me it's a no go.

And as for Lukaku, he's pretty much irreplaceable... We will lose him, I'm sure, and 𧴜 million is bang on. And every season will we get this circus until he finally goes... shame really but, hey, he wants Champions League and bigger bucks. Let's hope we spend the money wisely.

We need depth and we're not going to get a real quality player in to sit on our bench. Valencia seems to mix things up and we've moaned for ages that we've never had a Plan B that was much different than plan A.

If he likes it here, and is okay playing the role we need from him, that'll do until we can reliably bring in better. Which we're going to have a challenge doing until we crack Champions League or are regularly skinning Arsenal, Man Utd and Spurs.

I like what I have seen in the cameos he has had. If we weren't under pressure to finish above 7th, I'd be tempted to give him a run up front and sit Rom out.

This would do two things: it would give us a look at him and it would give us a chance to set the team up to service a different kind of front man, something that we might have to do if the big man goes or gets injured if he stays.

If we are to lose the player then giving Valencia a bigger run out in the team is worth a look at, try a different formation just to see, we cannot rely or depend on one player. Lukaku is doing all the right things, we are putting everything into him not moving or getting injured. Before we dip into the market give Valencia a run, then we can take it from there whether to pay the money, or return him and look elsewhere.

Like I have said previously, the guy has impressed me in the games he has played for us.

If we're willing to pay £14 million on him that gives every club we want to deal with the idea we'll pay up for any half-decent player!

2. Does the Club want to sign him permanent?

If the answers to both are "Yes", West Ham won't be in the best bargaining position and the price will go down.

If the answer to either one is "No", we go get someone else.

And I'm in the "Yes, if the price is right" group.

There are loads of strikers in Europe who would jump at the chance to come to Goodison Park for a fraction of £12m.

We know what Valencia can do, which isn't enough to merit a regular start, so I think it's better to let him go back than spend a chunk on a sub.

This bloke was an afterthought last summer and only if Walsh fails to find a better player should he even be considered for a permanent signing.

Given what very average talent he's come up with so far, I suspect the ex Leicester man will soon be struggling to keep his own job – let alone employ West Ham no-marks!

However, there are question marks about him being a regular starter with the big clubs and I agree with the figure of ٣ million, no more. Not being able to get a regular start at mediocre West Ham gives you an indication of his worth.

I think he works well for us, though, but I also think we can get hungrier, younger players for the same price... Luckily, neither of us has an impact on that! :D