Raiola expects Lukaku inquiries

That'll be the productivity phone ringing now.

Shows how slimy Mino Raiola is. So much for his 99.99% comment. Just shows he is working on a deal to get Lukaku out now.

Although we'll miss his goals, I think it will be good for the club to get this egomaniac out.

In fairness its a hard language to learn. You have to appear (to the ordinary man at least) to be talking absolute bollocks, backtrack from half the things you say, issue deadlines that will NOT be passed, blame the players for every bad performance and issue blindingly insightful statements like "We need to be more productive" to a section of the fan base who will be left open mouthed at your ability to state the blindingly fucking obvious.

Some people have somehow managed to learn to understand this language, They call it "Straight talking" some will refer to it as "Telling it like it is".

You'll find them on here most days saying things like, "The king is in the altogether? Fuck off!!! His new clothes are boss!!!"

You're getting very boring now with the Koeman bashing. Koeman wasn'st even around when the supposed agreement with Lukaku was made. Sounds just like Boys Pen Bill to me.

Rom hasn't signed a contract yet and neither has Ross but that's not to say they won't and I am sure soon we will know what's happening. It's a waste of time taking any notice of the tabloids or the ''fake news'' as it will drive you crazy. Wait till the club makes the announcements.

Martinez? That's a pretty wild and probably wide of the mark guess (as well as a pretty blatant attempt at pinning the blame for any brewing discontent at the door of the ex-boss rather than the current bloke).

The story above states:

"Mino Raiola says that having agreed last year to stay for Ronald Koeman's first season in charge, his client was given assurances that he could secure a move away from Everton this summer if the right offers came".

Not as if a newly powerless Martinez will have been making promises on his former club's behalf, trying to sway Lukaku to stay one more season for the sake of his 'brilliantly magnificent, magnetic, could have been my best mate if we were born in different countries and possessed radically different personalities' successor.

We all know there were still persistent rumours about Lukaku pissing off well after Martinez had left Everton with the sort of eulogies not muttered since Milli Vanilli retired from the music scene. It rumbled on for most of the summer.

His decision to stay wasn't reached until late August, after Koeman had already made himself fairly comfortable in the hot seat.

At the time, Koeman said:

"He spoke to me yesterday morning and told me he had made the decision by himself to stay at least one more season at Everton. It is the same value as a mega-signing for this club. It is absolutely fantastic news for the club and our team. When it is ten days before the end of the transfer window and you are still focussing on business you may have to do as a club if he left, then it is just really good.”

Lukaku himself later admitted it was Koeman who talked him into staying:

"When [Ronald Koeman] called me during the European Championship I told him how I felt. I was surprised how honest he was with me. He was honest in the way that he wanted to work and how he wanted the team to play. He saw me as an important figure and a big character."

The charge sheet against Martinez is lengthy enough without fitting him up with shit that went down months after he'd been sent packing.

Darren, #7 - last paragraph, you forgot "Refreshing change".

According to who?

Answers on a postcard pleaseMust be using the show as free advertising space for his product that it would appear none of the blue riband clubs seem to want.

Love him or loathe him, Raiola knows what he's doing; Rom knows what he wants and we've said we'll sell (for an exorbitant price) so why isn't this thing on? Because top clubs aren't convinced? Because top clubs are willing to wait to run the fee down? (Or just a post will do...)

Agent pimps his wares. A player that we all know wants away to Champions League team. But, as of yet, no actual offers or deals. These discussions he speaks of, did they happen? Who were they with? Did anyone actually make a bid last season for Rom or did he have to stay at Everton because no-one came in for him?

But that doesn't matter, does it? Let's just launch into another rant. The manager is an idiot who blames players for his own short comings... His statements to the press are not profound, philosophical masterpieces that offer a deeper insight to life the universe and everything (42).

Why would anyone at the club disclose this supposed agreement? In the Barkley links, posters have continually told us that the club and manager have been unprofessional in their conduct, discussing confidential contractual information, but now they should disclose discussions? Ones that may or may not have actually happened?

With the "deadline" guy our Ross Barkley, it is reasonable for the manager to put a deadline (which probably had been agreed with Moshiri and Co) on which Ross had to sign. He has a year left and the club have this transfer window and a responsibility to try and get a decent fee for him.

Just like Lukaku, if he doesn't want to be here, then away you go, set the world alight somewhere else. He and his advisors are looking for mega money which he doesn't deserve in my opinion. Ross Barkley certainly isn't "productive" enough, is he!

Was it a similar,legally binding, one contained within the terms of that contract thingy he signed of his own free will?

None of us know what actually went down which is why I said "supposed" and "sounds like".

It is just my opinion, nothing more.

Lukaku's performances and his overall attitude at the end of the season were a disgrace.

Please let some massive club come in for the lad and get rid.

However, if he does go, it's now no longer the catastrophe that it would have been. I still have every confidence in Koeman, Walsh and Co to have us starting next season with a markedly stronger team and bigger squad. A couple of top quality signings very early on wouldn't go amiss, for supporters and players alike though.

Was going to say, that agents are about as bent as a Boxing Day turd, and have their own interests, at the forefront of any negotiations, are footballers that naive, or are they earning that much, that they care not about the Club, the fans, and their own image?

I suspect the latter is the case. As someone has already said, none but a minority want him to leave, so if that is the inevitability, despite having two years left on his contract, let's get this done and dusted for the best price we can possibly get and move on.

Oh, I forgot, agents are involved!

Advise the client on his contract, fine, look for a club if he's out of contract, fine. But having these people incentivised to constantly unsettle players and move them on whether good for them or not is a BIG problem.

Also, the money being leeched out of the game is criminal.

But Rom unless your heart is with the club then it's time to go and find that oh so precious Champions League status somewhere else. We will be there soon enough anyway. Can't say I'd wish you good luck either.

Why didn't the club just state that he'd signed a five-year contract, was happy to do so at the time and wasn't forced into it, and the club expects him to honour that contract?

We may miss the goals that Lukaku scores and there is a very good chance that we will struggle to replace that. We do need to overhaul the way we play and Rom leaving would help the change.

The main point being, stop treating Everton like a second-hand car dealership.

"I have a rare Lukaku for sale not many miles on the clock, what are the bids "

Last year there wasn't any bids, will it change?

Marine Forum

I still don't think Rom will leave this summer.

You are either in denial or you simply don't know what you are arguing about. The conversations between Lukaku and Koeman were well publicised and directly quoted at the time.

"Give it a rest"? No chance. There are too many people like you two who are prepared to argue black is white in defence of this clown – see above.

BTW, I've only posted 2-3 times in the past couple of weeks. It would seem even the smallest amount of posts which interrupts your love-in is too much for you to bear.

http://talksport.com/football/if-certain-clubs-come-he-could-leave-mino-raiola-tells-talksport-romelu-lukaku-could-depart

Not what I expected I have to say. Talks articulately on a range of topics.

You appear to have your mind closed and I am surprised at that. None of us embrace mediocrity, but some of us are not for sacking a coach who has got us into Europe in his first season.

I think him leaving could force us to adapt to a more all-round game from an attacking point of view and we will be better off for it.

That leaves Chelsea and Man Utd.

United will by all accounts pursue Griezmann. So, ultimately it's only going to be Chelsea in for him. They've got plenty of cash in reserve from all their outgoings to China before they even touch Roman's billions, but will they pay what we are demanding? Costa is likely to go so their hand will be forced a little more, we want 𧴜m according to reports, maybe we can be haggled down to 㿲m which would be fair.

The sad thing is how much Mr Raiola will take out of the game. He will be certainly doing a few PowerPoint presentations of Rom's YouTube highlights in some boardrooms that's for sure.

I honestly would be happy ten points worse off, with no Europa league, sitting in 8th. I want to see players like Coleman, Baines, and Jags who walk over to the away hordes and applaud them. I am so sick of merceneries, who don't give a fuck about the shirt.

If I was on 㿨,000 a week, I would run over to the away fans, give them all of my kit bar my jockstrap, and throw tenners into the stand. I'd also tell my agent to shut the fuck up!

I want to see EFC with strikers that are skilled and have good movement and high work ethic. The amazing thing for me is he never gets taken off. I never want to see him play for us again.

Just another summer at Everton.

I do think the Pickford bid (if true) was insulting and surprising. I hope Moshiri is seeing that some of the people behind the scenes are lightweights and not fit to run such a big club in such a huge industry.

I hope we cash in on Rom for 䀁m. If Barkley goes (which will be a shame but looks likely) that could be 㿔m. That would be 𧴵m in the bank and towards FFP. I assume that there is 㿞- 75m to spend regardless of those sales as we keep hearing that we don't need to sell and have transfer targets.

So that could be two players out and 5 or 6 players worth around 㿏 million each. That's still a lot of money (even when players like Sissoko go for 㿊m) and we could see a completely transformed starting line up next year.

I'm looking forward to seeing what type of player Koeman wants because he did a great job at Southampton after losing half a team.

We need to go into Europe next season with a fully committed squad.

If he signs a new deal, more money for the agent. If he is sold, more money for the agent. If he stays as is, no extra dosh for Raiola.

His dream scenario would be Rom signing a new deal on more money but then leaving anyway.

If anyone has a better strategy for Everton / us, enlighten me.

But we are continually in non-concrete talks with every gossip and two-bob, lazy-arse, fat-arsed, alkie hack looking to fill a blank space with any old bollocks (before fucking off to the Spoofers Arms for a session).

I don't really see any other logical landing spots for Rom this summer. Maybe Man Utd, though I remain skeptical, especially when they seem to have their heart set on Griezmann.

So come on Chelsea, hurry up and bid so we can sell and start buying some players of our own. Unfortunately we can't buy until then as we'll breach FFP rules. And not because we still haven't got a pot to piss in. Honest.

Bill Kenwright needs to stop trying to be the best wheeler and dealer and start buying players now. Pickford is not worth £30 million but worth more than £8 million. Everton need to buy a top player than other top players might be happy to follow. Koeman needs to get angry again and force the board to spend the money.

A manager who improved the squad and league position? Obviously a blithering idiot! Why is it only me who can see this guy for the charlatan that he is? Shit logic. Perhaps you like the wind-up, or you are just blind to what is actually obvious. An improvement in virtually​ every aspect on the previous season. That's why some of us choose to look favourably on the manager.

Again, you talk about reports in the press. Are there any quotes, from manager or club to the effect of "play one more year then you can leave"? Or did Koeman just say that talks had been held and the player was staying?

You may have only posted 3 or so times, but all with the same message, one of over the top outrage at the manager. Be critical, be disappointed, but stop just turning up and shouting the same, caustic message.

Regardless what happens with Rom and Ross, we still need 3 top class attacking players. FFP is really working. Keeps allowing Man City, Man Utd etc to spend whatever they want. Pretty soon we won't have any other option but a European Super League.

How can Huddersfield play in the same league as the super rich teams? Over tired, can't sleep... moan to myself on ToffeeWeb!

Mind your head on the way out of Goodison, onwards and upwards Everton. No player is bigger than Everton Football Club.

'Get yer Champions League striker here, get yer big Champions League striker here'

'Oi Missus, yes you Missus, fancy one of these fer yer Oldman's footy club? luvvly jubberly, you know it makes sense.'

'Get yer big Champions League striker here' etc, etc.

What is it going to take for you?

Nobody has spoken about "reports in the press" – we are talking about quotes made (and filmed) and all you can say is "Yeah, you may have seen and heard both Lukaku and Koeman say these things . .but what does that prove?" FYI the quotes have been put up by John @13.

There are levels of expectation here and yours are very clearly not the same as mine. Your repeated claim that we have improved dramatically makes me wonder which team you watched last season.

It was hardly a poisoned chalice which was passed to Koeman. It's true he inherited a squad which was clearly unfit and without discipline, but he also inherited a dressing room bursting with internationals – one where three players alone were worth around 𧵎m. He inherited a group of youngsters to call on who would prove to be good enough to win their league. There are few (very few) managers who would not have brought about some improvement in our results, but I don't think there are any who would have done it in such uninspiring fashion.

Evertonians were forced to endure at least 30 miserable, miserable matches. If you have any doubts at all about that, read back through the reports from Ken, Lyndon, Michael and Paul. Despite being given all the money received for Stones (plus another 㿊m). Koeman has turned us into one of the most ugly teams in the Premier League. It wasn't just the fact that we were poor away which made me feel such embarrassment, it was the fact that we did not have enough ambition to muster a single shot in many of those games.

So throw up your worthless stats which are completely distorted by several flattering scorelines at home; they wont wash with me, I was there and I know what I saw.

I'll swerve Koeman threads for a while because I know nothing will change, but I'll leave you by offering you a little of your own advice; Be positive, make yourself happy by recanting meaningless stats. Just stop turning up on an almost daily basis to apologise for this fool.

The same clown that brought some pride back to Everton following the disastrous tenure of Martinez?

I am afraid that your rants are becoming so laughable that you are the clown and not our current manager.

You made a point about Koeman not even being here when the discussions took place. That point has been laid bare, you will just have to accept that.

You will also have to accept that Koeman's ability as a player will not change the way he manages.

Whatever the guy has to say, when people are pulling £40-odd million out of deals a la the Pogba transfer, we really are in situation of decadence within the sport.

It's all well and good Raiola talking about repairing the system, and mafia journalism. The actual Mafia would love to be in on this kind of action.

Careful now, David. Simple football fans are supposed to be blissfully unaware of long-term strategic thinking.

If not fine, no bitterness here but reading this thread I see where the Bitter Blue tag runs true. I would like us to set a deadline (and keep to it) if he's going to leave BUT buy first and get caught short.

When we sold Rooney and when we sold Lescott we where a stronger team afterwards, just don't want us to do what Spurs did after selling Bale and Liverpool did after selling Suarez and throw as much money at the wall and hope something sticks. Or panic buy like we nearly did Sissoko!

I no longer care what we pay for players as long as we balance the books, saying he's not worth this he's not worth that, it's not my money just make us stronger and try not to get your pants pulled down in the deal.

Arrested a decline, some measurable-but-not-outstanding improvement, yet very uninspiring so far.

My jury's still out.

Hopefully there'll be a mid-July deadline for him to be sold or kept for another year. Personally I'm gunning for the latter.

Like I have said in an earlier Barkley thread why worry about who is going or staying here that is just how football is.

Why not worry more about the lack of movement and info regarding Bramley-Moore Dock site? Worry more about Ronald Koeman being clueless in the Premier League away from home and against the top clubs. Worry more about Robert Elstone still being at our club despite being useless.

Stop whinging about Lukaku he is a great player who wants to play for a club going places. At this moment in time Everton FC are once again static talking shite... Show me the money!

Sort Barkley and Lukaku out, rebuild and be ready for the start of the new season, we hold the aces on Lukaku, pay so much or he stays, would that benefit Everton keeping hold, no, unless he signs a new contract he can just wait for it to wind down,his agent is not panicking, the longer we keep Lukaku, the more the price will go down and the more wages his agent can command from buyers.

It's time to start our next phase at Everton, sell Lukaku now while his stock price is high, use the money wisely and go into the new season with a settled squad and team spirit, same goes for Ross.

Hopefully this clears the way for us to sign him,

He also looks like Leon Osman...

The fact that Sky and TalkSport give clowns like him airtime etc just makes the situation worse.

If Rom wants to go, good riddance. Let's get on with bringing hungry ambitious players into our squad.

Let's end this "small club being held to ransom" mentality. There is much life after Lukaku!

Lacazette is a fantastic player and I would take him over Lukaku any day of the week. A few years ago maybe (he nearly went to West Ham at one point), but now I don't think we stand a chance. He recently came out and said he would only contemplate moving to a club in the Champions League.

I never saw it coming!! What a blow!!

Lukaku signing his first EFC contract:

"I sign here? On the dotted line? Okay. Brill, glad that's out of the way. Gonna call Chelsea now, see if they can reserve me a first team locker... Champions League superstar...ain't that right, dad?"

Having struggled in every game against a top 6 side, Lukaku has proven he is far from the.finished article and I believe his remaining at the club next season would cause disharmony in the squad. £100 million or a deal including Mata and Martial would make me happy.

So long, Rom and thanks for all the fish!

If I had an agent, I would damn sure have him out there generating as much publicity and interest for me as he possibly could. If he didn't say anything about wanting his client to go to a championship quality team etc., I would fire him. Why should we treat this agent any differently?

When I actually hear something from the player or Everton about where he is headed, then I will believe it. However, I will not attribute his agent's remarks to him. Similarly, I do not attribute Barkley's silence to mean anything about his plans either, except to say that he should get himself a better agent.

The guy reminds me of a first class spin doctor, a bit like that guy who helped Tony Blair years ago, to become Prime Minister. And look where he ended up!

The club hold all the aces at present so if Lukaku expects us to roll over at the first sniff from Utd or Chelsea he might have a shock coming. And I find it very telling, that with all the talk surrounding various big name transfers around Europe, not one Champions League team in Italy, Germany, France, Spain etc has come out and said they want the great Romelu Lukaku.

Maybe he could get a few group games with Besiktas if they are Turkish champions, or maybe not Greece with Olympiakos? You know Rom, those 'big' clubs in the Champions League? If they're in the Champions League they must be bigger clubs than Everton, using your own logic, wouldn't you say?

Had enough of the guy and his total disrespect for the club that has paid his wages for over three years and stuck by him despite his constant carping on about needing a bigger stage for his so called massive talents!

Also, slower pace in Spain and Italy? Not in this game.

Think I'd be relatively happy if we got 㿣m plus Batman. Perhaps spend some of that chunk getting Dembele from Celtic or another livewire goalscorer.

If the money is going to go out of the game then let the players pay the agents percentage; otherwise, just simply refuse to deal with them. See how this goes?

Foster or Heaton, Sigurdsson, Keane or McGuire, Klaassen and Dolberg. Job done. Release / sell Romelu, Deulofeu, Ross, Lennon, McCarthy, Garbutt, Robles or Stekelenburg, Williams. Bring in the new kids on the block and see where we go.

What a wasted opportunity; we should have identified our targets, about six top players needed, sorted out the fees and wages and have everything in place before Lukaku is even sold, saving us a fortune in what will become an inflated market once we receive the huge fee involved from that deal.

Most of our business will be done in late, late August. Kenwright will make sure of that, we will start the season in utter chaos as usual. Unless a miracle occurs, fat chance of that!

It also says that Romelu's father, Roger, seems to think that Rom's situation at Goodison will soon be fixed.

As for Rom, he will be gone this summer, I truly believe this. As Trevor has said, I think this is when the panic will set in and then we will try to make a few signings at the 11th hour. Emphasis added.

"My agent knows what's going to happen," the 24-year-old told SSNHQ. "I know what I want to do, and whenever something happens, you guys will know."

I say that because unless a transfer HAS been sorted already (which I doubt) then what CAN the agent know for sure? Unless of course it's the infamous "lost in translation" type statement from Lukaku while away on international duty.

Then again, our Rom seems pretty cock sure there's a huge queue of top clubs waiting to make concrete offers as per the previous few windows. Hope he's not disappointed when there maybe isn't!

As for us not buying anyone until he's sold, should he be sold. Does that not make perfect sense, guys? If he was going to stay we might have considered buying someone to complement him whereas if he's away our choices would change, surely?

UPDATE. Further "alleged" quotes from Lukaku.:

"I know what I want to do, and whenever something happens, you guys will know.

"In the end I do take the decision. I want to improve and enhance myself.

"We are in talks with the club. I want to play in the Champions League, and try to win the Premier League a few times."

Which club? Ours? Another club?

i) Circa £100m to spend so we at least can start our summer shopping.
ii) A lazy arse egotistical guy who doesn't give a shit about us and the circus he brings will be gone.
iii) We can report him and who ever he is in discussions with to FIFA/UEFA/Premier League to get them on a transfer ban as, unless we have accepted a fee and given him permission to speak to clubs, he shouldn't be in talks with any one.
iv) When (oh okay, if) he flops, we can all giggle. Quite loudly.

I'll miss his goals but hopefully his transfer fee will be spent wisely and we'll come out the end of it with a stronger squad.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Bye bye.

"Everton's Romelu Lukaku has decided where he wants to play next season.

The 24-year-old striker, who scored 25 Premier League goals last season, turned down the most lucrative contract offer in Everton's history in March.

"I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that," Belgian Lukaku said on Monday.

"We are now talking to the club. I know what's happening, but I will leave the talks to my agent."

Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for Lukaku, who has been at Everton since 2013.

"I know what's happening, but I can't tell you anything more," he added to journalists after Belgium beat the Czech Republic in a friendly in Brussels.

"What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League once. Or better - a few times."

Lukaku is represented by Mino Raiola, the agent who helped negotiate Paul Pogba's 䀅m move to Manchester United last summer."

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40170131

He's off anyway so may as well sort out on 1 July. Same goes for Barkley (if we can find a buyer).

If we start the season with a centre back pairing of 2 out of three of the current hillbillies, then expect more of the same in the big matches next season with all of the top six hitting three at least every time they play us.

Magnificent Seventh.

I'll call bullshit. If he knew where he was going, he'd be singing it in front of the cameras.

Full of shit.

Oh and Arsenal have now agreed to sign a player.

Still nothing from us.

My approach would be that we publicly declare that unless our terms are met that we expect Lukaku to play in the opening rounds of the Europa League. I'm not sure if this would cup tie him from Champions League? Can you play in both European comps for different clubs?

If it does cup tie him, then his suitors will be under pressure to meet our demands before that tie. Much like Man City were when submitting their Champions League squad while negotiating over the Stones deal.

I know it's a very flawed opinion but if he has decided to go, I want him gone sooner rather than later. Will be gutted to loose him though, he is one of the only players we have who can create something from nothing. He is the first striker we have had in the Premier League era that when he is one-on-one I expect the net to bulge (rather than just hope it does).

Sod him. If he wants out let him go. Personally, I think these strikers who guarantee you 20 goals a season are overrated anyway.

If we are serious about competing for the top four on a consistent basis, we are going to have to get use to the fact that the type of players that we require, will be ambitious, talented and wont hang around for 3/4 years accepting mediocrity which we have just endured.

And you're also forgetting it's not down to Koeman to find us new players. That's Walsh's remit. But the blockage isn't that.

It's much simpler. We have Kenwright 'negotiating' for transfers and we won't buy until we sell. It's what we do – despite all the bull 'leaked' to the press about us being ambitious.

If Rom leaves we will need at least one if not two players of a comparable quality to replace him. If we can't convince Rom to stay, why are you apparently so confident we can convince players of a similar level of ability and, in all probability, ambition, to join?

It's really not that hard to find a similar player. They wouldn't even need to be able to guide a shot on target from outside the box, for example.

"Romelu Lukaku's agent says that the striker was promised he could leave Everton under the right conditions this summer but admits nothing is imminent in terms of a move."

I'm guessing that was word of mouth and not written into his contract (obviously). I'd be tempted to tell him "Shut the fuck up, because if we hear another peep about big club this and winning that and next level the other, then your promise aint worth the paper it was never written on in the first place."

Promise!

I saw the Lukaku quotes and I expect him to be leaving. it would be nice if we had the balls to only sell him to a foreign side, as most rivals in our top 6 would balk at selling to their competitors in this country. However, I can visualize his smiling face as he ponces about with his Chelsea teammates in the near future.

He (despite his goals) is one player that I will not miss next season, for his apparent lack of effort at times, and his massive (it's all about me) ego that prevents him from bothering to applaud the travelling plebs.

Oh and his regular laments about the level he wishes to be at. I really hope he goes to Chelsea, and flops.

More than anything I want players who want to play for Everton and Lukaku, in spite of his talent, is prone to sulking. If he wants to go, I want Everton to maximise the transfer fee, but more than that – do the business early, so we can plan beyond.

We need to make sure this situation is nailed down, before we make our move.

Everton FC may not have to sell before they buy; however, the club has mostly in the recent past waited until the TV money is banked before embarking on major transfers; there's nothing to suggest, even with Moshiri on board that things have changed on that front.

Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and the others don't have those sort of cash-flow situations to contend with, therefore they usually pounce long before we do.

If Rom and Ross are departing Goodison Park, then that will change the dynamics of who Everton will look at in the market and the offers they will make for any potential targets. Too many are looking at things the way they want them to be, rather than accepting the way things really are.

If, as seems more and more likely, Rom moves on from Everton, then we will definitely miss his goal output, but we won't miss his high percentage of lacklustre displays – particularly away from Goodison Park.

Looking out of the window it doesn't feel as if it is high summer, but the calendar says that it is therefore there is no need to panic just yet.

It's June 6th not August 6th, therefore there will be plenty of transfer activity before the Premier League re-starts. Hopefully there will be enough activity prior to the opening games of the Europa League qualifiers to ensure that Everton have a side good enough to get through those and into the Europa League proper.

If we find that he's right and it is a done deal now, mark the occasion when Lukaku said something and it was true.

Time will tell. I have seen no signs that Conte or Mourinho want him. In fact, we know that Mourinho doesn't want him.

But we know Lukaku isn't signing. He said he isn't. We know Barkley is unlikely to sign, because he hasn't. Not much to figure out really. Well to me anyway.

And if we were serious about going top 4 and confident of keeping them, it wouldn't matter and we would have already factored in their new contracts and we'd know what we have available.

My heart is hoping that we are getting our ducks lined up and are close to getting some quality players in. My head tells me we won't buy until we sell Lukaku and / or Barkley as we simply don't have much money to spend on transfers.

The late business will be the decent players overlooked by the Champions League clubs, or the ones we convince that joining us means you don't end up like Perez or Sissoko.

I can't see the attraction we hold for established, proven Champions League players. It has to be either the canny acquisition of decent players that gel together quickly enough so we're successful before we lose them, or the gradual build that we've seen at Spurs.

Well, if you can't dream in June, when can you?

I do also agree that we have to, simply have to get our business done early, buy his replacement in before he goes to avoid an inflated price for anyone else. We certainly shouldn't be paying top dollar for Vardy; I hope that is nonsense.

I think it is clear we are going to be offered Rooney plus cash. We need to smash a major signing to show our intent though before this happens. I'm not going to get into fantasy signings but with just the Europa League to offer, to get the top players who perhaps are being overlooked at Man City /
Real Madrid, then we are going to have to break the bank.

This window will tell us everything we need to know about the board's ambitions.

Alternatively he could head to Utd with Romero and Smalling coming the other way (both of whom I think would be good with a first team run).

I'll be relatively happy either way so long as it doesn't drag on. I would rather Chelsea gave us 㿨M plus Batshuayi but they'll want to keep him if Costa moves.

It's a simple fact that the players we want, wait to see if a better offer comes along. Why, oh why can't you lot accept that most of the players we want have never heard of us, don't want to join us and only do so for the cash? Most would prefer West Ham over us because it's in London!

We will sign a load of players on deadline day again, when we settle on the players we can get, and they settle on us. In the meantime, we will try to get the very best we can, but we have to wait for the other clubs to get their targets first.

For example, we are interested in Lacazette. Follow the rumours on him, the very biggest clubs are linked to him, all the way down to us. We have a chance here, but certain things have to happen first. We have to wait for the circumstances to align and then we can sign him. The reality is one of the bigger clubs (see more monied clubs) will miss out on their target and take him instead.

If you want to get players in early, then it's a case of signing crap like Troy Deeney. Do you really want that? Nil Satis Nisi Optimum. Let's get the best we can, and if it's deadline day, so be it.

@152 while that may be true of players like Lacazette it is not the case with a lot of players who WOULD drastically improve us. Sigurdsson, Klaassen, hell even Rooney could all be snapped up now and would give the club a very different impression to those on the outside looking in.

All we have done is try and sign some Southampton reject on a free, which we still haven't even completed. Hardly the way of an ambitious club trying to crack the top 4.

What we cannot afford is for the uncertainty to drag on until August. So I assume the club have set a mid July deadline to Lukaku's agent that, if a deal is not sorted out by then, he will be staying for another season.

Under-the-radar signings will not come cheaply. Yesterday's rumour that Solanke will be earning 㿀k a week at the RS tells us what we are competing against. Yet a combination of young, hopefully hungry players with potential plus a handful of proven, experienced players just below the level required by the top Champions League clubs offers us the best chance of progress.

Do you really believe that we will get the best players we can on deadline day?

We have recruited Steve Walsh to oversee our transfer dealings. We should have a Plan A and Plan B in place and be actively pursuing those targets.

Deadline day signings should only cover last minute opportunities that may or may not come up.

He and his agent may have agreed with the new club but has a fee been agreed? He could still be some way of moving.

Sooner the better, though, so we can re-invest the money in the squad as it looks like we still have to sell to buy.

We will lose our best finisher and striker of the Premier League era. But, as good as he is, and despite his potential, a rumoured fee of approaching 㿼 million is a good 㿀 million more than he is worth.

Sigurdsson could arrive, and we would still have around 㿞 million left. We should look to invest that in a top striking replacement and a top goalkeeper. Then we need a left back, another striker, and another creative presence if Ross is leaving. I'd like to see another centre-back too.

It's a big loss, there is no doubt about that, but we can improve the team and squad with that money. We look like making 5ٞ million on a player who has returned 87 goals in 4 seasons. It was great business.

I hope we look abroad with some of our replacements, and to players with European experience. The Europa League could offer a better chance of Champions League football than the league, especially if the standard is as low next season as it was this.

I'm not saying you're wrong about the more desirable targets wanting to wait and see if they can get better deals for themselves, and then coming to us as a last resort, it is after all a market place and as yet we don't have the clout financially or in terms of attractiveness but surely we are in a slightly better position than in previous years?

BTW, I'm not too enamoured being lumped in as "you lot" as most of the posters on TW are individuals and not part of a sub culture or group who are railing against common sense.

He [Romelu] said: "To stay at Everton is not really an option for next season. I remain calm, serene compared to what is being said."

See ya, Rom! Make the move happen quickly, mate, and allow Everton FC the time to replace you and progress without you.

Of course, Walsh's job is too oversee the communications with agents and the like to try to get players to come in as soon as possible, but these are slippery bastards like Riola who tell you everything you want to hear whilst doing the exact opposite. Just read his comments to reassure Everton over Rom over the last 12 months and you'll see what I mean.

Also, Sissoko's agent told us his player wanted to sign for us, led us to believe it was a done deal whilst then negotiating with Spurs to get a deal sorted there.

This transfer fiasco is in fact the reality of the situation we face. Clubs agree fees, agents agree terms, everything is sorted, and yet the transfers stall and stall whilst they look for a better offer from elsewhere. We cannot get top quality in early. so please, please, please stop saying it.

if it does happen, then it's Christmas. Otherwise, you won't be disappointed.

Wonder how much? And any part-exchange, which may be better than us having money we can't spend?

We're left feeding off the scraps from the top table, so we have to wait until all the other vultures have picked the carcass clean and then we take what's left over.

The other alternative is to dine at a lesser table and take players like Deeney who are not good enough, or indeed players like Gueye who others aren't interested in, or gambles on youth like Lookman and Calvert-Lewin.

We need a mixture of the three for sure, but the big signing will be subpar if it's done early, unless there's a special reason why he wants to come to Everton (see Rooney).

Yes, we got Schneiderlin in fairly early, but January is a different beast. No-one else was really in for him at that price, and he clearly preferred a move where he would link up with his ex-boss and not have to move house.

Is that really so simple or have I missed something?

Any news from the productivity phone yet?

The acid test for us, is to bring in men who are as good as these two, should they both leave, as is generally believed.

I mean, if you've had since February 1 to think about who may be next on the incoming bus (and let's face it – exactly what else does Steve Walsh have to do all day long?) then you would be out there at the start of the window (or earlier, apparently), signing up all your prime choices. "Getting it done early"!

We used to convince ourselves it was Blue Bill wanting to save on a few months of inflated wages, unnecessarily shelled out of his personal bank account, but your explanation makes far more sense.

No sound on the video, so no idea if he was really being 'quizzed' on the particular club they say:

Link

On first reading, that would require all players to fulfill their contracts. The club's registration of the player then lapses and he can walk away for nowt (Dan Gosling, anyone?)

Are you suggesting this for all transfers? Thus effectively eliminating the transfer fee, as there would be nothing of value for the acquiring club to reimburse?

I *think* this might be what happens for professional players in other US sports, where it is effectively a closed shop in that they don't have much international competition or sourcing of players. As I (poorly) understand it, players are "traded" with the value being that of their new contract, and no exchange of a fee between the clubs?

The trend to longer and longer contracts, and multiple extensions to keep players, means this is never going to happen in professional football. I just can't see it.

This blatant unpunished tapping up by the Sky darlings has to stop.

My take is that we are not having to wait for the TV money to make a move in the transfer market. We will have a list of Champions League calibre targets who can help us make the next step, but these players will see us as their Plan B. They will only look at us if the top tier clubs have looked elsewhere.

I know that is painful but if avoids us spending one hundred mil on the likes of Saleh and Van Dijk then good.

Tell Chelsea to front up £100M and let him fuck off and if they don't then hold him to his contract or sell him to any other club that bids that amount.

The club needs to put a time limit on it though and not let it run into 'Jim Whites' day where he's sold at the 11th hour for £40M plus Rooney and (please god no) Smalling.

I can see Barkley waiting to see who Lukaku's replacement is and who else gets purchased before he makes his mind up on signing a new contract or pushing to leave. If there seems to be a replacement/competition player coming in, he'll be off too.

While we want players in early, this summer's deals are dependent on these two players. With them leaving adds another dimension to our incoming targets as we will have £100+ million extra to spend.

We should look to have several targets in by Mid-July – half way through the window, around one month before the season begins, and six weeks before the end of the window. If that doesn't happen, then there are reasons to complain and to draw conclusions about our policy.

Complaining because we haven't brought anyone yet is premature, as is assuming it's because we don't have the money. Our January spend, sponsorship deal, and stadium movement illustrates that this is the Moshiri, not Kenwright, era.

It's irritating that Kolasinac has gone to Arsenal – we offered him a contract and he could have been our attacking left back for years to come (or until he was taken from us for a big transfer fee).

They would probably suit him down to a tee. One club league where he can bang in tap ins all day long and play Champions League every season and retire with 4-5 Bundesliga winners medals. Bayern also have loads of cash although can't see them splashing 㿲m on one player. Maybe they have one or two that can move the other way.

If you are ambitious you don't sell them, it's blood in the water. Further to sell to a domestic rival is suicide, widening the already gaping chasm.

If Everton must sell Lukaku then it has to be to a European side. I'd happily take the premier league tariff off his price tag to sell him to PSG or Bayern for example. Rom's outburst is nothing new and feels like a follow up to Riola trying to drum up business.

Whatever the outcome, it feels like Everton are on the wrong end of a shafting.

According to their twitter account linked here

It is being reported by Loudmouth Lukaku himself that he has agreed terms with another club and now feels better that he is clear about his future. The media are reporting that it is Chelsea and the only thing to be resolved is the fee with Everton.

Now to my mind this is blatant tapping up if true (and I emphasise 'if true'); however, it is coming from the player's own mouth which, on its own, is surely grounds for a club fine.

Up for debate: where do we draw the line in clubs being allowed to tap up players?

Barkley doesn't want to sign a new contract so the club would be foolish to keep an unhappy player in the last year of his contract. He'd then walk off for nothing next summer and we'd be down £20-30M – for what?

Lukaku by all accounts was given a gentlemen's agreement he could leave this summer (and he wants to leave) so not sure what you expect the club to do in this situation. Other than try to maximise the cash they get for him.

No player(s) are bigger than the club and I'm looking forward to seeing a few new faces to lift up the place. We need to bring in some strong hungry characters, who importantly want to be at the club and play for Koeman.

Hopefully they'll be at least 5-6 shifted out to give the place a new lease of life. Get rid of some of the remaining Martinez signings and ageing Moyes ones.

Time for some Koeman straight talking and this arse should be fined and put in the reserves.

I'm fed up with Rom mouthing off every international break. Just get rid for top dollar. It would be nice to get some sort of statement from the Board over this but this is the Everton pantomime.

Otherwise the practice is a fucking disgrace as it's intended to put the selling club under pressure to sell as everything else is already agreed. It also, IMO, shows a distinct lack of respect on the players part towards his present club.

Be glad when it's all done and dusted, and to be honest I hope he just fucks off. Loved his goals, just couldn't feel anything for him. That might make me a halfwit but I don't care.

But hey, don't fear. We're going to get the third string right-back from Southampton on a free, we're really going places. Going to be so fantastic to watch that at a shiny new stadium in 4-5 years time. Oh and the owner bought a building in Liverpool, so cheer for that as well.

The issue is not the current state of affairs but that Everton have allowed themselves to be put in this position. That's my biggest gripe.

We still have it in our power to sell to a European side, which seems more sensible despite not getting full value for Lukaku.

Currently under both the transfer rules established by FIFA and the Football Association followed by the clubs playing in England, if another club wants to procure the services of a player that is registered with another club they must speak directly with that club and not to the player or his agent. The individual player and the agent who represents him will only be brought in for discussions with the potential purchasing club once the two clubs have agreed on a fee.

That's the rule!

Incidentally Southampton have reported the Red Shite for tapping up Van Dijk.

And you assume for some reason that no fee has been agreed and that Everton had not given permission at that point for the player and club to discuss terms? Do you think these contracts get drafted and agreed overnight, after a transfer fee is suddenly agreed and made public and the player jets in and is taking pictures signing a contract?

Southampton are reporting that incident because they obviously had not agreed a fee with any club and thus had not allowed contact to be made with the player.

The far more common practice is that clubs have discussions in private, agree in principle, and then the player is allowed to begin discussions with the other club. When all seems about wrapped up, that's when the club's make it public. That's how it works.

One way or another, there's changes afoot at Goodison and you can bet that not all the new stars we are about to sign will be any better than those they replace. I'm no fan of wholesale change – mainly because it means yet another season 'in transition' – but I bet there's a few on here who will be predicting great things for us next season, nevertheless!

I didn't say what has actually happened either way for the simple reason that I don't know, but I do know the rules on "tapping up."

The far more common practice is that clubs have discussions in private, agree in principle and then the player is allowed to begin discussions with the other club. When all seems about wrapped up, that's when the club's make it public. That's how it works.

Unless it's somehow made public by somebody else?

Clubs are dodging around this by getting the agent to line up the transfer on the quiet and IMO this practice has to be stopped as much as the media telling players which clubs they should go to or the so-called expert pundits who are allowed to publicly voice opinions without penalty.

but worrying about it before Monday morning never changed anything and just ruined my weekend. Chill – "Monday" is still weeks away and "Friday" even further!

Compare, for instance Tim Cahill to Lukaku. Is Cahill better than Lukaku? Probably not... but Cahill was far more influential in games than Lukaku ever is/was. You knew that Cahill would do something when we needed it most. Either leading by example, scoring when we needed it, or just cajoling other players to put in that bit more effort.

Far better than an overpaid decent player who has constantly wanted away from day 1. Good riddance to Lukaku for me. Never a team player and always had to be all about him.

For the amount of games he played for us against the top teams, from memory probably he was bothered in maybe 2 or 3; the rest, he either bottled it or just wasn't good enough.

Barkley and the Lump are clearly not worth keeping and, beyond defending, getting rid of their miserable "I'm too good for tiny Everton" attitudes will be a breath of fresh air. No matter how average their replacements may turn out to be.

Two years of watching them trying to force a career move, has been repulsive to watch, especially their cowardly performances at Anfield; we will be well rid of both of them.

Totally agree with you. The guy has the cheek to talk about winning trophies. Where was he in the FA Cup semi-final against Man Utd two seasons ago? Went missing again and took a shit penalty!

I'm looking forward to an Everton team of 11 committed players who want to play for the club, the supporters and for one another.