Some home-grown left-backs Everton must go after this summer

Sessegnon I've never seen but he's been talked up a lot. At 17 I worry he's probably not ready for EPL yet which could be great timing to rotate with Baines in easier games whilst he learns and gains experience. Value £25m+ and having never seen him I can't comment further. Slim chance with the other clubs interested.

Shaw, I still think England's no1 LB but needs to improve defensively. Great pace and power but I'm not sure his head is right, (poor man managers) and I can't see him wanting to move to Everton but I would if I could. £25m+. No chance unfortunately.

Bryan or Bryan from Bristol City. Great left foot, good pace and appears a ready made Baines replacement. Solid defending, good getting forward. Can pass, shoot and a set play specialist. £15m. Good chance. My pick.

I like the idea of Sessegnon, but so does every team in the country (and some abroad!). He'd be perfect to play in front of Baines at the moment, moving backwards to LB in a year or so.

Given we've had one of the best left backs in the Premier League era for more than ten years, Leighton's boots will be very difficult to fill. The whole left side needs to be updated/upgraded, which makes Sessegnon a great option given his ability to play anywhere down that side.

But I'd go after Shaw; promising first team football.

One year left on his contract, has pace, can cross, might be happy to stay out of London, and surely won't want to be Ben Davies' understudy at Spurs (given the Rose to Utd link). He'd surely be only 㿀-㿅mill, and given he could be our left back for ten years, that's exceptional value.

If Sessegnon makes the wrong move, he could be in the same position as Shaw in 5 years.

A shrewd left sided midfielder to play ahead of him would be essential though, a clever player with some pace to allow Shaw to overlap. I'd like to see Lookman be this player, with Siggy inside and Walcott on the other wing there is enough experience around him to let him loose.

Marco Silva in!

I think Connolly has been played mostly on the wing by Ipswich, can you shed any light on that?

Ryan Sessegnon - no chance. He's going to stay at Fulham, but if he leaves now then it is for one of the Champions League sides. I bet someone already has a deal in place and have an informal arrangement whereby he can stay at Fulham to develop. It'd be nice to see the club show ambition and try to get the lad, but I ask if you've actually seen him play. He's mostly played left midfield, not left back. He's a bit lightweight in defence (as his age would suggest) and so he' playing further forwards for now. I think he might stay there and see echos of Bale's progression towards a forward.

Luke Shaw is the one I suggested we go for. But I note what people say about his attitude, questions over his injuries and form, and questions over his effectiveness as a defender. I think he's a gamble, but one worth taking if the price is right, such as no more than £20m.

Others had suggested Bertrand, and he's a good shout and should cost less than Shaw, but like all of the above, we're probably at the back of the queue.

27 games at DM
3 in central midfield
1 at right midfield
1 at right back

Dave may correct me, but I recall he was supposed to be a right back, only he was behind the slightly older Jonjoe Kenny, and so ended up playing left back, and even went to the U20 World Cup in that role.

I heard last night that if Gerrard gets the Rangers job, the first player he will be after is one Ross Barkley on loan. I don't know how Rangers could afford his wages but Gerrard has told Rangers board that Barkley will be the main player he wants, apparently.

I recall him playing for the youth at right-back before left-back but other than the World Cup he did have a run out on the left for us during pre-season.

If the lad is that versatile then it'd be a real shame not to have him around next season. I always thought he was one of the 'golden generation' (forgive the awful term) but when the club let Liam Walsh go I understood anything can happen.

Some of our other players out on loan have stalled lately, maybe because we are coming to the end of a long season, Joe Williams hasn't been in Barnsley's team, Keiran Dowell hasn't figured much for Forest, the left back who went to Sunderland has hardly played for months, and sadly Liam Walsh, who has gone permanently to Bristol City hasn't played a lot since his move. Of course, some of these players might be injured.

I think the full-back position tends to be underrated and we can certainly point to an improvement in our fortunes since Coleman and Baines have been back. In the modern game, it's so much easier when the full backs are capable footballers, comfortable on the ball, passing and moving, making themselves available.

Walker has made a big difference to Man City and they have had Delph, a midfielder, playing at left back. Valencia and Young at Man Utd as well. If Saints go down, Ryan Bertrand is another possibility.

Here are the views of a couple of Ipswich fans discussing Connolly back in December;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qxaz3cdCg

Interestingly they both think Connolly is such an obvious midfielder on the basis that he is a good footballer. They (rightly in my opinion) suggest Everton never used him as such due to the stiff competition there from his peers.

Will be interesting to see how he has grown as a player and a man from the experience. I suspect Robinson had a tougher time scrapping it out with Bolton in the relegation zone but I know he put in some decent performances on the way.

Robinson has a real chance in my eyes - he has had a very successful loan, and he would have learnt a lot. He is very physical, pacey, good on the ball & running with it too & decent delivery.

If it were up to me - I'd sign up Bertrand. I think he's a little more gettable than Chilwell too, and has the experience and pace too. Plus added leadership, that will allow a balance when rotating at fullback.

I'd personally give Robinson (and Connolly for that matter) one more season on loan, to develop and grow. By then, our team would chance a lot - players like Baines will move into a more of a squad role. Allowing Robinson a crack at rotating with Bertrand in the fullback role.

Baines would ONLY play against the top six & in all our Cup ties.

Doesn't seem likely or at all realistic does it?

Connolly has had a good loan but has been playing mainly in midfield which may be best suited to him as he may not be quite quick enough for the modern top level full back.

Robinson is an intriguing options. Has all the physical aspects and has been one of the best players for a poor Bolton team. Big step up but would like to see him in pre-season. Probably needs another loan before being our first choice LB.

Sessegnon- not coming here. More of a winger than a left back these days.

Chilwell- A good option but would cost alot and would he fancy what seems a sideways move?

Shaw- Seems like he has the qualities and at only 22 has the main part of his career ahead of him. All depends on mental state and character. I think if he were first choice LB we might see him reach his best. Which could be pretty good.

Tierney- not seen alot of him but he always impresses me. Seemed to hold his own in the CL where he was made LB of the group stages by CalcioMercato.

Some foreign options worth a look.

Frank Fabra- Pacy, strong Colombian whos been one of the better players in Argentina this year. Would be cheaper and is in his primer.

Alex Telles- has the most assists in the Portugues leage this year. Quick and competitive, excellent crosser.

Ricardo Periera- Another Porto player who actually plays RB but spent most of last year playing LB for Nice when they had a great year. Being able to play either side at top level could be very useful.

Garbutt is the best crosser of a ball in our squad & has been since Andy Hinchcliffe,ok let's just write him off & buy another foreign mercenary,after all Mosh is a Billionaire & just loves spending money...sigh.

He was barely first choice for the U23 team. He's didn't exactly shine on loan to Fulham and Wigan and he's not done enough in training to catch the eye of 3 different managers this year despite us being criminally short of LBs. I'm all for giving players a chance but surely there's a limit. He'll be 25 in a few weeks so he's hardly a kid anymore.

Garbutt has had his chances. He signed a five-year contract in 2015. He never developed from there. He failed. End of.

I wouldnt touch Luke Shaw. It is rumoured he has a "lifestyle" problem which would explain a lot and we have already had enough Man U rejects.

Tierney from Celtic is a cheaper alternative but unproven at this level.

None of our youngsters is ready for the Prem yet so we have to buy in.

Connolly I saw at the U20 World Cup and he looked really uncomfortable at left back. Positioning was poor, very right footed. The team was better when he was dropped. I haven't seen him in midfield but the reports are encouraging.

On Dowell, I think with Warburton he had an enabler. It was like Watching 90s Southampton with one player given a free ride to showboat without any responsibility. It raised his profile but didn't improve his all-around game. The opposite is true with Karanka. He is a dour defensive coach who would live a team of Barry Hornes. Neither coach really helps Dowell. Someone like Mick McCarthy is more down the middle. I suggest we send Dowell on loan next year to s club like Ipswich with a more rounded coach.

"Frank Fabra – Pacy, strong Colombian whos been one of the better players in Argentina this year. Would be cheaper and is in his prime."

Have you seen this lad? Perhaps Jay Wood being based in Brazil might have seen a lot of him. The Argentinian league is said to be dreadful now. They can't match Brazil for quality, and Brazilian sides would struggle in the Championship.

Therefore, a 27-year-old Colombian, who's never played in Europe, it just seems like a very risky gamble to me.

Baines was better than all the candidates for me. He certainly had more football intelligence than the likes of Shaw, but Bainesy is on the way out, his powers have diminished, and he is getting 2/3 injuries a year now. We need to replace him, although I'd settle for a young backup to gradually come through, mainly playing as Bainesy is injured or needs a rest.

If this guy only costs £7m then that peanuts these days so less of a risk in some ways then spending £25m on Tierney for example. He's very not my first pick but I reckon he'd do ok. Reminds me of Antonia Valencia whos done well.

But yes the players will demand a move so it improves our chances. I'm a big fan of Galloway, defensively better than Baines but he's not the modern day attacking full back.

A switch to 5-3-2 or similar may suit the players. Help Baines out not having to track back all the time whislt developing Galloway at CB who's got pace and is a good tackler.

I've only seen him on TV 5 or 6 times but Joe Bryan, 24 yo, great attacking pacey full back for Bristol City, I think we'd get for around £12m, bargain. He's a Tottenham style full back and I think he'll be moving this summer.

CB I think Kone from Sunderland would do a good job. Big, strong, good in the air and pace.
Then the big Q, who's going to be the big lad up top? Benteke, Carroll, Crouch, Rondon, it's scary because I wouldn't put it past Sam to go and get an ex-red to wind us up.

As for Ross, I can't see him throwing his career away playing in Scotland just yet.