Koeman denies Sigurdsson deal is faltering over fee

"Has that lad Sigurdsson signed for Everton yet?"

Time to move on as this deal is definitely lost in space!

Do any of these football experts know how many times Everton have finished in the Top 6 in the last 13 years? It is 6 times, that's just about every 2nd year on average, and that was with a 'perceived' much poorer team and squad. We should only be discussing if we are good enough to break into the Top 4, not the Top 6.

Whilst there are no guarantees to finish in the Top 6, we have proven that we are certainly good enough. BTW only Arsenal have been a guaranteed certainty over that time period.

There's plenty of players out there and plenty with the ability to beat a man (a skill very lacking in our first team currently). Lanzini or Mahrez would add more balance or find the next Payet from France. Boudebouz who I think had the most assists in Ligue 1 last year has jus moved to Betis for just £7m!

How about a German? Max Meyer or Julian Brandt?

Move on. Get a winger with some pace and work rate and a striker who scores goals and can hold onto the ball.

There is a lad playing in the German league for Dortmund. Pulisic. USA born. Absolute star in the making and apparently available for £30 million.

Someone like Pulisic (if he continues to develop well) is going to be much more use for a team fighting at the very top than Sigurdsson I reckon as much as I rate the Icelander.

I know Koeman, like all managers these days, tends to indicate that he knows which players he wants, and he leaves it to the club to get them, but is he banging on their door saying "Fuck this, get me Lanzini instead!" or is he just letting them get on with it?

Whatever, it's cast a real shadow over what was feeling like a very positive window. We've looked less than impressive in the pre-season, we're clearly lacking someone to replace Barkley let alone Lukaku, and Stoke are coming to our place in 48 hours...

If Sigurdsson = staying in the premier league then £45M income is probably quite small potatoes still.

The other thing I would say is that I don't believe for a second this means we aren't looking at other players. It's not like Walsh, Koeman, scouts and negotiating team are all camped in Swansea offices unable to do anything else.

As I've said on a post elsewhere the problem now is our likely targets are far more 'chewy', the equivalent of houses being in chains where clubs and players/agents are waiting to see how the land lies before pressing any buttons.

It's not just us, look at the situation with Van Dijk that's been rumbling on forever now and also Costa, Sanchez, Aguero sagas – will they stay or will they go. Even Barkley can be added to the list, despite 'interest' we've clearly not had a decent proper offer for him yet.

I would agree we need a target man in shorter order than we need a creative midfielder so hopefully conversations are ongoing there. I'd be more than happy with a Giroud but at this point I'd probably settle for a Benteke so we at least had some presence and power up front to give us an option.

Dream world...

Have no idea if there's something amiss between Walsh, Koeman, Moshiri or..whoever, but something doesn't seem quite right.

I appreciate this comment is of no help and provides no illumination of any sort.

[On hols in France; weather windy today, so thought I'd have a look at TW...]

I get the 'spread the goals about a bit' in exchange for Lukaku doing it mostly on his own... But I still fancy trying to tempt Bournemouth with some of the £45M for Jason King.

However, we've got that many midfielders, I can't see where they all fit in? I'd rather spend £40-50M on a top quality striker. I can only assume Barkley and McCarthy and Besic will be gone in a few weeks.

I like that, apart from the last bit. I'd just say nothing, ever.

But there are plenty of players out there apart from Sigurdsson and we apparently have a very large and expensive scouting system so surely they can identify other talents who are available.

I reckon it will still go through personally but i'm kind of hoping it doesn't. As Eugene says, we need a striker much more urgently anyway and everything seems very quiet on that front.

But I have to say I've noticed the negative slant from the media is back with a vengeance and this will cause disquiet amongst the fans. I have to say, I trust our management to come out of this transfer window with credit and good signings.

I can't see us getting any decent experienced striker in at this stage of the window, with the season about to start. Probably get some old clapped out journeyman on loan at the end of August.

Sigurdsson is probably our last chance of getting in one of our first-choice transfer targets, then we'll just have to make do with what we've got. Could be worse, but really lacking in the playmaker department, especially with Ross set on leaving.

You pay the fee set by the club or you don't. Simple.

Playing in a central role, Calvert-Lewin is big and quick and knows where the goal is. Perhaps he might be an internal replacement to Lukaku. Certainly a cheap one.

Going into our first game without a proven Premier League striker is ridiculous. Considering the money we got for Lukaku, and the time we have had to replace him, it can only be described as a shambles. I don't know who is to blame – nobody outside of Finch Farm does – but it needs sorting and quickly.

Yes, we made a good start but everyone knew Lukaku was leaving from last season but did we have a top quality striker lined up to replace him in the mould of a Pickford or Keane? No, we signed a Spanish bits-and-pieces player who is neither a striker or no.10. And the washed-up has-been that is 'our Wayne'.

Steve Walsh is being paid a fortune to assemble an extensive scouting network and identify the best talent from around the world. Yet most of the first team squad members signed are familiar to anyone with a passing knowledge of English football.

Make no mistake, we will miss Lukaku, foibles and all, this season. He was top, top quality and we simply won't replace his goals with the signings we've made. To sell him and not have his successor lined up or signed up is unforgivable on the part of Walsh, Koeman, Kenwright and Moshiri.

It depends who the verbal agreement was with.?

Some may answer it was with Swansea. Who was the agreement with... the Swans' Chairman or their overseas American owners?

If the story of a verbal agreement is correct, I suspect it was with the Chairman and that the Owners (although agreeable to a sale) thought, "Hey, we can get more for him if we wanted, as we are in the driving seat."

It will be done though, it seems – Sigurdsson is basically dropped at Swansea and who wants a player who doesn't want to be there?

Swansea are making it difficult, it seems. Maybe we are too. At the end of these affairs, the player leaves and damage has been done. Stones eventually goes to Man City, like Lescott did. Coutinho hilariously goes to Barcelona, and Sigurdsson will come here. Doesn't stop us all tearing our hair out though.

Everton are probably getting other player deals to advanced stages in the background so they know where they have wriggle room on which player's fee.

It can't be as simple as we won't increase our offer by £5M unless we have other deals contingent on the budget.

When does the TV money hit the account? I suspect not until after the season has started because the transfer 'window' is the most ingenious advertising vehicle in televised sport.

Now with 2 days until the big kick-off we appear to be getting filled with negativity, a return to the norm being an Evertonian.

Whatever is happening I hope it has not been a smokescreen and we really are in the same position. Come on Everton bring in those 3 players Ron has requested, lets get the feel good factor back and let us all move forward believing we really are moving forward.
COYB

Where is the striker we need? or the winger etc?

Bored shitless with this now.

Walking away from the deal is what Swansea want; they want to keep him but the fact he hasn't played any pre-season just means he is not going to be match-fit come the start of the season – no matter if he is playing in Blue or White.

Pickford and Klaassen were signed on same day.

He's not a bad player Josh King by the way, but he's only done it for one season so I'd hesitate having to rely on him as opposed to someone like Giroud who scores year after year.

As for Sigurdsson, their must be stubborn people sat round the negotiating table (I've never seen one of these tables) for this deal to still be not done. Surely if we offered £40m plus £10m add-ons, they would take it?

I'm in Urawa, Japan. This guy Silva looks good. Fast, scoring for fun and tore up the Borussia Dortmund defenders in a friendly last week.

Who knows?

Buy Mahrez... NOW!

Sigurdsson – just a matter of inch by inch, it seems.

At £13 Million, I would take a punt on Winifred Bony and see if any other strikers become available later in the window.

Link

Saying it's a shambles? Seriously. Get a grip.

£30 Million for Giroud or Benteke – both do not want to leave – or £13 Million for Bonny and £20 Million for Dembeale seems a better value option.

I like Lanzini as he is more of the type we need. Also Gundogan and Dembele could be worth enquiring about as their clubs have too many midfield players and one of them might be interested in more playing time.

Either we are about to announce a couple of shock signings, hence the silence, or we have just gone back to our old ways.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Spurs come in with a low £25m bid for Ross on deadline Evening. Levy can be a shark.

Unless I am mistaken that's the chap who got collared for putting his Blackpool Rock through a hole in the public convenience wall. Inviting like minded chaps to participate.

Gylfi strikes me as a luxury we don't need.

We should be all over him and Van Dijk if we have top 4 ambitions and money to burn.

It seams like a strange signing to me. I really really rate Sigurdsson, but we've signed two players this window who play where he plays and we still have (for now) Barkley...

On a different note it's funny how people were screaming for us to get rid of that useless lazy (20-goal-a-season) striker and are now demanding that we sign a 20 goal a season striker. As far as I can see it was one striker out and one striker, Sandro, in, plus Rooney and I think we'll see more of Calvert-Lewin.

I do worry about the pace though...

Oh, and by the way, I hope we swerve this Sigurdsson deal He's not even that good. Not at that type of money anyway.

Neither club is coming out of this saga well.

Barkley isn't negotiating. He wants to leave.

I think it's all a bit like the final scene in Reservoir Dogs.

Koeman is pointing a gun at Mosh saying "I want the player"

Mosh is pointing a gun at Levien/Kaplan saying "Let him go"

Levien/Kaplan are pointing a gun back at Mosh saying "£50m", with another trained on Sigurdsson saying "you're going nowhere"

Sigurdsson is pointing a gun (albeit not well loaded) back at them saying "go on... please"

Those who have seen the film knows how it all ends.

Apparently some enquiries being made about Kalinic and the Sigurdsson transfer might happen this week. Win over Stoke and this might turn into a perfect week.

After that, though four counter-attacking games for which we don't have enough pace. Lookman should get a look in the game against Stoke for those upcoming games and so do Mirallas.

If we can get Sigurdsson early, then our chances of scoring in those games will increase with free kicks and dead balls.

Sean, Mahrez wants a top six club which means Champions League or Europa League, as said by Shakespeare.

Bring on the new season!

COYB

Is there rancour that, two seasons running, we've come for there 'perceived' best player?

Then we have the player. Why no transfer request? Some say a loyalty bonus is due. Well sack that off lad, put your request in and we'll pay you that bonus in your signing on fee. It's not like we haven't demonstrated we want the player?

Swansea clearly don't care that it's too late in the window to spend the money without being stung themselves and Everton are so far down the rabbit hole, backing out would look small time.

I like the player and do want him. I also think the money is the symptom but stupidity is the cause.

They seem to be willing him on us because last weekend they were seeing the Frenchman as a substantial part of a Barkley deal.

Wind-up? Who knows!

Look elsewhere; for £40M, there'll be plenty of suitors.

When it gets close they should take the main negotiators out of it and two others, fresh to it, can make the agreement. The the two original egos can just blame them then and save their sensitive bloody ego. I bet I could get him for £49,999,999.

What did he say? I am sure it was along the lines of: "Why would I sign for Everton?"

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/727338/Moussa-Sissoko-Tottenham-Reject-Everton-Transfer-Premier-League-Newcastle
Link

[Cue hasty retreat under dining table.]

He was crap at Blackburn – his goals were like hens' teeth... and you'd think he would have done well in an Allardyce team.

If I recall, this was called as a done deal by I think Paul Joyce from the Times who is usually spot on with Everton information at £30-£35 million weeks ago and seems to have dragged on and on since then.

I was one of those that pointed out that the Lukaku sale was virtually a done deal for quite a while before we went on our shopping bonanza. At the moment, the momentum has ground to a halt, and the Siggurdson deals has dragged on and on.

Personally, although I like the player, this seal is not going to make or break our season. We are knee-deep in midfielders, and Mirallas, Rooney or even Klaassen could play at 10.

Our main problem is our inability to buy a recognised striker of some repute. Sandro is a young lad and can't be expected to contribute massively over a long season. Giroud seems uninterested, and there is little in the way of rumours filtering out of Finch farm.

I suspect the Barkley injury has caused a hiccup in our cash flow, which has impacted the Sigurdsson deal and is perhaps why we have so far been unable to present a new striker to the eager fans.

Two things are worrying: Firstly, the actual amount that the club has to spend. Secondly, how it could be that we have failed to replace Lukaku.

I think Koeman was all to aware that he needed to sell Barkley in order to fund his other targets. His rather crass announcements may have reduced the price, and then the subsequent injury has thrown a spanner into the works.

The team has some good components, and there could be a good season ahead, but investment in a striker, a winger and a left back could make the difference from mid-table to chasing the Europa League slots again. Unless we come up with a couple of big surprises, I think a top six finish is way out of our scope.

If Levy offers £25m for Barkley, then we would be the sharks biting his hand off.

Apparently Milan's bid was rejected out of hand and it is claimed Everton have met the valuation but the player prefers to stay in Italy and needs to be persuaded.

As Christy said, his last stint in England didn't work too well but, as he has matured, he seems to have done very well in Serie A.

Persist with Ross. He's one of us who I suspect has got a bad agent.

May I also thank you for your wonderful music with Wild Willy Barret. "Beware of the flowers, coz I'm sure they're gonna get you yeah!"

I agree with most of what you write. We started off aggressive in the market in the knowledge that Big Mouth would pay for the incoming players but since he went and we kinda broke even, the signings have dried up.

While the investment in the youth have been good, our signing of Martina (which in my opinion was unnecessary) has rather re-aligned what our real budget without sales is.

Now we have one playmaker who we cannot sell and another who we've been negotiating the purchase of for what feels like longer than normal.

And we still don't have that centre forward.

But to make you all feel better, Danny Rose just planted a dagger in the backs of his mates at Spurs and Coutinho is leaving our loveable neighbours. We just need Pep to put John Stones in goal, Mourinho to assault the female physio at Old Trafford, and Chelsea to fire Conte, and the league is ours!

I'm guessing he sees Calvert-Lewin with Rooney & Sandro as back ups to that position. Not saying it's right, just that what I believe he's thinking.

However, when it comes to ego and ways of doing business, I am all for hard-ball negotiations. Give them an inch and they will ask for a foot. I rather we delay Sigurdsson's purchase till end of the month just to really screw with them negotiations wise.

I am concerned we will end up with bargain-basement backup for a striker (Ulloa or similar) and a defender on a loan deal.

I got shouted down about how foolish it was letting Galloway go without backup. But that fails into comparison that Lukaku has gone, we knew for years and yet here we are without a striker (or two).

Whilst Sandro and Mirallas I suppose can do a job they're best suited elsewhere and its too big an ask for Dominic. Crazy, crazy management.

And Helen – you mean Bas Dost. Didn't know much about this guy but he does seem to know where the goal is...

We have spent almost 15 to 20 million pounds on youngsters for the future yet are stilling failing to agree a fee for a player who will walk into our starting eleven. The two priority players we need are a play maker who scores a few goals plus a top quality striker. This has been obvious during Lukaku's spell with us.Can any fan imagine how Lukaku would have benefitted if we had provided a proper play maker and decent second striker. I believe that we could have broken into that top six or even top four with just those two additions to our squad. Instead we floundered and drew games we could have won.Now I can see that we have strengthened the defensive side of our game but actually badly weakened our attack potency. No one will convince me that Sandro and Rooney will compensate for the loss of Lukaku. By the time we sign Sigurdsson and get him bedded in we will have played at least three matches.I just hope that our early results against the top teams are not going to jeapordize our season due to lack of fire power.

And when he does go, probably next summer, it won't be to us (unless we're in the Champions League then) and it won't be for anything resembling £30 million.

Dolberg is Danish but speaks good English and surely some Dutch. Koeman should be able to mould him. He played in the UEFA Cup final, he knows Klaassen inside out. He seems like less of a gamble of the two. I have no idea on his price, surely £25m + based on Klaassen's price, maybe rising to £50m with an "English tax".

A centre forward is key for me. We need someone good in the air, who knows where the net is, can hold up the ball, and can lead the line. The guy needs to be a bit more static or fixed as a number 9, so Sandro, Rooney, Klaassen, and Sirgurdsson or Barkley can play off him.

I think that when you have fluid players, like those mentioned above, having someone who is an old fashioned, more static or fixed as a number 9, who will be where you would want him to be (ie, in the box) or pushing the defence back due to his height, and as an option long down the pitch, can create the space for the other players to drop off and exploit.

This is the player (position / player type – I mean rather than Dolberg himself) that I think is key. There's a hole in the team for a number 9 and filling it should be priority.

Not dissimilar from fee reported a few weeks ago.