Report: Baines to be offered one-year deal

He still has plenty to offer as cover for Digne when needed and maybe for some Europa League games if we can take 7th

I suspect he's a healthy influence generally around the club.

Not only can he still perform at the necessary level (just not every game, as in the past), I'm sure he's a great role model around Finch Farm.

This also signals to me that the management doesn't believe we have an academy player of sufficient quality to cover for Digne next season, and that they prefer to pay Leighton's salary for another year rather than dip into the transfer market, giving any young hopeful another year to develop.

Good sense to me. Save the hard-earned for more pressing priorities.

I certainly hope they both take a huge drop in money to help the club build for the future...

Given that at left back, we don't seem to hear of any other young players catching our attention, which as many others have said here, an indication that we don't have ready young players in this position.

In terms of reducing our wage bill and trimming players, there are plenty whom we can trim from the squad.

Baines can still do a job.

We need to trim in the right places, and if Europa league becomes a reality, we basically need more bodies in key positions.

At centre-back, it might still make sense of Jags to be given another year. Mina is quality, but might be injury prone. Zouma is unlikely to be retained, given the noise coming out of the Chelsea camp. Which means that we will need back-up.

I hope to see Holgate given a shot at centreback.

Comparatively, we have at least two players jostling for right back (Kenny and Seamus), and Holgate and still do a job there.

So, left-back wise, we definitely basic cover.

Our monies are likely to be spent on the spine (a CB, one CM, one forward). Preferably, the Zouma being the CB, and Gomes the CM. And we would want an upgrade on Tosun, much as I like him, to give DCL some competition. I would like to see DCL continue to thrive, but he needs competition and we need backup in that area.

For the wide areas, I think we are covered at the moment: Bernard, Lookman, Richarlison, Walcott.

We want to avoid something like this season where we have so many first team players having to get adjusted into the team.

As for jags, if the money reflects his likelihood of playing, if Feeney is given every chance of playing, and Jags is a realistic future coach, and can combine the roles, then give him another year as 4th or 5th choice.

And every minute I saw Baines play this year showed me he can do the job for one more season. He was fit, sharp and capable. I don't care how old he is, if a player gets it done, he gets it done. It's not like 34 is a damn death sentence. Filipe Luís and Kolarov are six months younger, and they're still starters at LB for Atletico and Roma respectively. The former is second in La Liga, the latter is one point out of a Champions League place. Quality is quality.

Barring a serious injury to Digne, we need a left back for about eight games next season. I cannot imagine a better option than Leighton Baines.

Baines and Jags do not provide the necessary type of competition. Brands and Silva have been clear about the need for more competition regarding positions, the necessity to reduce the squad / wages and the need to develop the squad via a youth development policy. Transferring in players in their early twenties being part off this.

The fact that overtures have filtered out before the end of the season regarding Baines and Jags contracts and Silva has thought it necessary to qualify his input into the decision whether to give extended contracts, points to where the power balance lies within Everton. It lies, if extended contracts are given, with the Old regime objective of survival in the Premiership and the comfortable status quo.

The battle lines of this Summer will be between the Progressive regime of Moshiri, Brands, Silva and the Old regime of Kenwright and Co, including back room associates. Hopefully Brands will be as influential at board level as he is as a Director of Football. I have expressed my opinion that Brand's appointment to the Board was not a good move in terms of accountability and may only reflect a sticking plaster approach by Moshiri, rather than the need to tackle wholesale changes at Senior Management level within Everton, if sufficient further progress is to be made.

Some may think that this is Tosh, but Chelsea have similar problems and Man U have even bigger problems in this same area. But at Everton it has been going on for 20 years.

I don' t like what extended contracts for Baines and Jags would tell me about Everton's path to progress.

Look at David Silva at City, slick, lean and mean.

It's one of the reasons I'd even still sign Vardy, the fella is super fit and plays like a 20 year old and I honestly believe these days players will play more and more until they reach 37,38 years old.

Its only in circumstances like where Gazza or Rooney haven't taken care of the body that they look condemned men in the 30's.

No

If we are resigned to not getting Zouma, are we going to find a better 4th choice Centre back than Jagielka without spending any money (Assuming Holgate is 3rd choice)?

No

Therefore it makes sense.

To those wanting them to leave - how much would it cost to replace them and do you think we have bigger priorities than spending millions on reserves?

There's no room for sentiment - but these strike me as football decisions, not sentiment.

Clearly he is behind Digne, and should remain so, but if called upon, he should still be capable of producing decent performances; an extra year makes sense.

Baines knows exactly what Silva expects, he understands how we play, and the manager obviously still trusts him.

When he's played this season he has looked refreshed and hasn't weakened the team in the slightest. His experience and quality puts him way ahead of Robinson or any other youngster.

One more year from a supreme professional to provide perfect cover, while allowing the very green Robinson to develop further elsewhere. Makes total sense.

Also, in general, we shouldn't underestimate the ‘behind the scenes' factor that Marco Silva has mentioned. The squad needs leaders, role models and a sense of identity, Baines and Jagielka contribute well to that. It's not as simple as just gathering the best ‘parts' together, the ‘whole' needs to function well. Robinson will also hopefully spend some time with Baines, and Holgate with Jagielka. Some people seem to object to retaining former players on the staff, but I think it's really important for the club and squad to have access to the sense of identity that provides.

We may need to reduce the wage bill, but Baines and Jagielka are not the problem, the senior players currently out on loan are.

Just to be clear, Baines is the slender chap wearing Number 3. Nobody matching that description "has been a liability for years."

(Shaking head in disbelief.)

Kevin #20, Chris #23, Mike #24, all good points.

I don't think the same consideration should be afforded to Jagielka though, undeniably a great servant to the Club, but unless he is to be retained in a coaching capacity or like wise, we have to get away from this old boy's favours scenario, or we will revert back to being a retirement home.

That'll still be better than what other clubs would have to offer.

I feel the same way with Jags, perhaps not as strongly but when called upon he rarely let's us down. That one depends on Zouma signing and Holgate playing a role on his return. We probably don't need 5 centre backs. Holgate is probably better in a 3 though for me.

I know that he is one of your favourites so I doubt anything I might say would have much influence on your opinions other than I also have a set of eyes and can make up my own mind on what I see from our No 3.