Sambou rejects contract extension

According to our records, his transfer from Coventry City was free, so no fee paid.

It seems odd to me that he's not been given more of a chance after showing some ability to put the ball in the net at U23 level. His stats are far better than Dominc Calvert-Lewin's at that level.

Interesting that they both joined the club around the same time, and Bassala is only 6 months younger than
Dominic, but the opportunity to advance was only given to Calvert-Lewin and not him.

He had speed was aggressive and scored a few goals which included a few penalties, he also missed plenty of chances, I think his agent might have a few offers in the bag although I'd be surprised if they were from the Premier League or the championship.

Michael (5), if Everton were to sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer, he would fetch at least 㾻M; Bassala Sambou... not a penny unfortunately, that's the difference between them.

There's a world of difference between Calvert-Lewin and Sambou and there always was. Dominic only had 9 games with the U23s before being ushered towards the first team, as everyone who saw him at that level for us knew he was too good for it.

Good luck to him in his future endeavours.

We did once have a kid who most of us consider to not be the guy who would hold down a job in the City or in the courtroom but last night saw the opposition goalie was usually standing outside his area when his team were on the attack so 2 minutes later when the ball fell to him 10-15 yards inside his own half he wellied it over the goalies head for a goal. He had that football brain when he was 16.

It is the football brain which often makes the difference.

If Calvert-Lewin can fetch 㾻M, and I'm not saying he wouldn't, then the world has truly gone mad.

As players grow and are given opportunities, they need to show improvement because 23/24 is often the cut-off age for forwards to show what they have.

After that, it's about reading the game and game management which is why defenders often break into the first team at an older age.

Good luck, it was worth a shot and who knows, if he's not work-shy and can add to his game over the next few years, he can still make a living from the game.

There will be many more like him in the coming months and years. Good luck to them.

The world went mad when Solanke, half the player Calvert-Lewin is, went to Bournemouth for 㾿m after 19 RS games and 1 goal. And Christ only knows how he got a cap for England.

Stop knocking our own.

Maybe he is a late developer, who knows, but with him being out of contract, there are obviously no conditions of future sales, or buy-back clauses.

I think there are better indications of world gone madness than Calvert-Lewin's potential selling price.

Let's face it, if he adds goals to his game, my valuation of him will double. As Ray said, Solanke was 㾿M. How on earth could Calvert-Lewin be worth less?

Wan-Bissaka – 㿞M... for a kid who may or may not make it. He could follow Zaha back to Palace this time next year. The world has gone mad. There is so much money in the world. For some.

As for Sambou, he obviously feels he needs to move to try and break into a first team so good luck to him. It will become much harder for our younger players to come through from now on. They must be allowed to move out on loan at the beginning of a season.

Solanke: 㿀M, after long-term injury and no game time all season.
Benteke: 㿊M, after flopping badly – and this before the crazy increases.
Tosun: 㿅M, unproven in any major league.
Mitrovic: 㿅M, proven to be around 10 goals a season aged 24/25, is that enough?
Morata: 㿷M, not proven in this league.

So, with your 㾻/25M, who do you go and buy as a forward?
Before anyone mentions Gomes's price, please don't as he's not a forward, and we got him at a steal.

I honestly don't see anyone getting a top striker unless they pay 𧴜M+ or unearth a gem who they will instantly turn into a 𧴜M+ player.

I know Calvert-Lewin isn't in Rashford's level (yet hopefully), but how much do you think it would cost to entertain Man Utd with an offer for their young striker?

Some of us Blues undervalue our young lads, they will make or save our club millions and millions of pounds with the current crop or two we have.

The answer is an emphatic no.

We have a warped sense of value to certain players.

Not all, though.

Yes, he had one incredible season for Everton, scoring some truly great goals. But he simply hasn't applied himself the way he should have. He averaged 14 Premier League goals a season, before that season, and he has gone right back to that average in his two seasons with Manchester United.

Terrible buy for Man Utd. Their fans are gobsmacked at his poor control and lack of desire.

I'd take one Calvert-Lewin over three Lukaku's!

Lukaku is an Instagram footballer. If it doesn't look good, it doesn't matter, and breaking a sweat doesn't look good...

People moaned that we didn't sign a replacement. We didn't need to, we needed to change our style. Silva is finally doing that.

I fancy an Everton team without Lukaku to outscore a Man Utd team with him.

I think watching live is so much different to watching on tv, and I'm sure Andy Crooks was shocked by some of Calvert-Lewin's movement and work rate against Man Utd but, because we never really discussed it, I might also be wrong.

However his all round game is not that great as other have said. I don't think it makes him a bad player at all.

But Lukaku and Everton is a thing of the past. As others have pointed out we did not need to replace him, just to adapt our style.

Successful clubs don't replace great players. That's often impossible. LFC did not try and replace Gerrard, what would be the point. You'd never find the player on planet earth to replace him. They simply adapted their style completely and have found success in doing so.

One striker getting 25 goals isn't what we require. It's 4 players getting double figures.

I think DCL is capable of ten league goals next season

Siggy 10

Richarlison 15

We just need another forward who can add to this

Digne is capable of 5, as is Yerry Mina.

Calvert-Lewin doesn't score many, but boy does he hold the front of this team together. He is the pivot Koeman wanted and has covered the role well since Walsh failed to land Giroud, or anyone else.

The team needs more goals, but it doesn't have to be one man. That said, a top goalscorer would have an incredible effect on us, psychologically as well as in the goals column. Every one of them is an expensive gamble.

I'd play both at home against many a side in the Premier League, almost every team from 5th down.

As per TW comments, we always seem to find something per player to moan about: Rom's touch (even though he was hitting 20 goals); Stones and his over playing at the back (despite his plaudits throughout the league); Barkley and his lack of defensive work (despite the fact his creative side was something we had missed since Arteta); Coleman for not returning from injury in the same manner as he's been brilliant enough to grace us with for almost a decade.

We always want to have a go; imo, we should always want to keep our better players.

Calvert-Lewin isn't one of our top 5 players, I'd give anyone that, but before shipping him out, I'd move on at least 10 players earning more money. (Tosun, Walcott, Schneiderlin, Niasse, Martina, Stekelenburg, Besic, McCarthy, Mirallas, and Bolasie to name some!) We always seem to concentrate on putting down our youth team. I'd bet my bottom dollar it will be Davies again soon enough, probably after captaining the side in his next pre-season friendly.

Sadly, he lacks a striker's key attribute and that is a goalscoring instinct. IMHO, the best scorers are born and the best coaching in the world can only make partial improvement on that basic god-given natural talent.

Domenic will have a good career in football but not as a striker. I foresee him developing into a really top-level midfielder.