Everton in the frame for Salisu

A move for Salisu was mooted in the last window. He looks like the kind of player Moyes would have bought and while he wouldn't be a big signing like Gabriel, Tobido or Silva, I think he'd be a very good signing.

A part-exchange involving Sandro who's out on loan there would make a lot of sense.

Gavin, Sandro plus how much cash?

A very good aggressive left-footed player. Only just older than Gibson but has excelled in La Liga whereas Gibson has excelled at Fleetwood. Might mean Gibson leaves if we sign him. Sort of a shame.

He and Holgate could be our centre-back pairing for a decade if it works out. Although I thought Keane did well yesterday.

Keane has improved a lot under Carlo. He had some really good games prior to the lockdown.

Geoff #2: If the release clause is £10.8M, then it would be Sandro Plus £10.8M. Bargain.

With Mina being made out of papier mache we will definitely need back up. Salisu could fit the bill, especially if Sandro can be used in the deal.

Sandro to has scored his first goals (3 in total) since before we signed him for Valladolid. Just maybe they might be interested in keeping him? Then again, 3 in 19 isn't brilliant for an alleged striker!

I think Keane has somewhat overcome that personal problem he mentioned in a recent interview. If that's the case and he is back to his feet, long may it continue.

Keane excelled yesterday in a role that suits him; brave & effective play in a deep-lying defence. On Wednesday, I suspect we'll be more open & attacking, leaving gaps & space. That'll be more of a test for Keane. I really hope he passes it – he's the type of guy I'd like to step up and do well.

If we are looking for a left-footed defender without much money to spend then Salisu looks a no-brainer to me. Strong, quick enough and seems to position himself well.

Good chance he could be a £30m defender in 3 years time though he's not played a huge amount of top flight football.

If he was English the valuation placed on him now would be astronomical. Comparable to Wan-Bissaka after a year of experience in the top flight. He looks an absolute bargain. A couple like this plus one 'star' (Rabiot, Coutinho even James Rodriguez) could see us really kick on.

Geoff #2, I think Brands is hoping to get a figure near to €5M on Sandro, and while Valladolid want to keep him, their chairman's crying poverty.

I don't think we'll get €5M knocked off the fee for Salisu, Sandro might get us a bit knocked off the fee and put us at the front of the queue for negotiations. I think he'd be a decent signing, albeit less glamourous than Gabriel, Tobido, or Thiago Silva.

I would imagine we'd let Sandro go for free if someone would pick up the tab for his hefty wages. Realistically I expect it'd be another loan, perhaps to Valladolid - in order to sweeten the Salisu deal.

Clive @4,

"Keane has improved a lot under Carlo.. he had some really good games before the Lockdown".

What, Iike the Chelsea game — where he was shambolic and possibly his worst of the season???

Keane has played better under Carlo Ancelotti as he has not had to play as high up the pitch, his lack of pace being less obvious as a result. It meant he can also concentrate on doing what he does well, instead of worrying about his flaws. Keane has everything to be a top defender, other than pace. However, he's clearly a worrier. If he's not in a confident mood, he visibly wilts as soon as he makes a mistake and bad form can last a while for him.

Ancelotti has been the man to coerce the best out of the best; can he do the same for Keane? I doubt it. I think the guy will just not be one to handle the pressure and keep the mistakes out of his game. Perhaps he might flourish under the wing of dominant centre half alongside him, and perhaps that's why he's played better under Ancelotti as Holgate seems to be stepping up and doing just that.

I'd certainly look for a new centre-half and I'd be tasking brands with finding someone who compliments Holgate perfectly. Is that the Ghanaian, I don't know. I haven't seen him enough.

It would be good business if we where in the box seat to get Salisu if we could exchange Sandro for say + 9 million and make a decent 50% saving on Sandro’s reported 100,000 a week wages.

Erm. Why are Man Utd also linked to every player we are interested in? It's not as if they are short on numbers in central defence? They have taken over the mantle of our transfer target nemesis. Spurs.

Don't know Salisu, but if Don Carlo thinks he is a player and the player himself wants to join us, that will do for me.

They want / need an upgrade on Bailly, Lindelhof, Jones, Rojo and Tuanzebe. In the past, we'd have helped them out by taking such players off their hands. Better that we compete for the likes of Salisu instead.

This player is apparently signing for Southampton for £11m. I think he's an absolute bargain at that price and, though he's quite raw, he was one of the most effective defenders in La Liga and seems to have all the attributes for the Premier League.

As a strong, quick, left-footed defender, I'm very surprised we weren't in the race for him. Could be that Brands is confident about Gabriel. Or maybe the emergence of Branthwaite has meant the need for a quicker left-footed centre-back is not as clear as it had felt before.

Either way, it's more good business by Southhampton and I can see him going to a bigger club in 3 years for three times as much.

Agree Sam. Looks the business. Branthwaite's emergence may have changed priorities. It's early days and he's very young – but will get nothing out of U-23s football.

Yes Robert. Either Branthwaite must be 4th choice centre-back for us next season or go on loan to a decent Championship club where he will be first choice and get 25+ games.

Really we need a quick left-footed centre-back who can be first choice for us next season and it would seem a lot to expect Branthwaite to be that for us, despite his talent. That's why I'd have liked Salisu. Though I'll be pleased if we get Gabriel.

Totally agree we can't just stick Branthwaite in as first choice. The trouble is, if we buy Gabriel Maghaeles, Todibo etc then Branthwaite's medium term route to the first team is blocked by another young player.

I would almost rather persist with Keane / Mina for another 18 months with Gibson & Branthwaite deputising until they're ready.

It's not ideal because we'd have to play a bit deeper. But we do need to start thinking beyond the coming season - and shaping a side that can be really competitive from the 21-22 season.

In the same vein, I'd be happy(-ish!) to see Walcott and Iwobi share the right-wing next season if we bring in a 19-year-old prospect who could be Champions League quality in a year or two.

At some point, we need to stop spending big to make short-term marginal gains. This strategy has seen us deteriorate in the last 7 years.

I'm okay with blocking the development path with another young-ish player. But agree that big spending should be avoided in such situations as it becomes very hard for an academy player to unseat one who costs £30M+.

That's why Salisu would have made sense I think. The investment would have been relatively small and you'd have a centre-back ready to play next season. Then it would be down to Branthwaite and Salisu to see who turns out better in the next 3 or so years.

Sensible loaning out of young talent (like Chelsea do for the most part) should then mean that you end up either with someone ready to improve the first team or an asset you can sell for profit.

I know what you mean, Sam.

Salisu may end up feeling like one that got away.

Equally that circa £10m saved might allow us to get someone top class in another position.

Brands has a difficult task.

Ultimately we'll only make the top 4 by having top 4 quality players.