As for the man himself, he seemed to have tremendous potential, albeit a bit raw. I was hopeful he'd be a first teamer. But looks like the injury, World Cup and work permit debacle knocked his confidence and chances at a critical moment and he's destined now to score goals in an inferior league.

Jarrad Branthwaite could be another good signing last season from the North East. He looks okay, very tall and still some growth in him... could be another Jackie Charlton, only better looking!!!

Re Lookman, he simply has not been near good enough to get in RB Leipzig's team with the players ahead of him. But it is ironic because he is exactly the profile of player they sign which the author suggests EFC should do. Young, good re-sale value and relatively low risk – even if he did cost big enough money.

Half that RB Leipzig squad is (or was before Covid-19) being linked with moves to cash-rich Premier League teams – fellas like Konate, Upamecano, Sabitzer and of course Werner, who were all signed for relative buttons.

Like you say though he could, along with Lewis Gibson prove to be money well spent. It's not very often we can say that with Everton. We have a terrible record when you look back, at some of the astronomical sums (and Contracts) that have been shelled out on poor choices.

Derek, believe it or not I put down from The North East for Branthwaite, because I couldn’t remember which club we signed him from, this word checker is getting worse and worse, I’ve warned Lyndon about him, between you and me, I think he’s a relation of Lyndon’s or maybe Michael’s.

Derek, Steve Walsh left us in May 2018, while Gibson was signed the previous summer, so it would be reasonable to expect that Walsh had been heavily involved with his acquisition by the club.

"You win some, you lose some" has to be the aphorism for the youth recruitment game in football. Which seems to have now largely replaced the 'local kid comes good' pathway. Although the number of kids we have that are at least from the British Isles is still pretty robust.

Lyndon has put a positive spin on the Onyekuru saga, which may be justified by the ultimate profit secured. But any wages we paid (especially when he was out injured) should also be factored in. At least Brands had the wisdom to cash in rather than prolong the agony of wondering when he would ever make his Everton debut.

However, some players do not progress for many different reasons and it is not always their fault. Clubs change managers so often these days that your face may fit for a short time... then it doesn't under a new manager.

Some young aspirants have attitude problems and want to be picked every game, even when they have a poor run, so they want out pretty quickly.

Nagging injuries don't help and affect performances and then there are outside transgressions that prevent a player from progressing. Everton have had their fair share of misfits as we all know.

Some things will never change but we long-suffering fans are really hoping the corner is being turned with Ancelotti and the new guys in the boardroom.

The forecast for Pubs opening again doesn't look likely to be this year, and unfortunately for some, who may have been struggling before, it will be the final nail in their respective coffins.

It has been a devastating blow this, to virtually every country in the World, and it's not even nearing to be under control. There is talk of mutations of the original virus, and second waves etc, there are so many stories and counter stories, you don't know who or what to believe.

Anyway, take care mate and stay safe, as I wish to all on TW.

By that logic, we wouldn't sign anyone of this ilk for fear of losing money in the long run. Even if we paid him £4m in wages during his time with us (which we obviously won't have done), we still broke even on a speculative signing which would still be fine.

Again, I'd rather we tried these things with low risk and come out even or in profit than not try them at all.

These are absolutely the sorts of signings we need. You only need a couple to ignite and it changes the whole club.

Walsh gets a lot of criticism and yes I see that. But who is better Walsh or Brands? Everybody knows Silva brought Richarlison to the club.

In Walsh's first two seasons with Everton, we came 7th and 8th in the league... then he gets sacked. Brands 8th and.....? Will Brands go!? The architect is not the answer in my opinion!!!!

I would say the club failed by not cancelling the loan once Anderlecht started acting like dickheads. He could have still made that World Cup squad.

I still think we should have insisted on a buy-back clause when we sold him to Monaco. He's only 22.

I thought signing Onyekuru and Lookman was smart business in a period where Walsh squandered countless millions.

Perhaps it would be better to stop signing kids at 6 and 7 to concentrate on the brightest talent in the lower leagues?

Considering we've had Hibbert, Osman, Rooney, Jeffers, Ball, and Dunne who have also gone on to have distinguished careers (albeit some a while ago)... Would it not be sensible to concentrate on both? We have also had Duffy, Mustafi, Stones and Dier on our books as well.

I'm eager to see how Gibson and Branthwaite progress and hope that Brands starts investing in young talent like these two. They might not always come off, but a million or two gambled here and there is a far smaller risk than £28 million on an Italian youth prospect.

You could include Lookman, Vlasic and Coleman in with them as well, as they've all been bought as relative youngsters not for the first team (with the possible exception of Vlasic) and either made us money, or became very good players for us. This is an area in which I expected more from Brands.

None.

I think the Luke Garbutt article shows even more the sliding doors-style side of a professional football career (they're really good Lyndon).

At 22 Onyekuru could go either way. We have made a 50% profit (less wages)... that's not bad. That doesn't make you a selling club if he comes good, or a financial genius if he does nothing - it was just prudent to sell him for that price at the time.