Summer Targets 2021

One more thing. Is anyone else concerned about the fall off in the last two seasons at the end of the campaigns? Or do you see this as more squad related rather than anything else more concerning ?

The first two sentences are concise and accurate to what we need. We need quality young players who can bring pace and energy. The EPL is a different beast to what it was just five years ago, without quality, pace and energy you get overrun. It need addressing this window if we are to progress.

RW / RB, good point about the combination having to work together and be complimentary.

I like the Perreira, Emerson pairing. It sounds like it would give us a much needed threat down the right, whilst retaining some physicality and resilience defensively.

I like the front three of Richarlison DCL and Perreira in a 433 set up I think it compliments the midfield and give us balanced attacking threat.

Buendia would do for me for the midfielder ; goals, assists and tenacity. We need more goals from midfield.

Then a CB sale and a replacement with more recovery pace. Zouma has his flaws but we played better with him and Keane in central defence a couple of years ago. We were looking good towards the end of that season with that pairing. Can Bade bring us some of that ?

I was a bit concerned to hear today the there has been an alleged drop in faith in Carlo's transfer ability stating that he wanted to bring Maksomivic from Napoli and was refused.
Sounds like another bit of lazy journalism but you never know.

Personally I wouldnt hesitate to go for Lamptey with Perreira in front of him for 2 reasons.

1. We seem to have had more success with overlapping fullbacks (Godfrey and Seamus e.g.)
2. They have both shown well in the Prem.

Then I think we need to beef MF with either Anguissa or Bissouma.

Of course this is all fantasy football stuff but helps to ease the pain of a really disappointing finish to the season and gives us hope for the future.

Sam's suggestions are all on point.

In terms of midfield, it's a interesting debate. Getting the balance.

If James is playing, then we simply need a defensive no6 style, which none of Doucoure, Allan, or Davies are. Doucoure and Allan are both ball chasers, engines and work better pressing higher up the pitch.

So whether we need another creative midfielder (improvement on Siggy/Gomes and alternative to the unreliable fitness of James) or not, I think a no6 has to be priority no3 on the list.

I like Davies as a player, but if we could sell him for 20 million and get a true no6 in - a player in the mold of Declan Rice or Kelvin Phillips, then the midfield would have much more balance.

An alternative up front also is necessary, as DCL will have a short summer after a long season and if he is injured for.any amount of time we are too light. That US player at Barnsley, Dike, looks a decent bet.

Tony@2, yes I think Emerson and Pereira could be a great pair, though I suspect we may go for a winger with top pace who can get in behind. And yes, I think Bade looks a top player who would allow us to play a higher line whilst also having someone who can pass through the press.

Jay@3, yes there have been a few snippets about Brands and Carlo being at odds, the former wanting younger players with potential and the latter wanting older players like Allan and Rodriguez who can hit the ground running. Can imagine it may end up a bit of both, like last summer.

David@4, it's hard to predict that Gordon will have definite impact after a disappointing loan at Preston. But Brands would probably rather have him on the bench on 20k per week than Iwobi on 80k per week if both will fail to make an impression! He may need another loan, or maybe not, hard to know.

Mike@5, i've considered it!

Fran@6, yes Dike was on my list. Looks a real handful. If he's affordable then he could be our new and improved Anichebe/Stracqualursi!

You make a comment about Lewis Ferguson at Aberdeen - that he's not the sort of player Ancelotti would sign. I agree. And quite a few players who I think would be a very good fit for our club right now fall into that category. Ancelotti has the ability to move this club up a gear if equipped with ready made quality but we simply can't afford it. I'm pleased to see no broken galacticos or aging nearly men on your lists but Ancelotti may have other ideas.

EFC are pretty tight-lipped regarding transfer plans, as you'd expect. All we know (or can deduce) is:

1. Ancelotti wants a winger with a LOT of abilities!

2. At GK, the need to maintain competition for JP still applies so it'll either be Olsen or someone similar. Emphasis on experience and cheapness.

3. From Ancelotti's comments during the season, plus persistent transfer rumours it seems we will target a quick, ball-playing centre-half.

4. Nothing from the club, except for Carlo's appreciation of Coleman, but it is blindingly obvious that a right-back replacement is needed.

For me that's just the tip of the iceberg. Although Carlo has talked-up Gbamin it would be optimistic in the extreme to make any plans that rely on him, going forward, so that's 1 centre-mid needed, minimum. Either a classic no.6 or a player comfortable on the ball. Pace and energy a requirement either way. Whatever Richy thinks his best position is he needs to be shifted back to the left flank, which means we need a forward to compete with DCL.

So, assuming we retain Olsen, imo we need to be targeting 5 outfield players, no less, all of first-team ability. Sounds ambitious, but we will bring in a good amount for Moise Kean (c.£40m) and with the number of players we should be moving out we'll really need the extra bodies. Of those 5 no more than 1 should be over, say 26.

I have no idea who these players are but if accurate why are we paying thousands for a DOF when a lad on the internet can do it for, presumably, a mars bar and a diet coke?

Everton take the lazy option to recruitment, no one at the club is proactive to bring some of those listed.
Also I wouldn't be surprised if the recruitment is very skeleton and yet again falling short in key areas.

We have done well using that strategy previously, and should follow it again. Lukuku, Barry, Arteta, Pienaar etc.

Derisk the situation with a couple of players to earn their stripes, on agreed future fees.

3 big signings, 2 good loans and a cheap keeper.

Right back
Right wing
Centre back
Centre forward
Centre midfield
Keeper

I think the real issue is getting rid of the dross.

As he's been since he's arrived, Brands is silent. Carlo seems confident out loud that we'll be getting some players in to improve one of the worst mid-fields in the Prem. We'll see.

Me, my eyes only are on Brands. Let's see how good he is.

I won't go into individuals as there are a lot of options up there, but think everyone is in agreement on the right back. And that is meant with no disrespect to Seamus.

Wide attacking midfielder also. I know who I want but doubt we could get him.

The midfield requirement is interesting. Personally, I'd like someone who can sit between / behind Allan and Doucoure. For next season (and I'm thinking total short-term here), we can make do with James & Sigurdsson rotating in the number 10 role between them. A protector; the player we thought we had but have never seen in Gbamin. The player we lost in Gueye.

We need back up for Dominic. Or should I say competition?

And I'll keep saying it. Depending how deep our pockets are, a better centre back who can push us higher up the pitch.

I also think that we need to be conscious of the depth of the squad. That's not a short term or this summer fix, but we need to build the depth of the squad so that injuries don't hurt us so much. So we need to be conscious and careful of who we shift out too.

Not a lot to ask for!!

Thanks again. Much food for thought this summer and much interest ahead!

I agree with #15 Holgate and Davies, added to the list.

Given our final league position outside of the top four, it's unlikely that we can compete for top players, money or no money. So, if we take a punt on other players as we have done in the past, it's still a gamble on whether we would see the owners ambitions of being a top four club.

There are decent keepers available on low fees. Butland went to Palace for a million or so, whilst West Brom picked up Sam Johnstone on a loan. They would be better deals than sticking Romero on £75k plus.

Romero
Tariq Lamptey
Godfrey
Mina
Digne
Doucourér
Ward-prowse
Allan
Pereira
DCL
Aguero

This is a repeat from something I posted yesterday, but he makes very interesting and telling comments on how he differentiated between managing established players compared to up and coming young ones.

But ultimately, his passion and desire to win comes through.

Bobby@26 it would be hard to say no to Aguero but would he have that hunger? Could be like our signing of Etoo an Rooney, though Cavani has worked out very well for United. At any rate I think he has already signed with Barcelona. I almost included Ward-Prowse, very handy player but a bit older and unlikely to be cheap as their captain. That type of energy/drive is very much what we need though.

Everton can sign next Wayne Rooney and son of icon to save millions on transfers this summer

Reports in Spain claimed Barcelona have offered Liverpool the opportunity to re-sign Philippe Coutinho.

AS claim the Catalans have offered the Brazilian back to the Reds to avoid forking out €50m they still owe from his 2018 move to Camp Nou.

Only problem with that is they don't owe it to Liverpool as the Reds sold the debt to a third party, so offering Coutinho to Jurgen Klopp's side would be the same as offering him to any other club to raise funds.

The Spanish media have also linked Coutinho with a move to Everton recently, however, the ECHO understands that he is not on the Blues' radar.

Davies is 22, with over 150 matches for a top-10 EPL team and is a regular in the national under-21 squad. He'd go for £20m, easily and that figure would only apply if we were disposed to letting him go. Holgate is a youngish player with a fair bit of EPL experience, I'd be surprised if he'd fetch less than £10m.

As regards Lamptey I'd pass on him. He is lightning quick and good going forward but at only 5'4 or so he'd be useless defending crosses. Brighton have a lot of the ball and play a high line, which disguises this vulnerability but we've shown no ability so far to play this way. Also, the lad missed half the season with an injury requiring surgery, so has very little top-flight experience (half a season).

Buying within England is expensive imo, which is why it's unlikely we could get Aarons. Norwich (like other EPL teams) are protected financially by the big English TV deals; they are under zero pressure to sell, unless the fee becomes outlandish (see: McGuire etc). Look at Zaha 2 years ago. Palace demanded £80m - which even we balked at - as that was what they placed his value, as an asset, at. Considering their win/loss record without him, I'd say that was fair. To us, he wasn't that valuable. It's similar with Aarons. Norwich are under no obligation to sell and would want £40m for him. Now, I think he's a promising player, but if we pay that kind of money for a fullback with one season of top-level football then questions need asking.

Positionally, I think we have a big need for a creative, forward thinking midfielder. We are so ponderous through that area, crabbing back and forth, rarely penetrating or on the front foot and creating minimal forward momentum. It's possible that may also be because our front players aren't making the right runs. Allan probably shows the most vision which is worrying because that really isn't his forte and he doesn't do it very often. James certainly could but it seems he is made of biscuit...

About 6 months ago, we were looking for a back-up striker to Dominic and the young Dutch lad, Zirkzee, was very close to signing. He went to Parma for game time and we got King.

It points to Brands thinking on this. He wants backup to Calvert-Lewin and someone who can bring some energy and threat from the bench. He will be looking at the best young talent to fulfill that role. Hlozek looks like he could be that player.

Sarr and Sima look like they could be in that category too. The fee could be about £30M. But it cost about that to buy Bolasie. I'd rather add potential brilliance to the squad than more fading mediocrity.

It's often destabilising to get too many players in at once but this window could become manic. It will at least represent an opportunity for Brands to get some of his own scouted quality, potential, younger players signed up.

This window and next season is going to be a white knuckle ride. Scary, exciting, highs and lows, but I think we will gradually see an identity being formed and a proper team coming together. Hold on tight.

We don't just need 3 players, we need 3 top class player's and another 3 very good, younger players to push, step in, cover and learn from the top class players.

I'm sure if we all had a free weekend we could watch and attended several lower league game's and identify some very good potential players. Skill, Pace, Work Rate, Spirit.

Come on Brands, bring them in.

If Leicester get Soumare and Edouard combined for less than £40m i'd say that is pretty brilliant business. Of course either could flop but a very decent chance both players will double in value over the next 3-4 years.

Whereas Allan and Doucoure will almost certainly be worth very little in 3-4 years. I understand that we maybe needed to bring in some dependable senior players but our ability to continually buy players who decrease in value/ability is frustrating. It just means we never have quite enough money to replace all the holes in the squad that keep cropping up.

Leicester again going for younger (but experienced) players ready for the first team. And, as you say, Sam - a very good chance to reinvest in more quality should Edouard or Soumare leave in the next few years.

I'm hoping we will put the emphasis on the sorts of players you've described here under new management. But I wonder what the truth behind Joorabchian's (spelling?) influence on the management will be and therefore transfer activity from his stable.

So difficult to apportion blame when we have no idea as to the mechanics of the situation. Some claim that Iwobi was Moshiri's idea for example as he had liked him at Arsenal!

4 or 5 years ago (after selling some of their title winning stars) Leicester were in a very similar position to us; decent pot of money but a squad with lots of holes. The skill with which that money was spent is why Leicester will likely push for champions league again next season and we will likely battle for 8th.

It's really all about good, sensible recruitment. Of course any scout/DOF can get it wrong but some of our decisions have been so hard to fathom.

Paris St. Germain have begun negotiations with Mino Raiola over the transfer of Everton attacker Moise Kean.

The Frenchman who spent this past season on loan at PSG, has impressed Mauricio Pochettino, and per La Stampa, negotiations between the Ligue 1 runners-up and Raiola have been confirmed.

As an aside Roberto Martinez has only committed himself to Belgium until the end of the Euro's - 'Watch this space?"

“I came to Belgium for two years [in 2016] so whenever you ask about future planning, I'm the wrong man, I'm sure I'm going to give you the wrong answer” he says.

“I've got a contract until the World Cup in Qatar but my commitment was always very clear. I had opportunities to leave in the last 18 months but it was the Euros. The commitment to doing the Euros is the only thing I'm sure about.”

I imagine that Carlo wasn't in the running for the Real Madrid job until they realised that their preferred options couldn't be hired, and therefore they turned to Ancellotti as a make-do-and-mend solution. Still awaiting UEFA to announce the Champions League ban for Madrid, Barca, and Juve.

He damn sure is not behaving as someone who is contrite about having to leave for family safety reasons. I'll wait for another thread to post the list but safe to say he's a bit pissed and we don't know why yet.

The characterization of him leaving us for the prettier one does not add up. Something happened on our side of things is how he is at least trying to make it look.