Everton join race for Milik

Easy. Calvert-Lewin at centre back for a couple of weeks while Branthwaite & Holgate recover with this guy up front to show us what he's got!

Good player and, I think, entering the last year of his contract. But I'd be very surprised if we have any genuine interest. Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Kean are our forwards.

Nah. Lewandowski this guy ain't. He's not an out and out striker so it's difficult to see where he'd fit in. He provides no more competition for Calvert-Lewin than Moise Kean and IMHO is too slow and ponderous for the Premier League.

This only makes sense if Kean is moving out. There's been plenty of rumours of Kean moving back to Italy and perhaps, if the right offer came in, then Brands would be keen to balance the books by letting him go and bringing in Milik on loan.

Victor #3. I don't know much about him. Another Tosun then by the sound of it?

Only makes sense if it's too replace Kean. Totally different players; Kean can be a headless chicken whereas this guy can look like a legless donkey.

Also, from what I've heard, he and Carlo didn't get on together at Napoli. Malik was, apparently, one of the anti Carlo brigade.

Maxi Gomez instead.

Paul #5, I actually live in Poland and have been following Milik's career since he was a youth player at Gornik Z.

Initially, there was a lot of excitement around him, and he was quickly touted as the “new Levandowski”.

He then moved to Schalke (the Germans obviously falling for that marketing angle) then to Ajax, where he started playing deeper – basically as a Number 10 or winger – before moving on to Napoli.

At Napoli he has been more prolific but I don't think he would last too long in the Premier League. He also plays in a deeper role for the national side. I simply don't think he has the engine and, on top of that, he has a pretty bad injury record. Let's give this one a big ‘nie dziekuje'!

Victor #8,

Do you mean Bayer Leverkusen? Milik never played for Schalke. He flopped at Leverkusen and spent a year on loan at Augsburg before he ended up at Ajax.

I think we are being used by his agent to try and hurry someone up for him. I can't see our interest would be genuine.

If we are looking for a dynamic player then we should look elsewhere. I have watched him with Napoli and he failed to impress. Hopefully it's just a rumour.

We need a top quality, confident, commanding player in the centre of our defence. This position should be our number one priority.

Not a prolific scorer? Number 10? Too slow? Injury prone? How come Koeman didn't already bring him here?

Jim #8, I stand corrected. Thanks. It was Tomasz Hajto who was at Schalke.

At my age such tricks of the memory are numerous! That said, I would stand by the fact that he's not for us.

This guy is a top class finisher. He would be coming to play not sit on the bench.

If Kean is going back to Italy then we definitely need three forwards to work as a team, keeping team fresh, rotating, quality substitutions, and to step in for injuries, niggles or fatigue. If Kean is staying, I can't see it. I wonder if they are exploring Moise going back to Italy on loan with Napoli, and they are trying to work something out with Milik coming this way.

He is a goal scorer, coming into his prime at 26. 17 goals in 35 Serie A games 2018-19 season and 11 in 26 last season and an additional 3 goals in 5 Champions League matches. A very decent return.

Ancelotti will know all about his strengths and weaknesses. So he is a good position to make the right call.

I wonder if they are exploring Moise going back to Italy with Napoli, and they are trying to work something out with Milik coming this way.

BBC Gossip page reports, "Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik has been offered to Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, but the Italian is lukewarm on a reunion with the 26-year-old Poland international. (Corriere della Sera - via Inside Futbol)"

No, thanks. If anyone then Edouard if Kean leaving. John Pickles that comment made me spit out my coffee!

Milik, Accrington Stanley?

Oh, that was milk! Not sure about this, having read mixed reports about him, and also that Carlo is not over keen (or Over Kean). Which, joking apart, like a few have said depends on what is happening to Moise.

He has started to find the back of the net but not his smile, so maybe he has suddenly clicked, or is it a false dawn?

Imagine being a Barcelona fan right now. One minute you are schooling the world, sponsored by Unicef, holding onto the ball for half an hour at a time.

They should have known that there would be payback for such arrogance. But my god, they don't deserve Koeman. Does the Spanish Football pyramid have the equivalent of the Vauxhall Conference?

Not for me, unless there are other issues playing.

I am pretty sure Kean wants out, could be home sickness, could be anything, but you only have to look at his and the other players body language, when he scored against Lincoln.

The first four goals you could see the joy on the Everton players running up to the goal scorer, not just one or two players but almost half the team close enough.

Then Kean scores without the slightest joy of scoring, our new left-back went towards Kean with a big smile that quickly changed after congratulating Kean, not many of the other players raced over after his reaction so read into that what you like.

Have a look at all five goals again and have a good look at the players celebrating each goal, then look at the last goal and the players who, on seeing Kean's enthusiasm, hardly crack a smile when going to the player.

There is no doubt he wants out, the players are right behind whoever scores, but this guy is making it difficult for the other players. We need that togetherness on the pitch, but what I see is 9 outfield players, playing for their teammates, and one who is on his own and not happy, even after scoring in his games.

Brian,

His agent is Mina Raiola and the Italian Press is daily, full of reports about him trying to get him to Juventus and how hard he's working to get Everton to do a loan deal which is not the slightest benefit to us.

It wouldn't be the first time this individual has sowed unrest with ‘his' players would it?

Early morning blurred vision.

I thought the headline read Everton join race for Milk.

Immediately thought this was a ploy to build up calcium and bone strength in the squad.

I agree, Chris. No doubt his agent getting inside his head, it is showing when he plays, if we keep hold Kean after the window closes, you will see a different Kean with a bit more enthusiasm.

To me, it is the equivalent of the kid taking his ball home, or spitting their dummy out, because they are not getting what they want.

I watch Poland's games (my Grandad was Polish) and this guy like most of them is frustratingly overhyped. Cumbersome, inconsistent, as we like to say, “Championship at best.”

Not for me, he doesn't get on with Ancelotti. Mitrovic would of been a good fit for us.

Good shout, Mal. I've been banging the drum myself for Mitrovic for a couple of seasons. I think we should have made our move when Fulham were in the Championship.

Also a good shout for Maxi Gomez.

Not what we need at all.

As Napoli supporter -- they are my "other team" -- I have seen a lot of him, he is an above-average striker, Napoli fans like to slag him off, but he generally scores goals when healthy. But not sure we really need him all that much. Centre-back would be much more pressing concern.

Nah! Even an aging Suarez is better than him.

Scored plenty of goals before he got injured a few seasons ago. Dunno if he ever found his goalscoring form again.

Rodriguez is too injury-prone. Allan is too old. Doucouré was relegated with Watford. Now this guy is "average".

Well, Carlo hasn't steered us wrong so far. Maybe we should just leave it to him to decide whether a player fits into his plans or not because it's plain most of us haven't got a clue.

Soren (30),

An ageing Suarez is still better than almost every other striker currently playing football anywhere.

Frank, there is more life in Harvey Milk. This joker is nowhere near James's level plus we are reacting to probably a fake rumour – not something Carlo has actually done.

Our cat won the Milik race by 2 laps...

Kevin #19 Tercera, very regionalised and really crap. Suit Ronald down to the ground.

Brian and Mal, whilst many on here will I'm sure lambast that suggestion I too really like Mitrovic. He's a bully, been a fan ever since he absolutely bossed us for Fulham a couple of years ago. Why would Fulham sell?

I don't think there is anything in this story.

Yes, I believe Carlo will need a back-up striker, you can't rely on Kean as his body language says he is homesick and could well be off.

I think Josh King could be a good acquisition, has good attributes as a striker, and he could be available for a reasonable fee.

Of course, I would love Maxi Gomez but it depends what's left behind Bill's sofa?

Ivan Perisic.

Steve, Brian and Mal,

Whenever I've seen Mitrovic, I thought he was good but he gets slagged off a lot by Geordies and Fulham fans who've seen him week-in & week-out.

Hopefully we will pass on this one. Don't think him and Carlo got on at Napoli. IMHO, he is too slow to lead a Premier League line.

I think the only reason he is linked to us is because he plays for Napoli. I can think of plenty others from there that I would prefer.

Totally agree Brian @21. Kean looks like another Lookman situation. When somebody thinks they are better than they really are they will have a closed mind and cannot learn new things. Also, it will affect the moral of the team so they need to go.

We can't buy any established striker. They would want big wages and first-team football. They would not want to be sitting on the bench for the next five years while Calvert-Lewin is knocking in the goals on the pitch.

Whoever we get, if we get anyone, will either be a young prospect or an older striker looking for a last contract. What about Giroud at Chelsea? He's dropping down the pecking order at Chelsea. Knows his way around a penalty box and plenty of Premier League experience.

he's trying to Milik us with that! He's not exactly prolific, 11 goals last term, not a great return really to be thinking you're worth a King's Ransom!

I think we are okay now that goals are getting spread around, so an out and out striker is not top priority, of course, it depends what happens with Kean.

I hope we are concentrating more on Hirving Lozano who would bolster our midfield/wing attack and is capable of chipping in with a few goals too.

What about Luka Jovic?

Went Real, and not getting game time. He was brilliant in the German League before his move.

Big Frame, great left foot, young.

I don't know the reason behind him not playing/lighting up the Spanish league, but surely this would be more suited for us.

The question is why would Milik come to a team where we would sit behind a young, uncapped and relatively unknown striker in the pecking order?

Why would Jovic swap the Real Madrid bench for the Everton bench?

The best option linked to date is probably Edouard from Celtic who will be more likely to be interested in earning his place rather than demanding it.

I'm not sure it's a 'race' for Milik... more of a gentle stroll!

Sam#4 I agree.