Everton hold talks with Brighton to beat Arsenal to Ben White

Nah. Now we eventually have a new manager, he needs to improve the squad pronto, the press will come up with all manner of bollocks like this.

£50 million – what a joke... is he any good?

We already have 4 or 5 good centre backs. White would be too short to pair with Godfrey in a back 4. So highly unlikely we'll be spending a huge chunk of transfer kitty on Ben White.

White from Brighton and Coady from Wolves?
A 7-2-1 line up then or another Moyes nobody upfront move?

Definitely a position that needs height but we don't see too "short" in the CB area now. Can't see any genuine truth in this area.

Pretty sure we are being used to drive Arsenal to meet their price. Unless we have agreed to sell one of our centre backs this is rubbish.

Can't see this happening, unless we ship quite a few out. There are much more pressing issues to address, some pace in midfield and another striker are crucial.

Lazy journalism. Whoever we do sign will be interesting as to who is making the choices.
Rafa or Marcel ?

He can play right back and played there earlier in his career. We were after Max Aarons from Norwich but that looks dead in the water.
Southgate brought Ben White into the England Squad to replace the injured Alexander Arnold, who plays right back ?
Surely we have space at right back for an England player ?
Arteta has bid £42 million and it has been knocked back. If Arteta thinks he's worth that much he can't be that bad and he's currently at the Euros in a decent squad.
Maybe Mason is on his way but White can play Centre Half or Right Back so there could be legs in the story. This beats talking about who's going to be managing us anyway, hence this post ha ha relief

If he's not a natural right back, I'm not so sure. If he's a centre back and we are after a centre back as we are going to shift one on, I know where I'd be looking and it wouldn't be Brighton.

In fairness, I'm speaking from a position of ignorance as I don't know enough about this player, but shopping in this end of the market you need to be careful. If he's a Godfrey fine. But I wouldn't want another Michael Keane.

I expect Aarons is still a possibility - along with a lot of other good candidates for the RB / RWB slot.

White can play right back in the same way Holgate can play right back. By which I mean he can do it but it's not a good fit.

Exactly Robert. We all often complain about square pegs in round holes. There's a lot to be said for versatility and every squad needs versatile players. But you don't buy a centre back to be your right back.

We already have cover options in Holgate and Godfrey to do that. We need a right back. Lescott done it for a season when we seemed initially uncertain about Baines. But he was a centre back.

Unless, as I say, we are looking to shift on a centre back and as much as I'd rather not, I suspect that would be Mina.

Alan, 4
Or a Pep no body upfront?

We need to address 3 other positions first.

Sky Sports reporting an article from The Scum that says Man Utd want to buy DCL this Summer.

Given the source, I'd take it with a pinch of salt, but if they did come after him we'd struggle to keep hold of him. He must be worth a few quid though?

Ben White is a really good player I think, very solid defensively and excellent on the ball. He would be comfortably our best ball playing centre back I reckon. No way would he be bought to play mainly as a right back.

But centre back is really not a priority so I expect this is just media nonsense, possibly planted by Brighton to drive up price.

Brands has apparently just been in Holland to negotiate on players. The priority I suspect remains a right back, productive right winger and possibly a reserve striker if Kean is let go. In Holland he may have been discussing the likes of:

Right backs: Denzel Dumfries, Noussair Mazraoui, Devyne Rensch, Lutsharel Geertruida

Right wingers: Antony, Calvin Stengs, David Neres, Cody Gakpo

Strikers: Donyell Malen, Myron Boadu, Noni Madueke, Giorgios Giakoumakis.

Some decent looking players in the Eredvisie. Id be pretty excited if he came back with Dumfries, Antony and Madueke; would certainly add some more pace and dynamism to our right flank though i'm not sure if they are Benitez style players.

I hope that Holland link is true Sam. Dumfries would be great.

I know it isn't an obvious priority, but back to my last season ramblings, if we can change the type of centre back we have, we can push further up the pitch. That starts from the back. If the defence is confident coming out, it pushes the midfield higher up the pitch and gets them closer to the attackers.

I'd take this with a pinch of salt, it's just not a priority unless some major offloads planned in that position. Money better spent elsewhere.

I just read we're 'interested' in Coutinho on loan from Barca.

That'll really light a few fires under people on here!

The last time I watched Coutinho play, he looked less willing than Iwobi.

Gomes, Iwobi and Courtinho on the pitch at the same time? Our new "Saviour" would have to pump that threesome with methamphetamine to get them to be up for the game.

Coutinho plays in the Number 10 role, right? Replacement for James?

That's a good list of talent, Sam. Dumfries and, at a push, Neres might be Benitez style signings. That would sort out the right flank.

I wonder if some Dutch internationals might be there too, who play abroad, because I think they played their group games in Amsterdam. Can't think of anyone other that Dumfries (maybe Malen or Wouthorst) that Benitez would be interested in.

I suppose someone like Lozano might have a dutch agent too. Did Lozano ever play under Benitez at Napoli? Not sure.

We need without a doubt more striking options.

Outside of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, we have very little.

Kean, if he returns, may show more if given the chance under Rafa but I have my doubts.

Rodriguez and Sigurdsson are sporadic and nothing much comes from the rest. Forget about the others like Tosun and Bernard.

It's imperative to improve that situation along with a new influence in midfield as what we have currently just doesn't cut it.

This lad is top class. Ship out Holgate, who has stagnated, and Keane, who is woefully limited, and bring him in. Build around him and Godfrey. I'd be made up if this happened. C'mon Rafa!

If Southgate took him over Michael Keane or Ben Godfrey in the England squad, then he has to be an upgrade on what we have.

But I would say surely we need to line up a sale of the fringe players before making a splash like this.

It's good news we are being linked with younger players on the up, fully motivated, quality, athletic players. I would imagine we will be selling one of our centre-backs if this lad comes in.

We need to get Dumfries in first as right-wingback. Then we can consider Ben White.

Go 3 centre-backs: Godfrey, Mina, and a new one... sell Holgate or Keane... with Dumfries and Digne as wingbacks.

Central defensive midfield: Allan, Doucouré... Maybe Bishop or Kamara from Rangers. Gyfli back up Acm. So we need quality as first choice.

That leaves 2 up top: Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, or sell one of them and get two 15 goals a season forwards

Quality ball-playing central defender. Would not surprise me if this was true. We need 5 or 6 genuinely quality players to compete and White would be one.

I can see Moshiri splashing the cash this summer, we need to compete and are miles off currently.

At 5ft 10in, he looks small for a centre-back but he does look pacey which would allow the defence to push up the field by 10 to 15 yards.

Just checked his height as I didn't recall him being short for a centre-half. Transfermrkt list him as 1.89 m which translates as 6 ft 2.4 in, I am reliably informed by Google. He's at the same level as Stones when we sold him for £50M. Too expensive when our priorities lie elsewhere.

We need to get this type of player earlier in their development cycle and cheaper, like we did with Stones, Lukaku, Dominic, Pickford… Seamus even!

Well, we all saw White twice last season playing against us -- our 4-2 win in October and the dismal 0-0 draw in April. Was anybody dazzled worth £50 million? He certainly looked a quality player, but I don't remember an outpouring of "we-gotta-buy-that-guy."

Mark #9, he played twice at right back in May. Those were his first appearances at the position in 3 years, since he played a handful of games there for Newport. We'd be buying him as a center-back, which we don't really need unless we're planning to sell at least one of Holgate, Keane or Mina.

Sam #15, after watching Dumfries at the Euros, I'd be ecstatic if we got him. He's exactly the right-back we need, much more so than Aarons or anybody else we've been connected with.

Ben White is not a RB and particularly is not a wingback.

We need a Seamus type who can get up and down the pitch and can contribute to the goals for tally.

Another CB does not feature in our budget for me and due to FFP we have to be careful on what we spend and recuperate especially as it looks like Kean will not be sold this summer.

Sam (15) - ". . . . if he came back with Dumfries, Antony and Madueke"

Dumfries I knew. Had to look up the other two. Dumfries, I'd guess would be expected top compete for a starting position immediately.

The other two I think are the kind of relatively low-cost, young talent we need to be taking chances on.

Mike@30, yeah, i'm not sure Dumfries is quite as good as he looked at the Euros but he was on my transfer piece (pre-Euros) because he is undeniably quick, powerful and full of running. I think he would be well suited to the PL potentially.

James@32, yes, young talent for sure though i'm not sure how low-cost they would be. Difficult to know with these 'wonderkid' types, depends on their contract and amount of interest etc.

Think one poster is confused here. Initially Southgate had four right backs knowing he would use Walker in a back three. When Arnold got injured he decided to bring in an extra centre back. Ben White is not a right back and has played centre midfield more often for Brighton than right back. Even when Lamptey got injured Veltman and even Gross were used there before White.

Chris Mepham should be the Centre back we need... cheaper option too,add in Ampadu for cover at CB and defensive Midfield,would be a smart move too.

I see Norwich want to take the young Scottish lad Gilmour on loan...why can't we eh?.

Lots of posts saying a new CB is not our priority. My question is how do we know what the recruitment teams priorities are this summer and have they changed in the past few days?

Apparently Rafa has a database of 3,000 players. Has anybody told him FIFA's not the real thing

In terms of good business it sounds like Leicester are getting Patson Daka, Boubakare Soumare and Ryan Bertrand for under £40m. Always find myself jealous of their recruitment.

You could do a lot worse than just telling your recriutment team to try and pinch transfer targets from Lecister, Leipzig, Dortmund or Atlanta. Those teams seem to have got it mostly right for the last few years.

Matthew, I heard it mooted quite early in Lampard's time as manager, that Gilmour may be considered for loaning. I was interested then and still would be now. Such a prospect.

Who knows how things will progress re. loans now under Benitez. I guess loanees have limited value in team building without the option of purchase.

Sam, Leicester do seem to have it nailed in recent times. Must be the legacy of Walsh's time building the structure :)

Defo a option to buy Will,a great little player in the making.

Midfield three for me of... Cantwell,Gilmour and Lolley... balanced at LONG LAST.

Sam #37, amen re Leicester... they are really good. But I would posit that in the past two years they've almost been outdone by West Ham. Moyes' signings of Bowen, Benrahma, Soucek and Coufal have turned out to be brilliant, and their results have shown it.

And as a Dortmund supporter, I've often wondered why we couldn't duplicate their success at mining young diamonds.

Leipzig I think doesn't deserve the same credit, however... Red Bull has set them up with a corporate structure tapping Salzburg and the US that we could not hope to develop.

Why would we want to loan and develop Gilmour for Chelsea's benefit?

Matthew #40, who's Lolley? Haven't heard that name, except for a guy who used to play for Forest.

Same one Mike...had a poor season,but so did Forrest,the season before he was their main man,a real driving force from midfield,scored a few goals too,always thought he was the type of midfielder we need now, wouldn't cost the earth neither.

I believe the lad needs a move to really push on mind,he's probably still gutted Forrest didn't go up,with the great chance they had two seasons back.

As for our current midfield...sigh...MAJOR PROBLEM STILL.

if we force Kroenke to pay six million more than he wanted why I don't think Ussie will sleep for weeks. Tormented he'll be.

Mike, that's certainly true about Leipzig. Why every PL club does not have a European feeder club I don't know. It makes so much sense for long term planning and is cheaper than an Andre Gomes.

Interesting point about West Ham. Personally I'd say with the exception possibly of Behnrama (TBD) those signings are all perfectly Moyes, they are bargain players who may raise you from 12th to 6th but I'm not sure they'd ever be much sought after by the top 4 teams; whereas Leicester are buying players like Tielemans, Fofana, Castagne who I'd expect to be desired like Maguire and Kante were in the near future.

All good purchases but different caliber of goods in my opinion.

Leicester recruiting policy has been top notch for years.

Amazing to think many of their signings have gone on to play for clubs like Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea (at a huge profit) and they still keep finding more.

Someone at that club (and it wasn't Steve Walsh) has got a very good eye for a bargain.

The one midfield player I think we should go for is Perreira at West Brom. Seems to have all the qualities we need and has experience in the Premier League.

Would Gilmour get in the Chelsea team now, Andrew?

I'd sign him now, but it seems Chelsea only want to loan him out. If that's the case... then do it, Blues, with an option to buy at the end of the loan period only!

In fairness to Leipzig, Mike, they look beyond Salzburg too and do well. But I know what you mean.

Sam, Spurs spent years gazumping Moyes' targets. Not a bad idea to do the same to others.

Certainly some decisive quality recruitment will help us all feel better about the manager situation.

Sam #46, if I suddenly owned a club, I'd set up one of those feeder systems on multiple levels, like US baseball teams do with their minor league affiliates. Obvious to me. As for Leicester vs. Hammers, all respects to Leicester for the Tielemans gamble -- I thought they way overpaid for him but he really blossomed -- and their vision on Fofana. However, I have a high opinion of Bowen's potential and I think he may turn out to be Moyes' prize buy of the bunch. I lobbied here for a year for us to buy him, and the fact that he went for less than 20 million still drives me nuts.

Matthew #44, wholeheartedly agree re our midfield. We need a creator and two speed burners to really compete. But as for Lolley, can't recall exactly but wouldn't he be like 30 now? If we're going to tap the Championship, I'd prefer younger guys. Like Bowen.

Jay #48, agreed.

Sam # 46. Two very good points. We could buy Dundee Utd, send Big Dunc to manage them and give them the likes of Gordon, Simms and Branthwaite on loan. Like you say, all cheaper than an average player. And it would tell us whether Dunc could be a manager too.

And I hadn't twigged that about Leicester v WHU recruitment. You're right, Leicester sign players capable of playing champions league football and accept they'll lose some of them to richer clubs. Moyes signs players to get you to 6th but they don't look like they can hit the next level.

I agree Darren - galling that our inept Board presumed it was Walsh and hired him to waste a few million pounds and assist them traduce Everton's reputation even further

Robert, it will be interesting to see what West Ham do next season and who they bring in. They didn't do too badly last year did they. They took the step up to get 6th, now can they do that again or better? I doubt it.

We should of gone for Tilemans... Leicesters recruitment has been very good and they even made a couple million off us for Walsh. What a deal that was!

Robert #52, if I were Moshiri I wouldn't buy a lower club like Dundee United, because that requires a major cash outlay and puts me on the hook financially for a franchise. I'd just work out some sort of affiliate/partner relationship, modeled as I mentioned on the US baseball structure, where the minor league teams are locally owned but their players "belong" to the big clubs.

Robert and David, Leicester and West Ham are two of the four Prem clubs rumored to be in for Pereira, along with Villa and us. Who gets him -- at that big price tag -- will tell us a lot about the respective transfer strategies and ambitions.

I'm surprised the English clubs have never really adopted the feeder club model Mike. I think a few have dabbled and played with the idea, but not really done it with purpose.

Agree 💯% Jay#48... quality player that would add greatly to our attack.

A mixture of youth and experience Mike #51 is the key to success,am sure Lolley is 28 now,still years left in him,as for resale value,a non starter perhaps,but we need success NOW.

Any kind of success and joy,would be most welcome,for the longest suffering fans in world football.

Sigh...

Just what we need along with a slow winger and a midfielder who can't pass.

To be fair, I rate the lad, but another central defender is about 7th in the list of what's needed.

Yerry will certainly be the most vulnerable due to his salary, although I would personally prefer Keane or Holgate to depart if we bought another centre-back. Mina has more long-term potential.

If we buy a player with Ben White's profile, it would be clearer evidence following on from the purchase of Godfrey, Branthwaite and Nkonkou that there actually is some logic to our recruitment policy long term.

Priority area of the pitch? No. Can we improve on what we have? You always can if a better option becomes available. I don't know enough about this lad, so can't comment on whether he meets that criteria.

If we are going to bring in a new centre back, then it would seem obvious one is on the way out. I agree with Steve Brown. I would prefer it was Holgate or Keane, but guess it would be Mina, who I'd like to keep.

Also, if we are going to do that, then I personally would go for experience. We have youth in Godfrey and both Holgate (24) and Mina (26) are relatively young for central defenders. Michael Keane (28) should theoretically be approaching his peak, which is worrying as I don't think he will get any better. I always think you get the best out of centre backs between 28 - 32 years, but many perform for longer. It is a position where experience and a wise head always has a place, more so than other areas of the pitch.

At left back, we are good. Digne (27) backed up by Nkounkou (20). We all know right back is the priority, so I hope there are legs in the Dumfries rumour. Especially as he can naturally play wing back if we go 3 at the back.

Not against a new centre back; I've been calling it for months. But for me bring in an experienced, established one. On that basis, if I'm Marcel Brands for a day, I'd be swapping out Michael Keane.

I believe it's so important that the defence is a balance of experience and youth. That goes for the rest of the team and squad, but so important in defence.

Robert@52, yes exactly. I'd maybe be tempted by a smaller French club. Some of them are cheap as chips currently but seem to produce a lot of great young talent. Not sure how practical it would be post Brexit though.

Mike # 55. I was being a bit flippant about the Dundee thing because of the curious neatness of getting Dunc into club management. There's definitely something in the concept though (or the affiliation thing you describe). Basically it's just buying a supply chain which is quite a routine business model.

To me, Leipzig have looked at the transfer market at decided quite rightly that the whole thing is crackers.

So instead of spending fortunes on high risk transfers (and getting nowhere as a consequence), they reduce the risk and to some extent cost by:

- owning a supply chain which sees high quality teens like Szoboszlai turn out for Liefering, then Salzburg before arriving at Leipzig when first team ready (and they're building this out in the Americas now).

- supplementing the own-supply model with recruitment on very strict terms (no-one older than 22, no fee more than £20m ish).

It's not about having a team full of teens and 22 year olds, the team itself is a mix of youth and experience. It's about just about buying new players in a more cost efficient / low risk way.

I know a lot of posters observe that successful sides tend to buy a mix of youth and experience. To that, I would say there are plenty more unsuccessful sides that do this too, us included. Because buying experience only improves the side if you can afford top quality experience which most can't (again, us included).

We might not go full fat Leipzig, but there's definitely a lot to learn from them and the likes of Leicester and the RS who do a kind of semi skimmed Leipzig.

Don't understand the obsession with trying to buy a centre back when there's huge weaknesses elsewhere in the squad.

Leipzig's operation has been impressive Robert. Despite the criticisms labelled at them and their unpopularity across a lot of the German fan base, I think they rarely spend over Euro 20m on a player?

We say Leicester as a kind of similar model, can I controversially add Liverpool of recent years to that? Buy relatively cheap. Player becomes next best thing. Not afraid to sell, but at considerable profit. Uncover next relatively cheap but ideal replacement. Repeat cycle and progressively improve.

Can we we have Sabitzer off Leipzig? Sorry, I always have to get that in when I get the chance and you gave me that!!

It's simple: we desperately need to offload a number of players before we carry on increasing this huge wage bill. Sigurdsson, Gomes and yes, Richarlison top the list.

In Mina, Keane, Godfrey, Holgate, Brantwhaite, Gibson there is a contingent of adequate central defenders. Why splash silly cash on another one? Better use it to bring goalscoring right winger... Bring some pace in midfield... Or a competition for DCL. Lots of areas to improve before buying central defenders. Unless one of aforementioned will seek greener grass elsewhere.

I'd say we need two new center-backs, with pace, preferably left-footed or comfortable playing in the left of the center. Keane and Mina to be sold to fund them. Holgate can go too and promote Branthwaite.

A right back with pace, who can defend and cross and has a good engine.

A right winger with pace, who can cross and pass and score.

A striker to compliment DCL, who can also play on his own.

A solid back-up keeper.

A box to box midfielder, who can pass forwards, and has a bit of pace. A bit of a playmaker as well as athleticism.

That's seven new faces. I don't see my football manager vision happening, but it needs to.

I rate Ben White but, if we spend this sort of money on him, then we haven't learnt our lessons. Centre-back (in my personal opinion) is the one position I'm okay with in our squad despite its limitations. Right-back, right-wing, another forward and another midfielder surely come before another defender?

We only have Coleman as a right-back, Iwobi at right-wing (or James) and, as last season showed, the second Doucouré got injured, our midfield didn't function.

Others have mentioned Leicester City and they're spot on. They buy young players in the positions that they need quality in and have got a lot of them right. Our right flank is so weak currently and must be the priority. I thought Matheus Nunes was a clever signing for midfield but I gather that it was just nonsense.

I'm interested to see if this is the year we focus on selling to even FFP out a bit.

Danny #12,

I don't remember us being uncertain about Baines, my memory is that he came to us injured so Lescott played right-back until Baines was fit.

Maybe Eric, I have a recollection of us preferring Lescott when we initially bought Baines.

Baines is the best Everton left back I've seen by the way in my opinion.

I'm a bit worried by some of the players with whom we are being linked. I really don't see that we need a central defender as a priority even if there may be problems with Holgate and Godfrey's positioning and Keane's pace. I'd have thought that somewhere among his list of 3000 there might be some idea of how to coach improvement in at least two of those three.

Perhaps if we bring that Dutch lad, Dumfries, in we might additionally offer them Kenny as a makeweight seeing as how the Dutch seem rather better at improving youngsters than we have been.

I do hope that we don't get that which afflicted those over the park when their French manager signed a lot of his countrymen and this bloke did the same for Spaniards. If, as rumoured, Ancelotti may have left as the transfer fund is not as big as expected then I would hope the latest bloke spends what is available as responsibly as possible without too much falling out with the DoF.

Well if there's anything in the gossip and rumours, £50M to Arsenal.

£50M???

Why do English players attract such a premium? Its not like English football has achieved anything or consistently produced top quality players in recent times.

And people wonder why clubs shop on the continent for better players at a cheaper price (in general).

Danny #73,
A good example of English players being overpriced is comparing the values of the Italian team players to the England team players.

The Athletic are reporting that Arsenal have secured a deal for White, so I think we can put this rumour to bed. I think Benitez first press conference revealed that we are close to our FFP limit so I think he will have to sell if he wants to bring in any expensive replacements. Which is pretty much the situation he railed against at Newcastle when Ashley adopted a similar regime, but I think the situation were in regarding FFP he will have been well briefed by Usmanov/Moshiri when they had all those meetings. My view is that Benitez was that desperate to manage any club in the Premier league that he would sign any contract irrespective of the constraints he may be under, knowing that if it went pear shaped he could always blame FFP for holding him back from buying the players he wanted.

Maybe thats why Ancelotti jumped ship he may have had the same discussions and found there would be very little to spend and thought this club needs major surgery and if I cant spend then its impossible. I also think that Moshiri/Usmanov will be concentrating their finances towards the new ground rather than in the squad. This is the norm when clubs are building a new stadium happened at Arsenal and Spurs when they were going through their stadium build.

Good news Everton didn't get into that level of over pricing for this player, and Arsenal have been done.

He's decent but not £50m decent. Outrageous over hyped and inflated.

Let's hope Marcel and Rafa have a few irons in the fire, and they get brought in soon.