Lozano might be a New Year target for Everton

We currently have Gordon, McNeil, Gray, Townsend to play wide, and as cover Iwobi, some full-backs / wing-backs and several youngsters.

If we can raise this sort of money, we should be looking at central striking options.

As I don't believe our management is completely useless, I'm filing this under agent agitates for a move and tomorrow's chip wrappings.

Whilst I agree, Martin, that this is likely just idle gossip, I disagree on the idea that we don't need a winger/inside-forward.

Gordon has potential and could be very good, but is young and inconsistency is expected, Gray is good but limited and inconsistent. Hopefully Gordon can become a 10+-goals-a-season player, but Gray never will. Gray is a 5- to 7-goal-a-season player, which is just not enough.

Townsend, while capable of excellent goals, is nothing more than a backup player and McNeil has been poor so far, although hopefully he can improve.

If we could get a 10- to 15-goal inside-forward, it would greatly improve us.

I actually think, should Calvert-Lewin get fit, in Maupay and Calvert-Lewin our centre-forward position is covered. Midfield also pretty much well stocked. As is defence. So any money we have, I would think winger/inside-forward would be the priority.

This ship has sailed. Lozano has most likely reached his potential and is not particularly productive, we should be looking at 18- to 23-year-olds who are fast like Lozano but more productive (I'm sure this rumour is untrue anyway).

I agree, Sukhdev. Last we thing we need is another fairly large transfer with zero sell-on value.

If we gave him a 4-year deal and he was poor, we're right back in the Tosun and Bolasie days of squandering money.

Just more good old Everton – let's link them with another last pay-day player. Them days are gone and the sooner the press and media realise it, the better.

In fact, tables may be turning already if James Garner is as good as been said. That's just one example with I'm sure more to follow. No longer the go-to club to get ripped off or bullied.

No thanks, probably just bullshit anyway but how many wide players do we need?

Sign a striker; everyone else can see it – I don't know what the mental block is.

Possible because he might well be available in January - presumably as loan with option to buy. He's not especially what we need.

We do, I think, need a goalscoring, fast left-footed wing forward. McNeil could well be a really good signing but he's not that sort of player.

However, we don't need the finished article. And we don't need them in January either. It may just make the difference between finishing 9th and 11th so what's the point of thinking short-term?

Ideally, we look at someone like Outtara who has just exploded on the scene at Lorient in France. Or Henrique, the young Brazilian at Betis.

These players could help take us to the next level over an extended period. Lozano is not in that category anymore.

Good player but not what we need now.

I keep saying it but someone like Gapko would be a good option, more end product than Gray and can play anywhere across the front line.

I believe we are one player shy of a complete squad, a very special player is required, someone who can play No 10 or as a striker or in wide positions to give us options. Surely there is some unpolished diamond in South America we could develop?

Destined for Riquelme/Moutinho status.

Not necessarily bigging-up Lozano, but he was 27 two months ago so he's probably not simply lookingfor his pension just yet.
Anyone who ensures no one in the squad gets too complacent can be an asset, and I'd welcome a consistent goalscorer no matter what position they tend to operate in on the pitch. Plenty of clubs have shown you can be successful without being reliant on the traditional striker role.

The good thing now is that it looks like, for the first time, we have plugged all the holes.

The starting XI is strong and there is some decent depth beginning to emerge too. This means we can really afford to target players with potential rather than players like Lozano who quite possibly have reached their limit.

More like Onana please. Highly talented youngsters with the potential to be top class. And yes, an inside forward who scores goals regularly should be the next move we make.

Any class player for a knockdown price must be considered, especially a striker. One never knows when one of our few strikers will get crocked again.

However, if he is struggling to get a start with Napoli then do we gamble again like others in the past such as James Rodriguez?

I am cautiously optimistic that we do have a half-decent squad to build on, especially seeing the midfield doing better thanks to Onana and Iwobi who is a revelation.

No Thanks, not what we need.

Can't see this as we have enough wide men, unless someone is leaving it won't happen.

I see we were linked with the Udinese striker Beto. I don't know much about him but he would be a coup for our sponsors.

For that kind of money, how 'bout EFC brought in David Neres? Few years younger and the effectivity for goals must be around the same. He might wanna come to the Premier League, and a more stable performance from EFC in the season of 22/23. That would make everyone happier.

I would pass on Lozano, too old for what we are trying to do with the little cash we've got.

He was a standout a couple of seasons ago but, for some reason, his form has gone awry.

IMO an old link being dug up for click-bait reasons.

Three years ago at PSV, Chucky was my number one transfer target -- just the idea of bringing him in had me psyched.

He went to Italy instead. And slowly the injuries piled up and the goals ebbed away.

I fully agree, Sukhdev. We need all-round strikers who can score with both feet and with pace.

Calvert-Lewin is a poacher only, and we can never guarantee his fitness. I feel his wanted move to a London (Top 6) club may never happen, so we need options (for goals).

Just watching, tonight, a ‘Serie A' game with Udinese playing against Lecce.

Udinese have a former Blues centre-forward, Gerard Deulofeu (Jerry Juliefew as I always think of him as).

Was a shame we couldn't get him to stay with us, but as I type this, Lecce have just scored! (It wasn't Juliefew's fault though)

Joe,

Looking at his stats he had a good year last year. That being said, he is 28 now and has only twice bettered his total goals and assists from his first season at Everton. I think we can finally call it and say he is not the new Messi as was once billed.

“Dat de truth”, as some would say (if ‘some' were stereotypes that used ‘gangsta speak')
There isn't anyone else like Messi. Including ‘riverdancing gimp' Ronaldo, whose a long way back from Lionel, as far as being a talented, gifted footballer goes…