Everton eye Sunderland's Clarke

Interesting link. I also just read that Ten Hag is so keen to get rid of another young winger in Anthony Elanga, that he's 'halved' his price tag from £20M to £10M & Everton are of course linked.

Hopefully Thelwell and Dyche will change Everton's terrible habit of knee-jerk signings on 5-year contracts and huge wages. P&S Rules, plus new directors, will also have a say in that area, no doubt.

I'd take this lad, but my Burnley mates were saying they have been linked with him too. They're probably a more attractive proposition with Kompany in charge!

He didn't have a good time at Spurs. Too much too soon?

Presumably we already have wingers/wide players in the youth sides. Dwight McNeill is only 23 so bringing in another 22 yo wouldn't do their pathway to the first team any good at all. Might as well tell them they have no future at the club.

Paul,

I saw Elanga in two excellent performances and... that was that. I wonder is he another with an unsuitable personality?

Run with head down and kick it towards goal.

One of the players never looked for wide-open Simms in the box, when Ellis was down there.

Simms is out of contract in 2024, so either he needs a new contract or selling.

Could be a make weight in a deal assuming Dyche doesn't rate him (a lack of any sort of involvement points to it).

Ian whether as a make weight or not I’d sell Simms. All this talk of a “young “ player makes me laugh, he’s 22. I agree he’s not very experienced but that must be because none of the previous managers must have really fancied him. He did OK at Sunderland, certainly better than Gelhardt, so I’m sure they’d be keen to take him.
As a club we’ve got to stop hanging on to players until they are 22/23 then deciding they aren’t going to make it with us

I thought we were going after the lad Kent from Rangers?

Simms has proven he can score goals at championship level. That should command a free. If we could get 5 million I’d sell. Cannon seems to have more of a natural instinct as a finisher and is younger. I know who’d I’d keep out of the two.

The level of idiocy to write players off at 22 is simply insane. Arteta, Baines, Osman, Ferguson to name just a few locals who didn’t break through to 24+. Perisic, Vardy, Klose, Ian Wright, Drogba, Materazzi, Di Natale……..all 23/24+ before even being noticed.

But hey, if bashing kids floats ye boat and makes you feel big, you go son.

Gary, Arteta was playing for Rangers at 22. Ferguson was a regular at 20 and transferred for a record fee at 22.

I've seen a few posts now claiming that Baines didn't break through until late. But he was a regular at Wigan at an early age. He was a big signing when we bought him at age 22. Moyes always said he was the best left back at the club, and the only reason he didn't go straight into the team was the form of Lescott in that position and the fact that every time we moved Lescott inside the defence went to shit compared to what we got with Jagielka and Yobo.

They were all well ahead of Simms. Only Osman really compares. And that was because of injury.

At 22 it's now or never for Simms at Everton. From what I've seen it's probably never.

We don't really have the luxury of not selling players who have value but will probably not play for us.

Not sure who you're raging at there, Gary. But maybe that person is aware that some players develop later than others. But in their humble opinion, they think Simms isn't in Ian Wright's class?

Maybe it's an opinion – not idiocy?

You can ridicule them for having an opinion – but that doesn't make your opinion right.

For what it's worth, I'm firmly in the camp that Simms isn't good enough at this level. Because I'm a fucking season ticket holder and I've got eyes and he's just not very good.

I've got more chance of being the next Drogba – and I'm older than Drogba.

Yes Ernie, the “mighty titans” of Wigan and Rangers clearly disproves the long list of late bloomers I gave. I bow down.

Throw 'em on all the heap!! For fuck's sake…

Congratulations on being a season ticket holder, Si. I am too, but clearly that makes you entitled to scrap heap the youngsters and me wrong to defend them. Give them more time is all I say.

I saw a player in the lad who bullied Koulibaly and got us a draw. Time will tell if I'm right or not, but if you wanna dole them off at 22, enjoy yourself.

I'd say ‘late bloomers' are the 0.1%. The names you've mentioned are mainly top level even world class players. The other 99.9% are up and running by 22.

If you think Ellis Simms is in the 0.1% then that's your opinion. I strongly disagree. As did every Everton manager Simms has played under.

And I'm pretty sure I'll be proven right.

Late bloomers are indeed in your made up figure, simple because many people like you are so desperate to write them off and throw them on the heap as early as possible.

I hope you enjoy watching kids fail, Si – after all, you get to say “Told you so”.

I can’t wait to start watching other players in our team as the ones we have are mostly useless.

Gary, you can criticise Rangers and Wigan but those three players were playing regular top flight football before 22. Arteta had also played at PSG, by the way.

There will be examples of players who come through in their mid 20s... but the odds are massively against Simms being one.

He'd command a decent fee for the Championship right now. And it would be better for him to play games.

It's not about criticising a young lad. It's about this club acting like a business. Everything points to Simms being worthless in 12 months and not of much value to us during that time. So sell him.

I think when people say Simms isn't good enough, all they mean is not good enough for Everton at the moment. Had we been relegated, he'd have been ideal, but we didn't so maybe he should be moved on.

I'm sure Simms would have a great career in the lower leagues or in Scotland (as has already been proven) but unfortunately we're not in a position where we can just 'hope' someone comes good.

For what it's worth, I think he's not up to much either for Premier League standard and should be sold if we can get a decent fee.

Simms is not the right type of player for a loan striker role.
In all the games I saw him play he didn't win any balls in the air and can't control the ball through to him to bring in other players.
At Sunderland his success came playing in a front 2.
His goal for us came when he had the ball played in front of him and he bullied his way onto it and through the defence.
That is not going to get him 10-15 goals a season in the Premier League.
We need someone who can play up front, winning or holding the ball up, who can also find the net. A fit DCL or a stand in DCL. That has to be what we need. Any team playing 4-4-2 would be more suitable for Simms.