Young becomes first signing of the close season

Plus, a very young winger from Barca, who was being touted as the future of Spanish football. How times have changed.

If my maths are correct he's 38 years of age. What a farce. If that isn't taking the piss out of supporters after the garbage served up last season, I don't know what is.

Dyche planning for the future with this landmark signing. I trust he isn't actually going to be paid to turn out, if he ever does.

There's no pleasing some people, and not sure where it says this is a landmark signing, we've no money, we're on our uppers, so we have to cut our cloth according to our means now.

This isn't the fault of the players we sign, so get behind them, not on their backs, we all know where the blame for the appalling state of our club lies!!

Welcome, Ashley, I believe this is a very sensible signing.

Let's hope it's the first of, at least, 4 or 5 new signings. Good signings.

Opening up on the challenges that he has faced in this respect during his managerial roles to date, he told The Diary Of A CEO Podcast: "If you're going to make a mistake in a game, I've got no problem with that. If you're not going to run for your team-mate or work through the week, with an idea that when I train on Monday that's got to have a direct relation to what Saturday is going to look like, I probably can either get upset with the player or distance the player.

"When you're working with a group, you have to be careful of that one because not every player has your mentality. So you either have to try and bring them up to the party or, if not, they're going to have to not be there if you're going to have success. You have six or seven players where you know what you're going to get every day: they're going to train, come in and be active every day. You're going to have the middle group and the ones saying 'I'm just coming to training' or 'I'm a bit sore today'.

"The bar-raisers can take some time to raise the bar, but the bar-lowerers can get you very quickly. That negativity can slip in and be really contagious. In football, winning is everything, and that is obviously relative to if you're Manchester City or Everton. Everton will win 35 per cent of games at best at the moment, and you know that. You know there will be 65 per cent of weeks that aren't that great. The bar-lowerers can lower that quickly. Whereas if you can get the bar-raisers to take control, you can get there."

I see Young as a player that Dyche can rely on to help with removing any 'bar-lowerers' that may still be in and around the squad and similarly to Seamus, he seems to be a good professional and a tough guy too, from that perspective, despite his age, you can't have enough of those types in any squad, never mind one that has struggled so much over several years.

We have just signed something we did not have last season that cost us points in playing other people out of position, and that is backup for injuries at full-back and someone who can be used on the wing.

With the players let go so far, I do not believe we have weakened the team, just the squad, and that is getting built up with our youth players.

I am going on that old saying, "Beggars can't be choosers". We know it is difficult but let us see what we can achieve at the end of the window before criticizing who is brought in as stopgaps.

Yes, he's old but his injury record through his career is unbelievable. He's made of iron. Villa fans are gutted he's gone.

Welcome, Ashley, the Sanatogen are free to take. 🥳

We should also feel appreciative that he chose Everton over Luton – quite the compliment.

If ever a sponsor was appropriate for Everton in recent years, then SAGA would be first in the queue — nothing to do with age, just the ongoing nature of events at the club.

Joking aside though Vardy would be a good addition.

Very happy to read that Dom is doing well pre-season. A fit Calvert-Lewin will he a huge asset for the team.

Also very happy to see Dele is dealing with his demons. Very brave young man. It could be a real delight to see him gain his former prowess as a box-to-box flair footballer in the Royal Blue of Everton.

Things are looking better for us. UTTs

Same goes for Vardy. At least he knows where the net is and, with Calvert-Lewin's injury record, would be a good sub and potential foil for two up top to change games. Still quick and fit at his age.

Point to his record last season, started 16 games, 3 goals, 4 assists with 17 sub appearances. I'd take those goals and assists this year. We need all the help we can get at the top end.

Mykolenko, Godfrey, Holgate, Davies – all not good enough, gotta get rid, etc.

So what they are basically saying is they want proven Premier League quality from young players who've had little or no experience in the Premier League, right? How hard can it be?

Or a reason to bring in a death sentence!

Welcome, Ashley.

These two footballing 'pensioners' could prove to be the difference between us staying in the Premiership, or playing Championship football in the new stadium.

He will come in and plug gaps throughout the defence, I think he will be a decent signing, it covers paying out for a right or left back for now.

The bigger issue is in the final third so need to spend the money,where it is needed most for now, with bringing in a striker or two, me personally, I would look to try and bring a striker in on loan, see if we can get a season or more out of Calvert-Lewin and Tom Cannon, with the loan striker option ready to give competition in attack.

Whatever we do, we simply cannot throw daft money on another striker who might not be the answer, test the water first by a loan option, all being well, we should be in a healthier position in a year or so, in regards to ffp, to take risks, in the transfer market.

“ My worry is that this type of end of career,final pay day player are the only kind that find Everton an attractive move”

Proven premier league quality-especially in the forward positions cost a fortune and u fortunately sign for or are already at better teams than us.

That's our reality.

With that in mind this signing is very astute. We don't have to sign two back up full backs. We have one that will comfortably do both. As villa fans will attest.

Digne was signed by Villa only 18 months ago under Emery's predecessor Steven Gerrard, but may now be available this summer as Alex Moreno – bought from Real Betis last January – is the clear first choice at left-back.

Digne, 29, cost close to £25million from Everton and is one of the top earners at Villa, after signing a deal worth more than £100,000 a week.

Players signed:
Morgan Schneiderlin, Phil Neville, Tim Howard, Darron Gibson, Donny van de Beek, Wayne Rooney, Tom Cleverley, Louis Saha, Jesper Blomqvist

Total spent: £29.79M.

That ain't bad.

Let's not forget James Garner. The lad had talent.

Think I might just ask to a couple of 'grey beards' of my acquaintance to help me form a 'Seen it Twice' Club to hold AGMs at Goodison Park for as long 'as we are spared'!

Age is a misnomer in modern sport. Athletes are looking after themselves much better and prolonging their careers than in the past.

I keep saying, we have promising young fullbacks who are 21 and 24. Learning their trade. We have very experienced full backs who are 34 and 38 who will mentor and put them under pressure for their place. Leaders and one who has been a winner, so will bring that mentality.

We have a 21-year-old centre-back who many are putting high expectations on. Give him time. Very young for a centre-back. But he has a 30-year-old who was an absolute rock for us last season.

Youth, potential and experience. It all counts.

Meanwhile, get that winger and forward in.

Mind you, it's not through lack of opportunity as Mr Beckham, I think it is, in Miami has just shown although our "old" is called Young while his is called Messi who don't need to stop for a throw-in every 30 seconds and a drink and sit down every five minutes. And let's not get into possession stats.