Preliminary link between Everton and Alzate loan

Ruben Vinagre

Pass

He would appear to be a player to bump up the numbers, rather than someone who would improve us. A player who has played all the midfield positions, so maybe it's his utility and low cost that are attractive to Thelwell. Although he is a Colombian International he is not a first choice. There is one positive. He is playing for a new contract, as his current one runs until June 2024. so he might come and work his socks off. I'm sure though, there are better prospects out there - Roberto Pereyra on a free. ( yes him again ).

Funnily enough has been replaced with Isaac Price at Liege. I expect Alzate is a reasonable but unremarkable player - currently a lot better than Price. He would give us cover during Afcon and injuries. At the moment we'd be reliant on Onyango who has not exactly set the world alight at Forest Green and Burton. Signings like this can be sensible despite being very dull for supporters.

Looking at the conveyor line of talent being recruited by Brighton, I would say - If he is good enough for Brighton, then he is definitely good enough for Everton! Did someone mention Maupay at the back there? Err... 'An exception that proves the rule'?

A quick glance at a Brighton forum seems to suggest that they thought he was a star in the making at first, then he stagnated, went out on loan and never really got a proper go after that.

Sounds a similar trajectory to Tom Davies, but more highly regarded. Having said that, Brighton fans seem far less critical of their players than Everton fans.

I'd bring him in if we can get him on loan for the season, but I think he'll want to go somewhere where he is guaranteed more minutes

With the recruitment we've now made and the departures suggested, this makes sense. Cover across the midfield 3 is needed.

We now have options up front, two full-back lines, but in terms of midfield, we are a suspension and an injury short of panic.

He sounds like an Alan Harper player. As such he will step in if Onana, Doucoure or Gana are missing. In my mind, I'm thinking that we may see Garner moved to the right.

I am hoping that the mystery men, Gomes and Gbamin, are off the books by Friday night. One more utility defender in the squad and it's been a slow but, in the circumstances, good summer.

I like Sinister from Leeds. He looks like a tricky little player and has a scary name to boot.

If we can't shift Gomes or Gbamin, I don't see how this makes sense if he isn't an improvement. We're still paying their wages, so surely, they can provide (unspectacular) cover.

Colin, sinister by name, sinister by position?

When I read the headline, I presumed it was a dodgy Panama Papers style financial loan!

Sinisterra?😂🤦🏻‍♂️

The Belgian league standard isn't that good and most top players are playing elsewhere.

If he isn't good enough for Brighton, then who? Everton of course.

However, our midfield is awful at times and a couple or three will be gone soon (hopefully) then the numbers have to be compensated so why not do it cheaply?

Like a few others (Will Hughes, Harrison Reed, Jay DaSilva, Josh Brownhill, Hannibal Mejbri), Alzate only has a year left on his contract. Since he's not a starter at Brighton (and now possibly behind Lukeba, Kozlowski (the Pole, not the woman from Crocodile Dundee) and Ayari, he's presumably now available at fairly low cost.

Offers a bit of cover to the midfield in different positions. Despite his Colombian caps, he is British born so shouldn't have too much trouble settling in. Boring but possibly sensible bit of business. Not sure why anyone would grumble.

Hopefully Gbamin, Gomes and Alli (and their wages) will be off the books soon.

Please let's get players who can improve us not to just make up numbers
I'd sooner give one of our own youngsters a chance

If we get a decent fee for iwobi, say 20million with a bit of accounting flexibility, we could use that fund possibly fund 2 players.

N'Didi or Dewsbury -Hall from Leicester are two players who I think immediately improve our midfield.

Possible deal for Sulemana maybe, also see west Ham ware selling Cresswell who while not spectacular, would be a solid left back on the cheap.Link

Southampton want 30 million for sulemana so looks like we're looking at cornet from west ham instead.

Alzate while not a spectacular physical player has considerable football IQ. Runs his area well, doesn't stand in spaces that aren't useful and will get in there with tackle or two. He would likely improve Garner's utility by constantly giving a target for a pass or running off defenders with a move upfield. This would be a source of some midfield craft we occasionally miss with Duke and Onana.

Joe hasn't Cornet been out for nearly a year now?

Fran, I hate to burst your bubble but we won't be getting £20m for Iwobi because he's out of contract in a year and we'd be pleased to offload his wages. £12m ish is probably the top end of realistic.

Dewsbury-Hall and Ndidi would indeed be good signings but we don't have the money. We seem to be in the market for cover, not an immediate upgrade. Alzate might, however, for the reason Dale says, become a proper first team player especially when Gueye and Doucoure leave next June.

And we also have our solid if unspectacular cover at left back in Young. So we won't be bringing-in more full back cover.

As to John's comments about using youngsters instead, I guess the answer is: which ones? Warrington is out on loan, getting his first taste of Championship Football, Onyango didn't shine in the third tier (albeit might get some chances from the bench and in the League Cup) and Metcalfe is very young and recovering from serious injury in the u21s. I'm all for prioritising youth but Alzate would be a much better bet to keep us going through the AFCON than these guys - and with a reasonable chance of carving out a good career with us in future.

I think he's back fit now Andrew but spent basically all last season injured with quite a “unique” calf injury. Sounds like he'll be best mates with Gbamin in no time.

I don't know what the DOF and recruitment team at Everton do, just read through toffee web and the criteria is clear.

Premier League Proven
A proven track record over several seasons
20 goal a man
A diamond no one has heard off
Cheap
Low wages
Young but with years and years of experience at the top level.
Good disciplinary record
Have an ugly side to his game
Be ambitious
not a mercenary who just wants whats best for himself.
Above all else this 20 goal a season premier league proven player must see moving to bottom of the league Everton as a step up.

Haha, exactly Nathan. Not hard is it? What are they doing

Nathan, you forgot "creative"!

Yes Mike, a creative type, who tries to make things happen, but never loses the ball.

I think we missed out on Enzo Le Fee. We talk about having no one who puts the ball in the net, but I think we really need a creator that also can carry the ball in the middle.

Our only creator is Iwobi. You cannot have midfield packed with ball winners and side passers. Enough of these ”Lee Ties”…

Remember Maupay... ex-Brighton player does not necessarily equal a good player.

A few quality loan players are needed.

I never thought I'd see the day when we're having to go cap in hand to the likes of Brighton.

The tables sure have turned.

Justin,

I think Maupay would be handy playing in a front two, he's just not a lone striker.