I had expected us to use the free transfer market, given Roma have done so in recent years, but this seems not to be happening. You’re allowed to loan four players but I think it’s imprudent to loan more than two. So two loans, probably scope for two serious signings - this leaves us looking for a couple of bargains or unexpected youth promotions.

I’ve given up guessing what we’ll do. I’ve said before: I think there are fans on this website who were better prepared for this transfer window than the club were. Let’s see if they can get it all in place. After all, 6 players needed, 6 weeks of the window left. It should be doable, but at what cost to future PSR considerations?

Moyes will then have to juggle a small core squad and use versatile players like McNeil, Garner and O’Brien to cover injury gaps.

It will probably take two more summer windows before we have 2 players of decent quality for each position.

A less aspirational but perhaps pragmatic window looks like: Soucek at CM, Fellowes at RW, Maitland-Niles at RB with a couple more squad players to fill.

Reality will probably be somewhere in the middle. But I'd be surprised if we don't get at least 4 more players including loans.

Incoming:

1. LB - Tagliafico. From an offensive pov we will be better on left.
2. RB - Wesley Franca or the Greek lad. We have good cover in that position
3. Douglas Luiz on loan with an option to buy. OR Neil Aynaoui from RC Lens
4. RW - James Mcatee and Tom Fellows both to sign.

Isaac Heath & Baiden Graham from reserves with few cameos on the wing for depth.

Outgoing -

Chermiti (loan) - Loan to a good club in championship or other leagues
Patterson - 6-7 million if anybody wants him
Armstrong - Loan to a good club in championship
Martin Sheriff and Omari Benjamin can be sent out on loan

Dixies's Dock surely?

Why can't we scout players in the way that the likes of Brentford or Brighton seem to do?

I know it's July and we shouldn't get too down but Moyes' teams traditionally started slowly during his first tenure. We used to think we didn't do our business early so Bill could save on the wages.

Pace work rate and quality on the right flank.

Coufal (what's his dead ball like?) and Soucek (could be useful with the other big lads for a corner or free kick).

Questions have to be asked if that happens. Especially with these players being linked.

It'll be lack of funds, or we're simply not attractive. Despite the new stadium.

Please prove me wrong.

All 4 of these players pictured would transform the first team.

That's just the way the market works unless you're prepared to pay over the odds.

I don't think he'd come cheaply.

Seems to me we're doing more business than most but still being destroyed on TW.

Brentford are about to lose Wissa, Mbeumo and have lost Noorgard who they've replaced with Henderson. They've also lost their manager.

Remind me why we are doing so much worse than these teams in this window?

Can anyone explain why, once identified, it takes so ridiculously long to sign a player?

Just target those who want to come without having to waste time persuading them.

Man City star tops Everton’s ambitious £150M summer transfer plans

Si, considering Brighron and Brentford finished so far above us maybe they just don't need to improve their squad as much as we do? And by so many signings?

Sadly, I doubt he'd be available but a conversation worth having. Garnacho is more likely to leave.

But then, if he knew what he was talking about why is he quoting Travers as our only signing?

Doesn't he read the papers he writes for?

Charlie Adam was always a weird one. He looks like he's been to Greggs and downed 15 pints.

Surely it was his job to train the likes of Garner and Mykolenko?
He was a waste of time. And he's a RS.

Maybe it's an instinct thing but surely something a professional footballer can learn the mechanics of and execute without the flair?

Do you have to buy the sausage roll each time?

We had 12 players at one point. Our objective is to have a squad at all and without 5 more incomings we'll have failed.

This is why I can't understand those calling for Harrison and Chermiti to go on loan – unless we sign replacements in addition to the 5-6 we already need then we can't afford to lose them and should be looking to use them.

Wetherspoons next door.

I thought I read, before he came here, that Alcaraz could take a tidy free kick but, apart from the very good one he took v Bournemouth that hit the post from about 30 yards in the FA Cup game, I don't think he was used in that department.

The one which has me worried is Harrison, after his performance last season, let's hope Moyes leaves him at Leeds.

Bramley-Moore for me all day long, the only ones I've heard calling it Dick's Dock are the redshite supporters trying to take the piss out of us.

What with Tarby, Stan Boardman and the not unfunny John Bishop, they have a fine pedigree. Such wags.

Firstly, John Bishop isn't funny. He makes me cringe.

I don't know what it is with them, but for some reason, we really get under their skin.

Despite their recent success, there seems to be an increasing sense of jealousy and resentment. Wait until we win something.

Apparently, they say, he has 'scored more goals than Jack Harrison in fewer games'.

Apart from their comedians who are side splitting (honestly).

Just can't ever see him in an Everton shirt.

I hope this isn't Angus getting his retaliation in if we end up not spending much.

I even heard Moyes has bought a bottle of window cleaner so he doesn't miss anything when the window is closing. Must be the smallest squad size in the Premier League.

I just point out how well the walls have been built and that no one is pushing them over. Has the desired effect.

"I keep seeing Grealish connected to us on loan. Just can't ever see him in an Everton shirt."

I can see him in an Everton blanket, sitting on his arse on the bench after he's fallen over so many times he's had to come off before he really hurts himself. I can see him doing another con man act as Alli did, and picking up a big wage for doing fuck-all.

You know what we should do?

Ban all and every red bastard from BMD. Don't let the fuckers in ever, not even for a piss, now that would really fuck them up.

Can we do that?

Let's see what happens this month. And being in the US won't stop negotiations.

I won't use the derogatory "D" word, as I know that offends a few. But what most of us know is that Moyes is careful, cautious and considerate when he looks at potential signings.

I'm not getting over-excited by other clubs' signings. Who knows how they will work out? I'm more concerned by what Everton bring in.

There isn't one player that you would say "wow" too.

Maybe we will suddenly have the new signings stacked up and have one revealed each day for a week.

Okay, I fantasize… but we all know we have to get the business done asap as, to hit the ground running for when the season starts, we don't want to be playing catch up.

He's from London. Grew up in London. The moment a London club was in for him, it would probably have swayed his decision and undoubtedly been a factor.

The top clubs just mop up all the talent which leaves clubs like us picking up the scraps. Hence we need a much better youth policy and then we can hopefully hang onto the Rooneys of this world.

With Forest, Newcastle, and to some extent Bournemouth, threatening the top positions in the Premier League, there are more teams considering ambitious transfer plans. Germany and Spain also have packs of smaller clubs chasing top positions, while Italy have largely shuffled the top except for Bologna.

This, along with our need to not bring troubled talent into a small squad, means we will not be quick to pen and paper unless the long term interests line up well, as with Barry.

In my unlearned opinion on transfers, it is actually a good approach to rebuilding the core of a competitive squad. Players who need to reestablish themselves or push on to the next level will see us as a reliable station. The troubled stars and payday players will gamble on London clubs and the like.

John Bishop is about as funny as having a red hot poker rammed up your japs eye!

Dithering is probably less the reason than the stats.

He isn't getting ahead of Bissaka or new left-back Diouf, or Emerson.

A behind-closed-doors friendly is to take place against Port Vale at the club's new Hill Dickinson Stadium.”

As long as Ian Bogie isn't playing.

Obviously no Evertonian cares about what West Ham do: it's only in relation to Everton and if it affects us.

Surely that's 100% obvious??

Last-minute deals is what we do to save wages for 2 months. Whether it's Dithering Davey or the ghost of the sly one, who knows… but there will be disappointment.

Dream on, fellow Evertonians; we apparently have the dosh but those with it have deep pockets and short arms.

Seems to me they're reaching for that dosh just fine.

Some people are still amused by the standard boring old troupes.

We need to get a move on to get the players up to speed and not be starting the season with players missing a pre-season and only getting up to speed by October.

Roy Keane's “Fail to prepare; prepare to fail” comes to mind.

The 3 clubs you mention are offering Champions League football and will be challenging for the title next season.

They naturally can do business quicker.

We will take more time convincing a player that Everton is a good move and it will require negotiation.

Tony @55, Mykolenko really improved in the second half of last season, especially going forward, which had been lacking from his game previously.

The lobbed cross in the derby that led to Tarkowski's equaliser. His goal from inside the box against Fulham and his cross for Alcaraz to nod home against Newcastle.

What could we get with that?

Hutchinson - £35m ish
McAtee - £25m ish
Wesley - £22m ish
Soucek - £12m ish
Coufal - free

That sort of spending would give us a hell of a lift - with 5 players of real youth / quality who could form the basis of a really good team for the next 10 years. In addition, Premier League experience in Travers, Soucek and Coufal to provide cover at low cost.

We still wouldn't have two players for every position, but we'd just about have enough. Other positions could be addressed in future windows.

If we have a £150m budget and have spent £45m so far, we could do that and would be transformed into a top half side.

I can see us getting maybe 3 players in and hoping that we go ok with injuries. I can't see Moyes leaving O'Brien or Tarkowski on the bench if they're fit which makes me think that a starting full-back wouldn't be top priority. Similarly, if Garner and Gana are fit they start with Iroegbunam and Harrison as back-up.

Again, if they're all fit then Ndiaye, Alcaraz and McNeil probably start. I think we are looking at squad players that can contribute rather than starters. It's a risk to have a small squad but I can see it happening.

We won't be playing much more than the 40 games this season most likely (I would love a cup run of course). I can see us getting a few more.

Another midfielder (depending on how ready Moyes feels Harrison is) and an attacking option that can play either side... any of Ndiaye, Alcaraz and McNeil can play the central role if needed.

I suspect the club are looking for versatile options to fill in the gaps where needed. The recruitment so far looks sensible and measured to me.

Getting rid or letting them go was the right thing to do. Included in that list was two keepers that barely played and the likes of Holgate who was out on loan anyway.

The only players getting regular minutes were Doucoure and Young. Both of whom were much maligned.

There's a month left of the window. So far our business has been the best outside the Champions League clubs. We will sign more players, don't worry about that.

Letting absolute dross on high wages go is what we absolutely should be doing. Doing due diligence and taking our time on who we sign to make us a better team is also what we should be doing. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

You can't have the argument both ways. You say they've already got a squad and their objective is to maintain or improve it.

Well, Brentford are in the process of gutting their club. Not maintaining and certainly not improving it. But you're still using them as a stick to beat us with.

Spend £500M signing the best 5-6 achievable talents in the world and take a 9-point hit in a few years.

We took a points deduction when we were down and out and for signing utter dross.

Sign some big hitters now and if we start qualifying for Champions League we may not even breach PSR.

Or do what Newcastle intend on doing. Sign someone for ridiculous money (Isak) and then sell him on for almost double that ridiculous money.

Put it this way: if you sign Soucek for £10M, that's a cast-iron £10M loss.

If you sign a midfielder for £60M and are forced to sell him in 18 months time because he's so good for £70M, that's £10M profit.

I'll only say it once we'll take the "hit" pretty much immediately.

Although accounts are a year late so there is a delay unless they apply a points deduction retrospectively.

Oh, and that commitment only applies to Everton, by the way.

Apparently, the Kubo fee I've seen is €30M. Douglas Luiz in the middle. Go back the Argentine left-back; I don't see why the media are suggesting he was on big wages — €70k a week. I believe Ndiaye is pissed-off regarding us being linked with Jacob Ramsey.

Of course it isn't, Paul. But signing players like Tomas Soucek takes us absolutely nowhere.

Moyes always hid behind money being the thing that stopped him bringing any success to Everton prior to 2013.

I also find it strange we weren't more heavily linked with Kyle Walker-Peters and felt he would have improved us whilst being on a free. I would be disappointed with Coufal, I keep hoping there are legs in the Wesley links.

Luiz in the middle (loan, obligation to buy) to play alongside Gana. Wesley, Tagliafigo on a free and Diallo or Dibling (though these two would seriously stretch the budget at £40M). That is my top budget, gettable wish-list.

Then we have experience in Pickford, Tarkowski and Gana. There is nothing wrong with a bit of experience. Those 3 were very important to us in recent seasons.

Whether we are going to sign Soucek or it is just lazy journalism, will be seen. I wouldn't be overwhelmed, but then I wouldn't be offended.

He's 30, not 40. He has more than a few seasons left in him.

Sean @72, your list seems to be based on if you were Everton manager for a day, which is fair enough. We don't know if they are Moyes' priorities or targets.

Probably the only one I've seen with tentative decent links is McAtee and that's more that he is probably going to leave City. But there will no doubt be competition, and likely from clubs offering European football.

I take no pleasure in saying it, but our best hopes would be that he is a northwest home boy (Salford born) and he can be convinced by the club's ambition. Otherwise the likes of Villa and Tottenham could be in the mix.

I would like to see a youthful squad developed like Chelsea., but Moyes is a long way off Maresca, who is showing Arteta a clean pair of heels.

I don't get concerned with sprinkling a bit of experience around the younger players. They learn from it. Branthwaite and O'Brien benefited from playing with Tarkowski. Likewise, Jimmy Garner alongside Gana.

We have done it to good effect over the years. Andy Gray, Paul Power, more recently Gareth Barry. There are probably more examples.

It's not like we're in the Walter Smith days of signing not just ageing, but broken players.

Brighton spent the vast majority of their money on younger players with resale value like Joao Pedro, Baleba, Estupinan, Caciedo, Cucurella, Rutter, Minteh, Wieffer, O'Riley, Tzimas etc but then they also bring in a handful of experienced players on freebies or cheap deals like Welbeck, Veltman, Milner as well as some academy mainstays like Dunk and Solly March.

A sprinkling of experience is important but ideally you want to be spending the majority of your money on players with potential.

Brentford and Brighton have been good models over the past few seasons.

We talk about glass ceilings and I wonder if those clubs, along with Bournemouth, have hit theirs?

With Brentford currently being the closest Premier League club to where I presently live, I know a couple of local Bees supporters in amongst the mainly Chelsea ones around here.

They are really concerned with the departure of Thomas Frank and probably loss of a few key players.

I know the club is well run, but Frank has been very fundamental to their rise on the pitch. It will be interesting to see how they go under a different head coach. I hope not, but I can see them struggling next season.

Much though I admire Brighton and Brentford for the way they unearth and polish rough diamonds, I'd hate to support a team where you know the owners will sell their assets at the earliest opportunity just to make a quick buck. This shows the club is being run as a money making business rather than a club with ambition.

Emulate the recruitment model by all means, but hang on to the crown jewels (Branthwaite) where possible.

Having said all that it's difficult when you've got the “big” clubs hovering, looking to asset strip.

My prediction is that Brighton will get relegated within the next 5 years. Brentford may well go that way sooner.

Finish in the top 10 one year then mid to lower table the next as the club sells the best players. The only 'success' in this is filling the owner's bank account.

We are Everton — not a Premier League pretender.

Their recruitment and transfer policy allows them to remain in the Premier League when commercially they shouldn't be near it.

They are not the model for us. A better comparison is Aston Villa.

1. use of sister clubs (as per Brighton) - also used by Man City with Troyes, Girona and others (which is how they developed Savinho).

2. heavy youth player (i.e. under 17s) acquisitions - very much used by City, Chelsea and the RS amongst others.

3. heavy use of the loan market to develop players - again, yes, all of the big boys do this. Villa, for example, had something like 25 players out on loan last year.

4. sell to buy (as per Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth) - very much used by City and the RS for example - the former has generated getting on for £500m in youth player sales. Link The RS make a nice tidy profit too on a long list of players too. Both clubs (as per many others) buy youth players with no expectation they will play for the first team - they are just grooming them for sale.

5. hunting for value in lower cost markets (some overseas, some close to home) - again, yes, look at Man City and the use of low cost markets of late - Nypan from Norway, Echeverri from Argentina etc etc (it's a long list).

6. use of data analytics as per Brighton - yes this is what transformed the RS when Klopp was persuaded to adopt it - and their recruitment has since gone up a notch. As per pretty much every successful club these days.

None of these clubs' models are identical. But doing something along the lines of a "Brighton" is not a small club thing to do - it's a big club thing to do. It is the only way to manage your own precious resources effectively and build up a stable of high quality players over a sustained period without hitting PSR or financial buffers.

One club who has not embraced this is Man Utd and their fortunes has dwindled significantly as a result.

Villa meanwhile have done some of the "Brighton" (and also Man City) style business but also gambled - and look set to have a very difficult summer and a difficult short term future as a result.

So I don't think we should be at all concerned about following the Brighton model - because it's just a lower cost version (in many respects) of how City, Chelsea, the RS and Arsenal etc etc are running their operations.

They also did a really good job on the redevelopment of Villa Park, although it is currently limited to a 43,000 capacity. They do however have plans to increase to around 50,000 with the redevelopment of one of the stands.

Identifying these players and making them Everton players will be the key to any success. Nearly all successful football teams in Europe as far back as ever have always had a core of local players.

That's why teams such as Liverpool, Manchester Utd, Barcelona, Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus etc etc always will be successful.

In the 90s, Liverpool got well ahead of us in terms of recruiting local talent. I would argue we potentially got ahead of them a decade or so later.

We need to make this the cornerstone of our football club. Incentivise the best young scousers to play for our club and make them want to stay.

My Google feed is full of the guesswork articles by 'news' websites, before they're cut & pasted onto here.

No Champions League, no European football, no recent success puts us down many players' lists. We can tell them about our potential, new stadium, the fact they'd have more chance of getting a game (and showcase for their next move) here.

I say it every summer. Ignore the clickbait sites. Will we have a better squad at the start of the season and end of the transfer window? That's the question. Let's see who they come up with.

Brighton, for instance would have sold Salah, Van Dijk, Branthwaite etc purely to maximise profit. Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man City can nurture talent and then choose whether or not to sell them.

Chelsea do it to excess such that it's basically player trafficking. But all the clubs know that they can spend £100M on a proven player.

It seems to me that Brighton just nurture talent for financial gain and have no real ambition – other than just an odd cup run. You can't go on selling the best talent and hope to succeed or even survive long term.

You are accurate in that. I am a big believer in the City of Liverpool being a hotbed of footballing talent.

I am always cautious about use of the phrase World Class. That is reserved for very few players in my view.

What you say is correct, however those local players, many of them boyhood Evertonians, who played for Liverpool in the 90s, were part of one the most average Liverpool teams I've seen in-between their 70s-80s domination and more recent success. I think they won an FA Cup and League Cup in that period.

Bayern are an interesting one. A lot of their academy players are poached from other German clubs or the likes of Croatia, so not all home grown Bavarians. Their success has largely been built through big transfers.

Ajax and Schalke have had great academies over the years, mostly populated with local players from Amsterdam and Gelsenkirchen.

But they used them as cash cows. Ajax, sacrificed their previous European success, Schalke went a step too far and ended up tier 2 of German football as the well dried up.

Right now, Brentford, Brighton and Bournemouth are ahead of us. Perhaps Brentford may struggle this season without Frank and Mbuemo, perhaps not.

Ultimately out aim may be to outstrip all of these clubs but the first step is catching up.

We clearly cannot go straight to the level of Man City or Arsenal or probably even Villa. We have to start by building the value of the squad and getting ourselves up the table. That means following the approach of spending primarily on young talent with potential and a smattering of experience where needed.

The model (ie, the way of assembling a high quality squad) is more or less the same regardless of the size of club. It is something along the 6 principles I said earlier.

Whether you can then hang onto your best players is a different point and depends on bargaining power / commercial revenue etc.

Since we should soon be richer than Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford – we should be able to hold onto our best players for longer, giving us more stability and a better chance of success.

However, there will still be a tier of richer clubs above us with bigger commercial revenues – and we will be vulnerable to having our best players taken from us now and again.

But that doesn't change the fact that the model is the right one. If there's any of those 6 principles we shouldn't be following then I'd be really interested to know why it's not for us?

I'd like to think that, if we buy emerging talent, that we'd do our utmost to keep it. Sell if we have to for survival (Rooney) or PSR reasons (Gordon) but not purely for financial gain.

I'm uncertain what Brighton's motives are. Progression, survival or maximising financial gain?

I remember Andy Murray won Wimbledon, and reading about the difference in pay between the coaches who coached the English and Polish tennis players that year.

Murray was the success story, but he was the only real one, which didn't stop the English coaches earning 500% more than their Polish counterparts even though the Poles had four different players who reached the last eight.

As I said in the original post, the RS and City both buy to sell very heavily. They buy a high volume of youth players and sell them for profit. City to the tune of near £500m (as the link I included). This enables them to keep spending on the first team.

I know you mean buy to sell in first team terms.

But whether we sell top quality first teamers is not down to a model - it is determined by our financials. If the takeover had not gone through we would have had to sell Branthwaite (as per Gordon, Richarlison, Onana etc in recent years).

Keeping Branthwaite was enabled by TFG's financial clout, not by our "model" (we don't really have a model right now as we've been living hand to mouth for nearly 5 years).

Until we get rich we will have to sell our best players at some point, whatever model we adopt. So it seems to make sense to adopt a model which allows us to replace those we sell more effectively, because we will sell at some point if the players become exceptional enough to attract offers from current Champions League royalty.

Which is no different to the RS a few years ago who were forced to sell their best players in Coutinho and Suarez - but their bargaining power / financial position meant they could hang onto them for longer and sell them at a higher price than might otherwise have been the case.

Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were top class players and both far better than any player we had during that period.

To your point on World Class. Rooney was World Class.

I don't think Andy Murray would appreciate being referred to as English!

UK yes, but Andy is a proud Scot and definitely not English.

The Polish coaches only got paid 20% of their British counterparts, even though they had a much better overall success rate.

I do not want our policy, whatever it may become, to be one where we just sell players to extract maximum profit. Which to be fair, appears to be the “everyone is for sale” one that Brighton seem to have adopted. Sooner or later that goes belly up.

There again, their owner is a high-stakes poker player! I do not want to support a business enterprise, I want a club with ambition. Hopefully, TSG see it that way too.

Hopefully that's where he'll stay.

That core of 7 players is progress, with Barry as a new signing. Moyes will be more orientated to a core of experienced players.

Maresca has been bobbing about the Premier League relying on a core of young players. They blew hot and cold, but eventually got it together. Other young players have been recently added. Moyes will want mid-table security and then to challenge.

The difference is building for the future to challenge, against staying mid-table and progressing one to three places above that. If Moyes had've signed Delap, he would not have been on the bench.

Which is why I thought aiming to follow the Villa route was a bit of a peculiar idea because of the richest 8 clubs they have achieved the least - and things are now in danger of falling apart there. I'd rather set my sights higher.

The difference with us vs Brighton is that they're as good right now as they can ever be, whereas we can be a team that is right at the top if we get things right. I believe people call it a ‘higher ceiling'.

If a small club like Chelsea can be World Club Champions, there's nothing we can't do.

Contrast with the promoted sides, Sunderland and Leeds in particular, who appear able to conclude multiple signings simultaneously - I don't know if the players they are buying are good enough, but they are signing unheralded (to me at least) players from good European leagues, for not insane prices, and quickly.

I understand it's not easy, that we still have to be financially watchful and that some of our new recruitment structure haven't started work yet. I don't expect the full squad revamp to take place in this window, but if we don't have at least a RW, CM, RB and LB in by early August, we will start the season undermanned, one or two injuries away from horrible square pegs in round holes again, and playing catch up on the rest of the league once more.

The slow build can go on in the the background.

But nothing breeds success than success. Then you build on it from a stronger position.

You follow the Everton transfers from clickbait rumours to complete deal and are impatient to have it finalised. Therefore it feels to you like it takes a long time.

You have no idea what Leeds or Sunderland are up to until it's announced, so it seems to you to have been done quickly out of nowhere.

Meanwhile their fans are annoyed how long it has taken to get Sean Longstaff over the line, whilst wishing they could get things done quickly, like Everton did with that French lad they've just signed out of nowhere…

What is this weird mentality that exists amongst Everton fans that success is only relevant and determinant of size and stature if it exists in the distant past rather than the present?

Stop being logical, don't let facts get in the way of my imagined rant. 😅

Football honours are irrelevant as soon as you win them. You parade the trophy and then you get on with winning the next thing.

Clinging on to the past is why Everton are shit and why they have fans making bizarre claims about the biggest club in London being a 'small club'.

I don't really get that perspective.

If we build up to having a very high quality squad in 5 years then why wouldn't we get there? It seems eminently possible after all - even the 14 year old GK we've just bought from the RS for £200k could be making his debut in 5 years. Had we built for the long term with the initial Moshiri spending then we can at least expect to be where Newcastle and Villa have reached recently as a minimum.

That then gives you the success to breed from, as you put it.

I'm not sure how you expect us to achieve success without having a very good team in the first place. Perhaps we are supposed to assemble a fine side simply by spending this summer's kitty wisely. That, I am afraid, is more along the lines of alchemy than reality.

There are bargains to be had out there - but it is impossible to "beat the market" with every single purchase you make - somehow buying a ready-made Champions League quality player for well below the normal price of a Champions League quality player.

5 years is a long time. We can go quicker whilst building behind the scenes.

We didn't wait for no-one in the dark days of 1983 and literally turned it around in a month. And only the tragic events of 1985 prevented that side from establishing itself as one of Europe's greats.

I keep saying, we're not going back to the reckless Moshiri days. The owners won't allow it. I always get your point about the best spend hundreds of millions.

We can't and won't do that right now, but we can invest wisely and shrewdly. As I keep saying, how you spend, not what you spend. But there has to be a balance and a focus on now.

We lost key players and couldn't attract those good enough to replace them, even though we won a 2nd league title, nearly a 3rd.

Wait 5 years and others will overtake or those that used to sit below us move further away.

We have the core of a very good team. It just needs those additions we have all done to death on here and we will be competing again.

I just don't see where the reticence and fear is. Be brave and bold and do it sooner rather than in 5 years.

But starting from a position where we have the smallest squad in the Premier League by some distance - with a squad currently rated by Transfermarkt as 17th (but closer to Leeds and Burnley in 18th and 19th than Wolves in 16th) - doesn't scream quick turnaround.

That is very different to the position Forest started from last season - with a very big squad and heavy year on year spending.

I know that is disappointing - and I know it would be nice to believe we can buy a few free transfers, loans and a rejuvenate a few faded stars like, say, Grealish and Luiz, but we would have to have incredible luck to do that. I'd rather put in place a good strategy to build up an exceptional squad as soon as possible (even if it takes a few years) - rather than rely on luck.

I think the difference in perspective is between those of us who have seen success (and know what it took to achieve it), and supporters who have not seen us win trophies. I admire the latter supporters a lot, and they include my two sons.

I agree that waiting more 5 years for a trophy is not acceptable. If our fans have not witnessed us winning trophies, the years of waiting is most unfair on you all. The club doesn't deserve 5 more years of your patience.

We need and expect success in the next 2-3 years.

We can't persuade the very best players to come here. But we can persuade players who we believe or hope will improve us now but may also be the best in 2/3 years time. Players like Thierno Barry hopefully.

If these players do become top class then inevitably some of them will want to move or be subject to ludicrous offers; in which case you repeat the process.

Grant, when I grew up, Chelsea was a small club. You used to be able to see the parked cars in the ground like it was non-league. Everything they've done has come in the last 30 years.

The ‘small club' thing comes down to fanbase and history. They had no history of success until the 90s, one league title before Abramovic and still have a stadium smaller than lots of other clubs despite billions of pounds of investment.

If we have a good summer window - there is a chance we could even sneak Europe this coming season. The chance improves with each year of proper spending (after a sustained period of extreme negative investment and cost-cutting) as we naturally overtake smaller clubs who've been outspending us of late - and gain ground on more established clubs.

I would be very disappointed if we're not properly / routinely competing for cups and Europe in 3 years. That is eminently possible.

However, I don't want that to be it.

I want us to have done much more to build a squad capable of winning titles and Champions League runs etc. That will probably take longer - but is something we can build to if we put the right foundations in now.

That we weren't in advanced discussions with players or already made deals with, with their clubs' approval of course, or battered the out-of-contract market successfully (you get 12 months notice on that one) just shows to me that it's the same old same old. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

We needed players in. Everyone at the club knew it. Mass exodus or not, we needed a good start. Flat and shit is what we have so far.

All this talk of buying future prospects does my head in too. We have them. They're on the bench and don't come on.
We've had them and the majority flopped.

Moyes is failing. Where rivals are not. He had better get his arse into gear and get some bloody good players in soon or he will be alongside all the other dismal failures of the last 30+ years on my ever-expanding dartboard!

Mike @118, I wouldn't say Chelsea were a small club. They always had a decent support base, but you are right about Stamford Bridge back in the day. It was awful. One stand, which is still there, but apart from a part cover on the Shed End, all pretty much open decaying terracing with a running track around the pitch. Until the 2000s, they had only won one league title in the 50s.

There is another club like that. Newcastle. I went to St James' Park in 1988. Again, they had one stand, which is the only remaining feature of that stadium from that era. The rest was open terracing, including the famous Gallowgate End.

We were tucked in the corner on crumbling terracing behind the goal, with what I would describe as one of those temporary golf like stands to our left.

A few weeks away from the season starting and, true to form, Everton are dragging their feet whilst other teams are doing business. So much for the promised land?

So far, the movement equates to 2 players. Pre-season back underway and no sign of said further additions.

Nothing changes.

All well and good saying spend £500M on players. But top players don't want to come to Everton. You'd just end up getting £100M worth of players for £500 M.

Douglas Luiz is apparently stalling on a move here as he waits for a better offer. McAtee had talks and then left according to reports. The best players won't come here.

Everton are very quiet, and I can't remember reading anything from any of the more respected journalists telling us much either?

Loads of footballers would love to sign Everton, I'm sure, especially with them moving into a fantastic new stadium on the banks of the Mersey. Why wouldn't they?

It's getting very frustrating; we kick off the new season 4 weeks tomorrow, and because things don't seem to be moving very well, then a lot of people are beginning to worry.

None of us really know what's happening behind the scenes, although it doesn't stop us speculating. I crave ultra-professionalism, but my first impressions are that I'm not sure we are going to get it out of TFG. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

You could sit here and list 20-30 players that Everton could sign tomorrow that haven't moved yet.

If you want your targets now, be prepared to pay a premium for it unless there's a release clause or out of contract. Or even be forced to wait if players want a better offer.

Patience.

The reason I say this is because the personnel has changed in virtually every area of the club!

"The reason I say this is because the personnel has changed in virtually every area of the club!"

There have been changes although I've seen it suggested that a few of the new names won't be in place for a few weeks yet.

"virtually every area"... what are you basing that on, Jon?

But changes have been happening. New ownership, new board, new recruitment structure and marketing appointments as well as investors. I suppose we could include Moyes in that too. And the new Sorts Director.

Still work to do, and there may be inevitable teething problems, but change has happened and will continue happening.

It is the same reason that Arsenal keep ending up second or third they do not posses a standout key finisher. Their keys are Saka, Rice, Raya and Saliba.

Newcastle Utd have Isak, Barnes, Pope and Tripper. They are missing one final piece to their jigsaw.

We have Pickford, Branthwaite and Ndiaye. Hopefully Barry will add but I think that dithering Dave has done it again. He has come into this transfer window with at least £120M+ and has not got any real key targets. He is looking for bargains and not 'ideal' targets. This, what is 'left in the bin' is false economy and will be noted by the owners.

Our first four games are extremely winnable but the whole team has not been bought and assembled so very little bedding in of the new team.

Last year LFC's preseason warm up consisted of successively higher level teams and the last game before the start of the new season was European level.
Not winning these 1st four games could cost us a European trip and lots of monies.

My top tips for best new player purchases this season will be Rayan Cherki (£30M), Ekitike (we could and should have bought him in January 2025 for about £27M instead of Alcaraz) and Takefusa Kubo (about £25M if anybody, us hopefully, buys him.

We could take this loan to buy further to a point similar to Chelsea's model. This 'pay more over years for a player' model has seen them gain prize monies from a higher premiership position, European place and winning the World Club tournament.

McAtee and Grealish surplus to requirements at city.

Garnancho, Sancho, Malacia, Antony, Rashford training with U18s.

Chiesa training on own.

Felix, Sterling, Chilwell, Disasi all told to leave.

The domino effect all to happen.

From the player's perspective, if that happens, he's landed on his feet after losing his way in recent seasons. It could be his last chance, because, unless there is managerial change at Man Utd over the next 12 months, he won't be welcome back at Old Trafford.

Moyes is a long way off Maresca? Maresca who has probably the most expensively assembled squad of top class youth players in world football but didn't finish in the Champions League places?

Also, the same Maresca who, with all that talent available to him, took just 2 points more than Moyes did in the Premier League since Moyes returned to Everton.

Remind me how Moyes is a long way off Maresca?

Whoever that comment is from, it is probably more related to Maresca having spent about £200M on players since he arrived. Well, that would be my take.

He's also had more success, both as a player and now coach / manager.

Since their American owners came in, they've outlaid £1bn on players. Yes, they've clawed some back, but they are still "challenging" Manchester United in the who's got the biggest debt league.

Speaking to my cousin regularly, it was a strange season for them. Unpopular owners, not happy with performances and not convinced they would clinch Champions League.

They did, which partly due to a very good, if not spectacular run in from April, perfect timing. And, like Newcastle, benefited from Nottingham Forest deciding to fall off the pace, which I'm sure a lot of us could see happening.

It will be an interesting season for Chelsea and Maresca, as, knowing my cousin and his mates, expectations will be running high on the Fulham Road.

Still, at least I will get to go to Chelsea v Everton at Stamford Bridge, even though I'll be sat amongst them again!!

Perhaps I should have said "in all the areas that matter when it comes to transfers"...

I'm talking Moyes, Irvine, McKinlay, Kinnear, Cox, Hammond, Howarth, Smith and all the Friedkin gang. All are new in 2025.

Don't get me wrong, I share the fear that this summer could turn into 'Same Old Everton', but I'm genuinely baffled how that could be the case. Are the old ways that deeply ingrained in the institution that they impact even the freshest of faces?

We've certainly got to get a couple in this week to allay these fears...

At Roma, TFG have not shown a willingness to invest massively in players. The rules (FFP, PSR) probably prevent them from doing so anyway, either there or at Everton.

Our squad needs better players in almost every position. It could be argued that a few key areas (RB, RM) would make a significant difference. However, I just can't see any real difference until the squad has a higher quality of player at its core.

It will likely take 3-4 years, and, even then, only if its done properly.

They have got certain things wrong at Roma (didn't read the people, quite right) and if they think they can come in and turn Everton back into a relic, like our former chairman did, then I believe they will also be misreading us Evertonians.

It's all just total guesswork on my part, so I hope I'm completely wrong.

I'm sure that they will want success. (That'll be central to any business model, surely?) However, I just struggle to understand how we make strides up the table without improvements in players?

Three or four players of better quality between now and the transfer window closing would make a difference. But not a fundamental difference imo.

Probably one ingredient missing, which is very relevant to football is luck. The element of surprise, coming from nowhere and getting a break. A turn in fortunes.

It's happened to us in the past and look at Palace. No way did they think they would win the FA Cup, which is why they didn't put their paperwork in on time for UEFA approval and have been harshly treated in my opinion.

Tony, I think TFG didn't endear themselves to the Roma supporters by showing their ruthless streak with fans' favourite Danielle De Rossi. They sacked him after failing to win the first 4 games last season, having only appointed him to take over from Mourinho in the second half of the previous season.

I suppose you could say the same ruthlessness was demonstrated with Dyche, hours before an FA Cup match, although I don't think that was met with the same sense of outrage by many Evertonians.

One thing I think is certain, is that Moyes won't have the same comfort he had previously and will need to stay on this toes and watch his phone if it doesn't go well. That will go for any future Everton manager post Moyes under this ownership.

We have got some good players but not enough of them, which means the good players won't really improve until they have got some better players to play with, imo?

I also agree with you about our owners wanting success, both for themselves and the business model, but when they're buying a sleeping giant who haven't won a trophy for 30years, they still haven't come out and told us the real reason why they bought Everton FC?

Don't expect to hear anything from them, I keep hearing, which is fine by me because I've always been of the opinion that actions speak a lot louder than words.

Usmanov had an excuse because he wasn't supposed to own us, but the Friedkins still haven't even travelled to watch an Everton game, which honestly doesn't fill me with much confidence.

Not so much the performance, but the lack of depth/quality in the squad. It wasn't until I saw it laid out before me, that I appreciated how sparse it was.

Not panicking yet, but might do if there aren't many come in before the end of August.

If we bring 3-4 in, and they are all better than what we have, then yes it would make a difference. But recruitment isn't an exact science and given our recent history with it, I worry that not enough of them will be improvements.

Especially as the narrative (bringing back Harrison, noises about how difficult it is to bring players in etc) seems to have shifted in the last week or two?

Hope I'm wrong obviously.

If a manager is only backed a little bit, then what is that logical requirement?

We have been in this situation before, I'm just writing that I don't think that a lot of Evertonians will stand behind our owners for too long if they have similar plans for the football club like one of our previous owners.

Let's wait and see but, going back to the Mr Beeston article, he did use a few phrases that concerned me. I suppose I'm better saying nothing more because only time will tell.

I wrote without seeing your last post, Liam, but if owners want real success, then this is something that you can definitely judge by their actions! Even if they get things badly wrong, like Mr Moshiri.

The second one, that could depend. With some backing, he gets more time. But again, if it's going horribly wrong, then it may force a decision.

Either way, I hope not, because I don't want it to go wrong.

I know we've turned it around previously, but I don't want another season of hovering around the relegation places in the run-up to Christmas.

I agree with the rest. Certain generations of us have been hurting for decades as we have watched our club steadily decline. We've become a very suspicious and cynical bunch. Yes, people like me are impatient and demanding, but we are protective about Everton.

Then we have those poor souls who have only witnessed an FA Cup and several last-ditch escapes from relegation. Some haven't even had that.

It feels like a new era, but we'll see. I don't care too much that TFG will control from a distance and have their own team in to run Everton for them. As long as their actions talk.

But I can understand the growing frustration of locally-based blues who will be on the receiving end of daily reminders that our loveable neighbours have already shelled out close to £300M in this window.

Okay, rustiness, pre-season etc. But that was our starting 11 less the keeper.

So, you would expect a bit more.

There is no quick fix to the damage already done.

I believe, if Moyes was left with a free hand, he'd know this is a 3-year project to get us up to the European places, by buying good potential. That's the sensible route.

There is another route, though, faster but containing more risk. And that is signing established players who can improve the team right now. And the bind with that is that we are unattractive currently to that strata, and so the way we attract them is paying over the top and higher wages.

It's also a route we've grown wearily familiar with in the last decade. I'd rather not pursue that route again, and I suspect Moyes would too. But I fear the owners are in a hurry, and want the money spent and for the die to be cast.

And so we are playing poker in the big league with not much of a hand. And Moyes doesn't shine in such a scenario, it smacks of the pressure he was put under to sign top players when he was at Man Utd.

Players like Luiz just feel like a Koeman-style signing, I was hoping for more players like Barry, players I'd not heard of but who would give us five good years.

As others have pointed out, Moyes won't be given the room he's had in the past; for me, that's not something to our advantage though.

As we don't have the added attraction of European football, no doubt the players we are interested in (and their agents) will be holding out to see what alternatives pop up.

Plainly we need another 5-6 in, but it wouldn't surprise me to see most new arrivals appear in the last few days of the window.

It's generally better not to kid ourselves we're getting the peak version of a player that the present elite clubs are no longer interested in.

Would you put Ndiaye, Alcaraz, O'Brien, Branthwaite and the unknown that is Barry in those categories?

We could even add Tarkowski and Pickford to that.

They are out there. We just need to find them.

And yes the players are always out there.

I think we've actually got a decent blend of developing and experienced players. We just need to add more of both.

Interesting interview with O'Brien on the official website. He says he's pleased so far, but wants to keep developing and can get better. Fine by me.

Lets see what the next few weeks bring.

Just because Moyes is away with the squad doesn't mean negotiations can't be going on in this interconnected world.

It is okay to say some other teams haven't signed many but they didn't have their squads cut by 12 players.

We finished last season with the wind in our sails but we have seen this a few times before when it hasn't taken long for our hopes to be dashed, simply because it's not often Everton have been prepared for a new season this century.

I thought once we got rid of the muppets and got over the PSR farce, that we would at least see some better quality additions.

About 8 weeks after the season ends, we got one new first-team addition… and he is unproven at this level.

I am also fed up with being embarrassed in the USA where the Liverpool, Chelsea and Man U are revered.

We are every bit as big as any of them and yet we continue to suffer.

Oh, the life of an Evertonian post John Moores!

It's been hard for a very long time now, and it's been a very slow summer for a club that needed to do a lot more business than most.

I cast my mind back to the conversation that ended Sean Dyche's tenure, and wonder what else they spoke about for him to claim he had taken the squad as far as he could?