Is David Moyes looking to reunite with Tomas Soucek?

If he does come, at least he'll stop scoring against us.

I'd take him if the fee is reasonable. We need options in the final third and he adds to that.

Yes, we need to 'youth up' the team. However, when you're building, you need a good steady foundation to put the bricks on. Soucek is 30 but, as a stop-gap, he fits the bill. Whilst the youngsters are finding their feet, he'll be a good support.

Before anyone says we need them hitting the ground running, for them, it's a new team, a new method of playing, a new manager, and a new set of fans. Give them a chance, and I'm sure Moyes's influence can build a strong team.

[This is from a guy that had big doubts about Moyes being the right man for the job.]

I agree, John. You always need a balance of youth and experience. Right now, think Tarkowski and, although this may not please everyone, the presence Ashley Young has brought to the team this season. Likewise, Idrissa Gana Gueye, arguably our Player of the Season.

They bring leadership and guidance to the young players. At our own levels, we've all played with them and been them!!

I'll be honest, I know very little about Soucek, but 30 is not an age that would concern me in the modern game.

There some stats flying around a few weeks ago about how much better our points-per-game record is with Doucoure in the team than without.

West Ham's records with or without Soucek is pretty similar.

No problem with this if it's instead of Doucoure, not as well as.

Better than what we've got; let's put it that way..

He reminds me of a lesser version of when we had Tim Cahill.

The attack we have currently gotten has been very punchless most of this season, let's be honest.

Not for me at 30 years of age.

If there's any truth in this, it makes me think Moyes is playing safe and aiming low.

Not for me. A very average footballer, no resale value, don't think he improves us.

I would be very disappointed if this is the type of signing we make.

Forget the resale, Ryan. Why are we always thinking of selling players?

We'll sell Branthwaite and probably replace him with a lesser version.

We sold Lukaku and never replaced him.

We allowed players like Barkley, Richarlison, Sigurdsson to go and never replaced them with anything better.

Soucek ain't one for the future but he's 30, if he comes in and scored 10 goals next season, that's probably 9 more than most of our non-scoring midfielders return.

We need to stop thinking about resale and start thinking about a competitive team next season.

We can sort the wage outgoing out with the departures of the likes of Young, Keane, Coleman, Calvert-Lewin will be on a big wedge that will save us.

I think Beto will leave, to be honest, if any kind of offer from Italy came in. And Branthwaite sadly will probably go.

No thanks — and no to Ashley Young. It's time to move on. We've become so used to mediocrity. We need to start to build a completely different squad that works together as players and with the head coach. Nothing less.

We will retain Branthwaite, who will work well with Jake O'Brien. Use the fab skills of Ndiaye. Introduce some speed and crossing ability on both left and right and add a young, hungry and strong striker.

Moyes should be searching for the next "Soucek", not the current one.

No.

Apparently, Potter is willing to sell Soucek due to a drop in his energy level during games.

He might have a goal in him but, once his legs begin to go, then his performances will decline pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, that's the way the modern football world works, Jim.

I wouldn't be buying anyone over the age of 25.

Soucek hasn't scored 10 in a season since 2020-21.

He's another big 'un…

Height: 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)

That's big for a midfielder, so how mobile or pacy is he?

To call him a "very average footballer" is utterly ridiculous and it can only be concluded you haven't actually watched him play much?

He is in fact a very good player and well respected — whether we should sign him or not is another matter. Garner, Calvert-Lewin, Mykolenko and players like this are very average; Soucek is clearly in a league above these.

Moyes is not going to take us any further than mid-table, at best, if these are the players he is wanting.

Safe Dave,

I go back to my point about a blend of youth and experience.

On that basis, Ryan, where does the leadership come from? We wouldn't have signed James Tarkowski, our captain or Idrissa Gana Gueye under those guidelines.

Going way back, the 33-year-old left back, Paul Power, a key member of our team the last time we won the league in 1986-87.

I have no idea about this player but can ask a good West Ham mate, or whether there is any truth in the supposed links, but age wouldn't put me off.

I didn't prevent our neighbours re-signing Salah (32) and Van Dijk (33) for a reported combined wage of nearly £1M per week.

Don't let age come into it, to repeat, I don't think 30 is an age to be concerned about in the modern game, depending on style of play.

If he's 6ft-4in, then alongside Branthwaite and O'Brien, our specialist set piece coach will surely have no hiding place?!!

T arkowski and Gueye cost nothing so had no amortisation value. The West Ham fella will cost money.

He's a slow average footballer. I want Everton to sign players with pace and to create a young vibrant team.

I've seen many West Ham fans wanting rid of him.

I'd be interested in your friend's opinion of him?

Let's not compare ourselves to Liverpool FC.

They are in a different stratosphere as a club than we are.
They have a £600M turnover. Everton have a £190M turnover.

We should sign players we can develop and sell for higher values to reinvest.

Let's not compare Soucek to Salah or Van Dijk either!

About a million levels difference between them.

Why be a selling club, Ryan? And how did Liverpool get there?

I understand the aims of an academy are to firstly try and develop players for the first team squad and secondly make a profit for the investment. Don't forget, when you consider the investment on facilities, coaches and other aspects of running an academy, they aren't free.

Develop and sell to start all over again? It's a bit like chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You never get there.

Quite, Brian.

We're a selling club like the 99.99% of clubs are. Watch the big boys take Branthwaite from us in the summer. If we sell to reinvest, then no problems.

One of the big reasons we're in the mess we were was because we bought a load of players who failed at bigger clubs who then left with no money coming back into the club.

I sort of get what you're saying, Ryan, but we end up in a continuous loop. Sell, reinvest, sell again, reinvest. A never-ending cycle.

Successful teams keep their best players. Within reason obviously, there are examples of selling to improve the squad. We've never been good at that going back to selling Alan Ball in the name of good business (before my time incidentally).

Sir Alex did it well at Manchester United. Even they did when they sold Torres and Sanchez after him.

I said I'd ask a West Ham friend and supporter. He came back saying he's rated but Potter doesn't rate him. Potter, who many touted as Everton manager. Didn't work out at Chelsea and hardly setting the world alight at West Ham.

Apparently the Irons have only won 1 out of 8 that Soucek didn't start in and that was against the equally poor Manchester United. Both our rivals in the race for 13th.

I'm with the No voters on thus one. But we of course don't make the decisions.

I'm concerned about Moyes though, his decision for a set piece coach and who it is for example.

I would have him on a 2-year contract, Moyes should know what he brings.

Our biggest problem is, if players are good enough, they all want to play in the Champions League. If you are not in it, it's a chicken-and-egg situation, we need just one outstanding season that gets us there.

The most important member of management is the one who can find and persuade good enough players to join us.

I remember a few seasons ago, I used to think the Soucek and Rice pairing was the best in the Premier League, so he's a player I've always rated highly.

I did read the concerning stat recently that he was the 2nd slowest player in the Premier League, so if we were to get him, I think I'd play him in the old Fellaini/Cahill role rather than alongside a 36-year-old Gana (presuming Gana stays).

If we can agree a fee in the region of £16M, it would be good business. He scores more goals than Doucoure and would be an upgrade. I'm not keen on his age, but that can be ignored if the fee is right.

Gavin @27,

I rate him, Gavin, and like you say, if the fee reflects his age, then I don't really have too much of an issue with the fact that he is 30.

3 or 4 good years left in him.

With the current rebuild, we will need experienced old heads with Premier League experience alongside the younger players; I'm thinking particularly of Harrison Armstrong here.

Saying that, without going on the internet, I don't know what his injury record is like.

Thanks, Danny.

But again you're comparing this Everton with the winning machine of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, with PSR no consideration.

If we were to be ever successful again, all the bigger clubs just take our players anyway.

Depends how you define success.

The days of Everton winning league titles has gone and is never coming back.

The club are happy to be mid table — as shown by the small capacity stadium we've just built.

Get him in on 2-year deal and make him Captain, and build the squad around him.

Why do you say it's never coming back, Ryan. You must be old enough to remember Manchester City in the 3rd tier of English Football? And minutes away from nearly staying there.

I'm not happy with mid-table and our capacity is roughly the same an the Etihad. I'd rather have a stadium packed to the rafters than one with empty seats.

I've watched Roma in the Olympico. 40,000, decent crowd, but in a stadium that holds 80,000, it is half empty and evaporates the atmosphere. That's why they are building a new one with just over 50,000 capacity, as did Juventus a few years back.

Liverpool went 30 years without a league title, Man Utd 1967 to 1993 with a relegation in that period. Do you think they never thought they would win the league again?

I just don't get that mentality.

Ryan @29,

‘The days of Everton winning league titles has gone and is never coming back'

Don't believe that, Ryan.

I can't see Everton paying £16M for Soucek. He's decent, but nearly €20M is a fair amount for a lad that's 31 next February.

If we pay that, we've learnt nothing. £8M in amortisation per season, and another £5M+ in wages = £13M for a journeyman player at the end of his career.

Free transfer, yes; if not, spend the money on Cherki, Rigg, Habit Diarra, types that have a future value and ability to improve. Not possible? I say put in decent wages and a suitable release fee and you get players like Huijsen, Cunha etc.

Agree, Ian.

Plus, we can't take a set piece so his main ability wouldn't be used here.

Not for me, he is a player with no pace and little skill. Other than in the air.

Not one of the West Ham fan sites I have checked out rate him at all. He is a donkey.

If this is the level of player we are looking to sign, then god help us. Not worried about his age, he just isn't very good.

And I have watched him play on several occasions, never been impressed. We need to add pace to the team – not a slowcoach!

Manchester City, again, were bought when there was no PSR constraints.

Plus they were bought by an oil-rich Middle Eastern country with unlimited money. Now they are set up.

Liverpool are Liverpool. A huge football club with a massive worldwide support. Not comparable to Everton.

Man City are adding new seats to the stadium to bring theirs to more than 60k.

Our stadium has been built at under 53k which will make us to be the 7th or 8th highest.

Doucoure on lower wages.

Burnleyham!

Ryan, I just can't go with your sentiment that we cannot and will not get back to challenging.

Unfortunately, and you revealed your age previously, you are part of the lost generation that has had the expectation beaten out of them.

I can't and won't accept it and it makes me sad that Evertonians like you feel that way.

I want Everton to succeed more for the likes of you than me. And we will.

Maybe use Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle as examples?

Ryan, wrong!

We will win the Premier League again. Trouble is, it will be when the European Super League happens and the Sky 6 leave for their untold riches and we can compete on a financially level playing field.

33 years of Premier League - only 2 non-Sky 6 winners.
33 years of FA Cup - only 4 non-Sky 6 winners
33 years of League Cup - only 9 non-Sky 6 winners

85% of trophies to them.

Danny,

I admire people like you who keep going and going, spending your money on this club.

Phil,

Then I won't really care. May as well win the Championship!

I reciprocate the sentiment, Ryan. I stand there every week full of pride for the young supporters who have been given little, if anything, to hold onto. But they are there, and put the likes of me to shame.

On the subject of transfers, a notification popped up from the Everton Heritage Society today, reminding me that we'd signed Ian Wilson for the 87-88 season after winning the league.

Ian Wilson. I remember it well. League Champions and we signed Ian Wilson. Shakes head.

Keep posting, Ryan. You balance things out from fools like me!!

Didn't Liverpool buy Barnes, Aldridge and Beardsley, while we bought Ian Wilson? Or was that later?

Would be a decent signing on a free with modest wage demands.

However, he's not on a free and currently earns £90k per week.

Buying from other Premier League clubs is almost always the best way to get hold of massively over-priced average players.

No, correct, Ryan, and it was a game changer for them. They ran away with the league in 1987-88 with those two.

We stopped them beating Arsenal to "The Invincibles" tag, being the first team to beat them in March I think. 1 - 0 at Goodison, courtesy of Wayne Clarke.

They had also previously brought in John Aldridge and Ray Houghton. I shouldn't know this stuff, but unfortunately, I remember it all.

The first through the door.

Sums up the two clubs there, Danny.

Doucoure, Young and Soucek in our squad next season would be okay for some people?

I think the one thing they would all guarantee is that none of them would be as ‘potent’ next season as they have been.

Danny, I loved Paul Power but he was pretty much the final piece in the puzzle for that team.

Doucoure’s stats (compiled by Mike G?) must be heavily reliant on historic results and declining steadily now.

There will always be examples of players who are exceptions to the rule but generally older pros must have greater probability of a reduction in their capabilities.

As some of our younger players already lack real pace this risks doubling down on something that I think needs improving overall.

Everton can win the league again but it won't be with owners like The Friedkin Group, sadly. We'd need a billionaire takeover from some oil-rich Arab with serious intentions of greatness for this club.

TFG just don't strike me that they will be much more than what we've seen in the last 7 years. Moshiri didn't have a clue about the football side of things.

The amount of money we spunked and amount of players we signed between 2016 and 2020, we should absolutely have done what the likes of Newcastle have achieved in a shorter space of time.

The trouble is, with Everton Football Club, it has a losers mindset and never portrays itself as a modern-day big club.

You only need to look at our record away to the top sides, we haven't won at Chelsea for 31 years, that's an absolute disgrace for a club like Everton.

We haven't beaten Liverpool at Anfield with fans in the ground this century, same at Arsenal, one win behind closed doors since 1996. One win at Old Trafford since 1992.

The club needs to shake itself out of this mentality and the shackles that just staying up every year is acceptable. Even our attitude towards getting knocked out the cups disgusts me. Why do we want to get knocked out of Cups to focus on finishing 13th every year?

Everton Football Club should be aiming to win a Cup ASAP, something else that's been allowed to go for far too long.

He's 30 years old with little pace, still under contract, and definitely not worth £16M.

His best years are behind him.

Not for me. He represents the sort of endeavour-over-skill player that I'd hope we could move past. The people wanting him instead of Doucoure would soon be criticizing him instead of the Frenchman. He's similarly limited.

If he was on a low fee and modest wage, it could make sense. But anything more than £8M or so would be dubious business. If Moyes goes out and spends £16M on him, it will be solid evidence that he has control of transfers and that the sort of short-termism that has blighted us before has returned.

I think, for where we currently stand as a club, we will need some experienced pros to get us to that next level, which is mid-table. The last four to five seasons have been horrendous and what we need for the short term is some stability.

The longer term most definitely should be what the likes of Newcastle Utd and Aston Villa have done, bringing in younger players but also building a squad to compete for the top honours.

Kunal.

Villa and Newcastle have spent hundreds of millions to get where they are. Buying players as limited as Soucek isn't the route up the table.

Soucek has scored 7 goals and got a couple of assists this season. I don't buy the notion his best years are behind him. He never had pace to lose in the first place.

If we recruit well with younger players from the Championship and abroad, we will need one or two senior pros like Soucek in the team. He's someone who was singled out by Moyes as one of the biggest characters in the dressing room and a model pro at West Ham.

I would have loved us to have signed him in 2020, but I'd take him now for £15-16M exception and we don't make a rule of buying older players with no sell-on value, I think he'll be a great signing. He's Moyes's boy and knows exactly what's expected and will lead by example.

Robert, I'm expecting one or two signings like Soucek to provide some stability. Moyes trusts in characters and profile of players which he believes will make that difference and fit into his work ethic.

We're a good few seasons away from being Aston Villa or Newcastle Utd but, with moving to a new stadium and the increased commercial revenue that will bring, I expect us to have greater spending power over the coming seasons and eventually narrowing that gap to those clubs.

Soucek would be short term, but will add experience. For me, it's an evolving process. We'll see what the summer brings.

Why do we need experience when we will already have the likes of Pickford, Tarkowski, Gana (hopefully) and maybe even Young or Coleman? Why pay £16M on Soucek when we could probably just keep Doucoure for another season on similar wages?

I'm not sure we're lacking in experience; we're lacking in pace and quality. I'm not convinced Soucek offers either. Whatever money we spend on him will not be recovered – which makes it more likely we have to sell a better, younger player down the line.

We should not be spending more than £6-8M on any player over 28 unless they offer something really unique to the team. Soucek is a hard worker and a threat at set pieces. We have those things already.

Has anyone heard the rumour about Mika Beireth of Monaco or is it just another tabloid rumour??

Plenty being mentioned about us being the 2nd oldest team in the Premier League. For that reason alone, it doesn't work.

I think this one might be the acid test re who's really going to be making the hiring decisions for next season.

Tom, yeah, that rumor has been reported all over the place.

Never seen him but he's young and supposedly very gifted. Scored 12 in 12 after joining Monaco from Austria.

I mentioned Bierith a few times last summer as he had done well at Hearts and Sturm Graz on loan. Realistically he would have really struggled for goals with us, but could have spent a season developing with a view to taking over from Calvert-Lewin for the 2025-26 season.

I don't see him being as prolific in the Premier League as he's been in France. But, in a team with pace, width, creativity and movement, he's a good focal point for the attack.

Sam #57,

I get the point you're making but I think it's highly unlikely that Coleman and Young will be in the squad next season.

Pickford isn't particularly old for a keeper, so that leaves us with Gana (hopefully), Tarkowski, and potentially Soucek. I think that's a good balance of older players if we then recruit young players like Chris Rigg and Tom Fellows.

I'm biased about Soucek as I've always rated him but, as well as the goals, he's also got good numbers as a defensive midfielder, so I understand why Moyes would want to sign him.

Paul #59,

The reason it doesn't work for me is that we're also the slowest team in the league. We have the need for speed. And there are glaciers that move faster than Soucek.

Sam @57,

Your assessment of Soucek is absolutely correct.

Hopefully the rumour is another example of lazy journalism.

Way too many managers, Moyes included, would rather go with who they know and trust... He did it at Sunderland and that worked well??

We don't need 'Old' Richarlisons or Sourceks. We need to be finding their 24-year-old equivalents!

Seems time that Alcaraz is a 22-year-old alternative but Moyes is playing it safe with him for reasons we aren't privy to. Trying to get him on the cheap?

Unsure of his character considering both Saints and now the Brazilian club let him go in pretty short order?

There's a centre forward at Southampton, Paul Onachu. He's a 30-year-old Nigerian striker who has scored 4 goals in 23 games for them, but he is a real handful.

If Southampton release him, I would give him a trial and see how it works out.

4 goals in 23 games.

Think I'd give him a miss.

Gavin @62, equally I see your point: a reliable, hardworking professional who usually gets 5-6 goals per season from midfield has its attractions. For me, it's just about opportunity cost.

Perhaps it depends on how much we have to spend this summer but I'm imagining we'll be looking at around £60M net spend. If that's the case, I have doubts about allocating almost ⅓ of it on an older player of diminishing value. If the price were nearer £7-8M then it makes more sense to me.

Jim at #50 is spot on, TFG will probably set for European football, mostly Europa and Conference League (occasionally).

I think most Evertonians would be happy with those goals but, if they lay the right foundations, the mega rich state oil owner may appear to take Everton to the league titles. I think it has to be a slow progression.

Swap deal for Patterson — both value each other at £30M for the old PSR calculations.

Job's a good 'un.

No one in their right minds would take Patterson at £30M.
He's injury prone, cannot read the game, and Everton bought him when he could not hold down a place in the first XI at Rangers.

Whoever thought it was a good deal when he joined Everton has a lot to answer for.

The new team, shaped by Moyes, will need a balance of youth and experience. I expect us to part company with the experience of Coleman, Keane, Young this Summer, maybe others.

I want to see more flair and youthful exuberance, but backed by a few older heads, and I certainly want more leaders on the pitch. I think Tarkowski has been our only leader (save for the erratic Pickford) and it often shows in our mentality.

Soucek only makes sense on a very pragmatic commercial deal and a sub-£10M price.

Phil @ 40.

If those teams did leave to join the European Super League, then current Premier League TV deals would collapse overnight and clubs would lose revenue – left, right, and centre. It would be the end for a lot of clubs and we would quite possibly be one of them.

Andrew @74.

It wouldn't end some clubs, they would just have to stop wasting money.

I can't wait for a European Super League and the Big 6 sod off.

How would Everton facilitate their stadium debt without TV money?

You would get TV money, just not as much.

Silly transfer fees and wages would stop, saving you millions.

There's your problem, Paul.

There would be hundreds of players on huge contracts that the drop in revenue couldn't cover. They're not going to take an overnight cut.

I wish we'd stop going after players that the clubs don't want anymore, eg, Theo Wallcott, Neil Maupay other players are available to mention. Also, a set-piece coach whose total agenda for corners is to place it perfectly into the other team's goalkeeper's gloves!

Also, if Soucek has a drop of energy levels during games, he'll be in good company – do we need another?

Looks like Lindstrom is definitely going. Packed his bags and put a photo on Instagram

Sheedy did alright, Terry.

Why do some people think TFG haven't sufficient resources and there is an oil-state owner potentially just around the corner?

It's as if those people still don't understand that no owner can simply transfer billions to Everton's account and that Everton has been on offer to anyone with sufficiently deep pockets to be able to restructure our debt for a couple of years!

But I trust Moyes; unlike us, he will see exactly where Soucek will fit in, what he will be expected to do, and how the other players will interact.

We have a good history of buying players who were finished and didn't look good, of buying players that we agreed were superstars. Very often the real MotM in many games can be somebody you never notice.

Look at Makelele and Gueye: many would say "What do these guys do?" But they are the key players, the ones who break up attacks and it can look awful.

We can't replace our Gueye. He, Pickford and Tarkowski have kept us up and made some totally incompetent managers rich.

I'm also going to say that about Doucoure too, our current target for the boo boys. We will miss him.

Soucek is a big No! Another average player. We have loads of them at the minute.

He might be a better upgrade on Doucoure but we should move away from such players. We should be going in for young hungry players who can fetch us a good money if we decide to move them on in future.

Andrew @74, it most certainly wouldn't be the end of Everton. It would obviously be a huge re-set of football… but why should that be a negative thing?

A super league, in my view, would be a fabricated TV non-sport, distant from reality and devoid of passion. Look at the joy that some of the Blues on here (Rob Halligan, Neil Copeland for example), get from travelling to support our team. A European trip is a lifetime experience. What real fans are going to be travelling to see Liverpool away to Lyons?

It's about what we want from supporting football. When the Super League comes, it will become like a Grand Prix circus. Meaningless, money-grabbing nonsense.

The rest of us will be watching real competition in grounds full of real supporters. The fans are a major part of the Sky product. Bring on the Super League and give the game back to the people.

I think we should get 2 quality players this summer. Keep the out-of-contract players where possible, only on better terms for us, not them. Any players that don't sign on or whose loans have come to an end can be replaced in the loan market or with frees.

Surely if we have a big list of targets, we can convince just 2 to come here?

Although it hasn't reached the meaningless stage just yet, Andy, the amount of gamesmanship that is on view whenever I watch a high-level game of football has now become so off-putting that it could quite easily turn me away from the game for good.

I've always thought that football reflects life, and with so much greed and dishonesty in the world now, I'm genuinely hoping for a major reset.

Everything gets distorted in the pursuit of money, Tony.
Businesses seemingly only want identikit staff they can measure with the most basic metrics. Soft skills are being ignored or just aren't recognised.

Politicians like Trump believe everything can be dealt with like it's a simple transaction to see who will take what proportion of the profit. He has zero idea about sovereignty or diplomacy.

Ironically, the top footballers are currently somewhat immune from being judged as to what their true cost-effectiveness is. They are like the bosses who are still raking it in whilst their employees are expected to be happy with cost-of-living rises.
The risk for all these situations is that a breaking point can be reached when the most likely thing is an implosion.

Not for me. My worry is who will be responsible for the recruitment, post Thelwell?