Liam Delap could be the face of the Everton project, says Fabrizio Romano

If he comes to us and we win something, he can do Delap of honour.

I’ll get me coat…

Allegedly too, he wants to have guaranteed minutes, also keen to return to the North-West.

I think he would be a good addition, and just hope there are no snags.

Scott, you have just won today's ToffeeWeb.

Congratulations!

The release clause may say £30M but other clubs might be prepared to part with a little more if they consider he's worth the punt.

Scott, if we sign him would we be in Delap of luxury?

Mike, has Derek hijacked your account??

When asked about the prospect of signing a new centre-forward Moyes answered:

"It's in de lap of de Gods."

He's got yours too, Brendan!

Sign him now, not in 15 years when he'll be dilapidated.

As long as he doesn’t do a Van der Meyde and spend most of his time pissed and down Delap-dancing bar.

I'm all for it, assuming it's not more than £35-40M and/or it prevents us from strengthening in other positions of need.

But I'm curious what that means for Beto and Calvert-Lewin, assuming v has a contract offer. Chermiti would certainly go out on loan, unless Calvert-Lewin goes elsewhere and Beto is sold. And that's all fine, assuming Beto doesn't sulk too much. But if Calvert-Lewin signs on reduced wages, and we sign Delap, that's a lot of someone sitting on the bench making decent money. I guess that's what happens with squads with good depth.

More than anything, it would be a real coup, a real sign of strength and probably a smart move for Delap if he came our way, assuming we sign a winger or two and a right-back who can get him the ball.

Scott, I thought the worst was over!

A couple of posters don't seem to quite get the release clause thing.

All clubs will have a £30M bid accepted, no-one needs to offer more and offering more won't get you anything.

Delap can then choose which club to join, based on the financial package, the status and opportunities of the club and the role he believes he'll be given.

Our only advantage is in the last of those three.

Surely you choose Champions League albeit in the arse end of nowhere.

Anyone know where he's actually from?

At £30M, he may be good value and has potential for the future, but I don't see him leading the line for us. 12 in 37 and 8 in 31 the previous season with Hull, isn't really the level we need.

I'd prefer a proven striker if we're aiming for top 6, ideally Richarlison if he can stay fit. I don't see Delap as an upgrade on Beto either.

Another positive for him signing for us would be that it might get him on the plane to the World Cup Finals, if he gets game time and has a stand-out season.

Riding the bench for Man Utd or Chelsea won't help him.

We may or may not get this chap, but I think we've sent a signal loud and clear to Beto that he won't be our first choice striker next season, so I think he'll go. At his age, he will want to be playing, and we should get our money back thanks to his good form.

The Alcaraz one is odd, it should have been straightforward if we wanted him. I can only think that Moyes may have someone else in mind for what is admittedly an absolutely crucial position on the field, and Charly may not be happy to be a squad player after the amount of time he's spent on the bench with us.

Oh no. Gana going back to France?

I do think Beto is improving, and I think you can see the coaches working on him.

I'll put my hand up: I said he was a duffer. I'd keep him, he's scoring and he's getting into goal scoring opportunities.

Need Derek Mountfield to teach him to header it down, and he'd get a shit load.

He is an antagonistic thug on the pitch. Should he wear our colours his yellow and red card numbers will go stratospheric, we all know why. I was surprised by his stats. I think Moyes could tame the rage he has akin to Beto.

He may be a great number 10 (?) to our own whirling dervish.Too many ifs buts and maybes about signings and we don't have any record other than debacle in the transfer market.

Martin, our last 3 transfers in were Tim Iroegbunam (£11M), Iliman Ndiaye (£15M), Jake O'Brien (£17M).

I would not call that a debacle.

Totally agree, Ed.

Joe @ 18 – what makes you say that? What have you heard??

Imagine having an antagonistic thug leading the line, picking up red cards. Blinking flip !

Mark@22, nothing concrete but seen it twice on Twitter, that he wants longer than 1 year.

Martin, personally I wish we still had Kevin Thelwell, I thought he did brilliant in very difficult circumstances.

I loved Richarlison when he was with us but I don't think we should be looking at him. He seems a shadow of his former self and never seems fit, to me. Delap is younger and less of a risk, in my opinion.

There would be a big expectation on his shoulders though with Everton being a significant step up from Ipswich. He'd get guaranteed minutes on the pitch though which isn't something some of the other clubs can offer him and he'd get to play at our new stadium.

Please don't let Gana go.

Regarding Gana, this is always the problem with letting contracts run out. You risk someone else being willing to pay a few million more or a year or two more, and not much you can do at that point. But we took a stance that we weren’t negotiating new contracts until safety was secured, and now here we are.

I’d give Gana two years, but at what price? Richarlison is also a no for me, unless it’s a reasonable loan deal. Love him, but he has not shown enough with Spurs to justify a big price tag.

Richarlison's loss of form at Spurs may be due to the environment at the club.

He was bought by Daniel Levy and it could be that the managers have not fancied him so much. They had Son, Kane and Kulusevski when he arrived and they have signed Werner, Madison, Johnson and Solanke since then.

Although Kane has gone, that is too many attacking players fighting for playing time. I think that Moyes could bring the best out of him if he stayed fit.

Steve (15), you write that post as if those numbers guarantee that that's what he'll produce forever.

Surely I don't need to explain that a 20-21 year old playing in a better team might improve?!

I wonder what Harry Kane and Alan Shearer produced at 20-21?

Richarlison had just turned 21 when he joined Everton and he scored 53 goals in 4 seasons despite being played mainly as a winger. Spurs might want to off-load him. In terms of playing ability he is in a different league to Delap.

Even Calvert-Lewin was able to score when Richarlison was his winger.

Biased but so I think we're his best bet. We're crying out for a striker, he'd be central to our plans and he'll be given every chance, even if there are a few rough patches.

And there's every chance at Man Utd or Chelsea he'd be another squad player and stall.

Rasmus Hojlund cost Man Utd a whopping £72M and he's barely set the world alight in the time he's been there. Maybe the pressure of leading the line at the so called biggest club in the world has affected him, so why should Delap be any different?

Not saying he would hit the ground running should he join us, but there wouldn't be anywhere near the pressure on him playing for us compared to Man Utd.

I'm still in two minds over Delap, he's had one season in the Premier League and stood out in a poor side.

But on the plus side, £30M is not a gamble in today's prices, and he's only 23.

Delap is 22

Joe, I was also firmly in the keep Thelwell camp, I feel we threw the baby out with the bathwater there. He did a good job with nothing to play with, played a good hand in his time here.

To those speculating about where Delap is from, if he came to us, he'd hardly be coming home, he was born in Winchester. That said, he's probably been in Manchester for many of his teen years. Let's hope his family are settled there.

We absolutely need to go all in on this, big contract offer and the No 9 shirt. A certain starter; that said, I like Beto and think he can do a job next season, he is improving.

Ryan #35 My apologies 23 next February, WOW!

I don't really care if he's 22 or 23. We're splitting hairs there.

If he can score goals and wants to play for Everton, that will do for me.

"Due to an exceptional registration period for the expanded Club World Cup, the Summer 25 transfer window will open early between Sunday June 1 and Tuesday" — Sky News.

I wonder how this works in with the PSR year ending the 30th June? Could mean Everton may have some headroom earlier than expected.

A front two of Beto and Delap could be a battering ram of a front line and a good foil for the likes of McNeil, Ndiaye and Alcaraz working it in from the wings.

But not sure how Moyes will play twin strikers. For some reason, he was always better at keeping the lone striker up top (like Bent) but could never pair up say Beattie and Johnson or Yakubu and Johnson. He seemed more adept at keeping a lone striker with a No 10 or No 8 running in from midfield, like Cahill or Fellaini.

That all said, I suspect Delap will do something silly and go to Man Utd — where all good players go to die.

Sky reporting that Cunha is set for Man Utd medical after release clause terms met.

Probably rules them out of Delap race.

£30M for a 22-year-old up-and-coming striker seems a no-brainer to me — assuming of course he fits into our playing style.

"Want to play every week in this spanking new stadium, son, in front of fans desperate for a new striking hero?

"Sign for us, we'll match everyone else on wages and in 3 years time you'll be spearheading a thriving Everton team, or ready for a move to a bigger club where they'll have to play you every week."

That should be our pitch to him, and every young player we target.

Paul, spot on.

I wonder if he knows the words to There She Goes?

Won't impact Jerome. Financial year ends that matter, not transfer windows.

Apparently Delap's preference is Chelsea.

Jerome #39

Almost certain to have no impact whatsoever.

If Moyes is fishing for him it points towards Calvert-Lewin not signing a new contract which is hadly suprising.
I'm not keen on Delap, I don't see him as value at £30m + what he will want a week.
It also doesn't send a great message to Beto.
What bit of Chermiti l have seen I've liked and I'm hopefull he will come good.

We do need two more forwards if Calvert-Lewin is leaving but I don't fancy Delap as one.

Neil, fortunately I know the words to There She Goes.

Despite Mark Murphy's efforts in trying to teach me, I still fluff my lines with the Ndiaye song.

Music was never my thing.

Goals per 90 minutes 24/25 season
Delap 0.41
Beto 0.53

Just saying

I still believe a fully fit Evan Ferguson is more of a no.9 than Delap, probably the same price.

It's all very well chasing a striker but they do need bullets to fire and we mostly haven't been providing them this season. A couple of more effective wide players and Charly in the middle might fix that.

Like Ray, I am hoping Chermiti can play a part. He's not that young, 21 now, and if he is going to really break through, it needs to be this season.

Danny, me neither, it took me forever to learn Spirit of the Blues, getting there with There she goes.

I am pretty good with Kopites are Gobshites and Red and White Shite though!

FFS Danny
“I am in love with- I can’t deny
Our number ten his name is Ilyman Ndiaye.
From Senegal, to Bramley Moore,
He’s fuckin magic he’s the one that we adore”!
It’s hardly Subterranean Homesick Blues!
“There she goes” is the soundtrack to one of my favourite films and the one with THE happiest ending! Check out Fever Pitch but fast forward to the end…
UTFT

Nor sure in Delap

It does show the club’s ambition

I do believe Beto will deliver at least 15 goals next season with Ndiaye Alcaraz and McNeil or AN Other for Harrison in support

Asking if Delap can play the AN Other role or is he an out and out striker.

Just saw your stats Ed which helps my point I think

Also heard that Gana is linked to FC Paris which IMO this is the biggest gap to fill in our team a tough tackling ball winner in midfield

Mark # 53……..I think Danny has trouble remembering “Ole ole, ole Ola, Ole Ole Ole Ole Ola”. Can be quite difficult that bit!

Grealish anyone?

Joe

Not sure if he would get Everton which for me is the most important quality in a prospect after their football talent.

He's a top player Joe. It'll come down to finances and whether he'd come to a team outside of Europe.

Villa or spurs I'd guess. City will be for what £40m plus and a wage packet of £250k a week? Which rules us out.

I do like him. He was brilliant at Villa, a throw back player.

Delap will give is all if we get him, but I would be surprised if he signs for us.
Chermiti will go on loan, Calvert Lewin now wants to stay because he knows he simply isn't going to get 100K anywhere, he is not worth half that in my opinion.
He will leave I think because of the signing on fee he will get on a freebie transfer.
Beto will stay I believe unless Everton get a big offer

I'm in two minds over this. On one hand it's brilliant to finally see us competing for one of the most highly rated young forwards in the League, alongside the 'big clubs'.

On the other, it's £30M we could spend on other, much needed, reinforcements on our R hand side AND we already have Beto and
Chermitti!

Moyes only ever plays one up front, and Beto has proven he can score goals, Chermitti has shown some potential so we only need another loan striker like Broja and we're well stocked up front. I firmly believe Beto will easily hit double figures in League goals next season if he's our starting striker. He also has a good fitness record and is clearly well likes by his teammates and most of the fans.

But, if we don't sign Delap and he ends up being the next Kane/Shearer then many will be calling the Club for a lack of ambition!!

Tough call this one.

Not another fucking “project”. Spare me

Moyes will want two contrasting strikers.That is the way he has used and subbed the existing strikers.The question is Delap a likely replacement for Broja or someone else.

Thanks Ian and Brendan for answering my question.

Nick Page #61. Quite agree mate.

Spare me from people thinking past stats tell you how a player will perform in a different team, with different tactics, when they’ve changed and developed as a player.

If it was that easy…!

Alan Shearer at Southampton: 23 goals in 118 games. The ToffeeWeb geniuses would be telling us to stick with Mo Johnston.

Harry Kane’s loan spells: 14 in 66 in lower divisions across four teams. The ToffeeWeb geniuses would be telling us ‘get rid. End of’ and that we should give Yakubu another go.

It does take some actual scouting and football judgement to work out if a player will do well, and even then it’s a gamble. You can’t just produce some numbers and think you’ve discovered something no-one else knows about.

Well, we certainly didn't get away Scott Free on TW today. Ipswich will be delapidated, though.

Mike,
It is true that stats don't always tell the whole story but they are useful otherwise they would not be used. Delap played in a team that scored 36 goals and Everton scored 42 so perhaps Delap may have done a bit better in Everton's team but I question spending 30 million on a possible small gain. Such money would be better spent on a goal scoring winger or midfielder who would complement Beto.

Grealish? Moyes to Jack," Rght J what foot do you use?" Erm me right, ok,, we need plenty of crosses into the box says Moyes, where did you play at city? Erm the left says J G. Why says D M?, Cos I can cut inside on me right and shoot, I can't use me left. Ok, play on the right we need crosses says Moyes, Erm no, then I can't cut inside on me right and shoot says Jack, I can't use me left. Moyes, oy vey NEXT!!!

Everton given hope of game-changing Grealish deal amid word coming out of Man City. Please say it ain't so!

We start signing players like Grealish it's Moshiri all over again. Huge wages and they don't give a fk. He's won the lot and nothing to prove, steer well clear!

“we'll match everyone else on wages…” The rest is okay Paul but this is wholly unrealistic, and for the same reason that ‘Not another fucking “project”. Spare me.’ appears petulant and naive.
Despite new ownership, we are still pretty much a cash-strapped club looking at a mammoth squad rebuilding task. There will not be record wages on offer and there will most likely be plenty who fall into the “gambling on a super-quick realisation of potential” category.
Unless someone’s liberated a genie and is just about to have their wishes granted?

I think stats can be used to either confirm or deny suitability of any player for a desired position, take our own Gana for example, one of the most successful tacklers in the game, but rarely do we hear about his shooting ability which is dire, different elements but complete player he isn't!

Point is in another team under a different style, he may not be the same player. How and where he plays, what role he has to do makes all the difference. Indeed teams are often built around strengths of individual players.

Delap for me is still well short of what we need, but chants of 'feed the Yak' the other day reminded me that in order to get the best out of any striker, no matter a Lukaku or Messi, the team has to play to their strengths, something Dyche and the Spanish waiter, totally failed to do. Whilst Beto is a force, he is not a player who converts crosses, a key tactic of overlaping fullback that Moyes uses, in that respect DCL wins hands down, alternatively despite a raft of misses, Beto looks a better one on one than DCL.

It's all about shape, individual strengths and fit into the style. Is Delap better?

I must admit that earlier in the season I thought Beto had no chance of making it as a PL striker. However, since Moyes took over I've been really impressed with his gradual, all round, improvement.

Apparently, he was just left to get on with it by Dyche
but is now being coached on how to hold the ball up and bring others into the game.

He certainly knows where the goal is and with more experience will get more shots on target. He dominated the Newcastle centre backs on Sunday, both on the ground and in the air, and with a little more composure would have got on the score sheet.

Over a full season I reckon he'd be well capable of getting 15+ goals.

Yes, I have liked what I have seen of Delap in a struggling team: some terrific goals, drifts wide when needed, busy/bossy in either box, runs at defenders, runs on to balls, attitude, holds the ball up well, works with and for team-mates, a certain nasty when needed, so much more development to come, played for England at all six levels U16-U21, good raising/growing up at City, age, he will do better in a better team.

The good news is that we are hunting high and low for someone to make sure that put the ball in front of him to run onto and he will score Beto is not first choice next season, is hopefully second choice neither – and in that case might as well be sold.

Martin Farrington (20): You’ve evidently done some serious homework. “He is an antagonistic thug on the pitch … we don't have any record other than debacle in the transfer market”. “ … debacle [sic] … ” is not a verb. No more words for this bizarre stuff.

Hewey (45): a perennial favourite - “Apparently Delap's preference is Chelsea”. You do this all the time PH, a single unsupported line with nothing. Can you let us know your source for this important intervention? Please don’t say oh I saw it online. Where online? It was on a particular bit of social media or something else, but you got it from somewhere where you read it. Can you please stop this one-line stuff unless you are prepared to tell us where you got it from. Otherwise, people could be forgiven for thinking that you love your time in the attention sun making stuff up.

This has to be a no brainer for us because he's probably the premium option in the window we're shopping in.

No to Grealish by the way. Nothing against him but it's just the part of our squad that needs strengthening the least apart from maybe central defence so the money would be better spent elsewhere. Especially if Gana does decided to move on.

Still not convinced Delap is the answer, a good winger on the right badly needed, which would suit Calvert-Lewin and Beto who's improving in that area, but Delap isn't a target man.

On Grealish, at Villa he was the main man, attacking midfielder, at Man City never allowed play in his proper position, never a left winger. If we got him on loan, which has been mentioned, he'd definitely have a point to prove, and play himself back into the England squad, he's still only 29, far from finished.

I can't see Everton having a £30M player at the final stages of a transfer at this stage. Negociations with Alcaraz will be a priority… and possibly Calvert-Lewin and Keane. Selling some players is also what is normally looked at at this stage.

We do know who is leaving. In Harrison's and Doucoure's cases we are looking for a better fit and to improve in Harrison's contribution going forward and Doucoure's lack of passing in midfield.

Maybe Alcaraz is being thought of as the answer. In the Young, Coleman, Patterson position, we need to sort out a problem, with O'Brien showing centre-back potiential. I always thought that Broja was brought in to cover Calvert-Lewin making his mind up.

As Christine says, it is partly about stats, which TFG will be pouring over to find the right fit that can add to the team. It is about achieving the right balance. 4 position changes in a team is a lot and balance will be difficult to achieve.

There is little mention of young players coming through.

I would prefer Richarlison or Trossard as the main striker. They are both way above Delap in ability and flexible to play on the flanks too if needed. For next season we need an international striker ready to go, not potential. And ideally someone to complement Beto, who is clearly above DCL now.

£30M is a no-brainer. Ipswich paid £20M for him. Now he's proven in the Premier League, given he's English and only 22, they could easily double the price.

If bought, I'd say there's an immediate mark-to-market profit of £30M already.

I agree with Jerome and Christine.

I think there is a core of team there and any replacements need to improve on what has been considered by the club as needing improvement.

Goalkeeper back up
Right-back
Attacking midfield
Winger
Centre forward

With the rumours that Gana may head to Paris FC, then this is the highest priority. Most people have him as Player of the Season. This has now to be the highest priority.

All should have top class experience (ideally Premier League). Any other replacements which we identify should be young and hungry.

I don't believe for 1 minute that Moyes would allow Gana to leave and nor should he. He is our best midfield player by a long way.

Christine in her post says he lacks goals, but he is primarily a defensive midfield player, and probably the best at it in the league. I would give him a 2-year contract and pay him what he is asking as, for me, he is that important to the way this team plays.

I think it would be a massive coup to get Delap. Yes, we can pretty much guarantee him first team football, but I just think the temptation to play Champions League with Chelsea or Newcastle will scupper our chances. <:P>Also, he worked under Maresca at Man City, so he knows him pretty well.

For me, Richarlison as he was is perfect as he can play wide or central and score and set up goals from either area.

I just don't know what his form is now and Spurs can be a graveyard for players. Spurs always tend to screw us too?

Lester, I like your thinking. As long as Moyes thinks he will fit in to the shape of his team, I would suggest we go that way and we have the chance to on-sell for a doubling of the cost.

He is rough around the ages but his commitment is there for all to see. I believe he would fit in well to the Everton genre.

Brian # 78 - it's not in Moyes's hands unfortunately.

Gueye is out of contract and, if he wants to return to France, then he can do that. We can offer him more money of course to tempt him to stay – but if his heart is set on returning to what he may consider home then that is up to him.

Hopefully he'll give us another season.

Martin @79, correct. But what I don't want is Spurs to make the correct financial decision and Everton the sentimental one as usual.

Pienaar was not the same player when he came back from Spurs, and neither is Richarlison. Not productive enough and injured constantly. He is not one for now, nevermind the future.

I'm in the minority I know, but I have concerns about Delap. In an Everton shirt, he certainly will get the cards.

I'm being cautious I know, but suspensions, sentimentality, and many injuries to key players have plagued this club for years. I want a different Everton, particularly as our lovely neighbours are becoming even more successful.

I think that as a forward, you are only as good as the players around you and the service that they provide to you.

I think that Beto has improved and gives us options as a strong hustle, bustle player, but he too couldn't get on the end of the few chances he had on crosses, but he still has room for improvement with game time and coaching.

Delap did okay for Ipswich, but in time teams worked out how to defend against him and we saw the frustration side of him when he played against us. Not sure as a signing?

I'm leaving it to the new owners, manager and Kinnear to deliver on new players and squad rebuild because it's their project and they will not want to fail.

If the games he played against us were his audition, then I wouldn't sign him…
But he's 22, raw and ripe for development with an overall decent Premier League season behind him. Moyes is very keen, other top sides are interested so I'll trust their judgement.

I see Man Utd are looking to buy Cunha for his release clause value, £63M. Not bad for a side with self-declared PSR challenges. More creative accounting on the way, same for Chelsea no doubt.

Man City's charges decision, due in March, still waiting… another fudge.

Lee #60

Spot on and some interesting points.

Personally I like Beto, he is quick, strong and a nightmare for defenders, also he is improving as his goal tally under Moyes shows. Should Delap sign for us that will certainly make a statement but then thats four strikers so someone has to go.

I would send Chermiti on loan and sell Calvert-Lewin, I certainly would not want him in front of Beto due to his fitness issues and lack of consistent finishing. Moyes knows we need a right-back (left cover), right winger, midfielder/s and maybe another centre-back, yet he is willing to spend £30M on Delap! This tells me that there is a considerable amount of money in the kitty for other recruits.

I hope we look at Fellows from West Brom, he could be a steal. Certainly not Grealish as there is something wrong there, maybe attitude or poor training? We are not privy but Pep would not leave him out without good reason after spending £100M on the player.

In Moyes we trust. Exciting times ahead. I think the announcement that we have purchased Nelson Dock may be soon too.

Great to be Blue

Martin Berry @85. This Nelson Dock, what position does he play?

Don't worry, coat picked up already and I'm half way out the door.

Delap – I worry he's another Beattie.

Like I said the other night, PF, I don't make stuff up. I've read it on multiple sites.

If you don't believe me, I'll get over it.

How is Calvert-Lewin sold when he's out of contract?

Teamtalk,saying we are interested in Hamer at Sheffield Utd.

Anyone know what he's like?

Jack, he was player of the year in the Championship, nice tidy player.

Jack, it's time we signed Hamer, It's Hamer time!!!!

"U Can't Touch This"

I'll get me coat 😀

Paul Ferry 71. Bit harsh on Martin.

The word 'debacle' comes from the French, originally used in English to describe ice breaking, which in turn comes from the (verb) débâcler, meaning to clear, unbolt, or unbar.

Just saying. Please don't shout at me!

Martin #60 I fully agree, as much as I rate/rated Grealish, signing him would be something we'd have done under Moshiri. A great, big, fat contract to a player soon to be 30 years old and on his way down the pecking order of clubs.

Fellows, Harrison, Burrows, Delap would excite me far more than signing another James (as brilliant as he was, on occasion). Surely we've learned something by now????

BTW, with Sheffield Utd missing out on promotion we might be able to Burrows for a reasonable fee this summer. As for Hamer, he's 28 next month so far too old, imo, to take a chance on him being able to step up to the Premier League and a few fans have said he "drifts in and out of games" anyway! A few others said they were surprised he'd won the PotY award too!

Give me Alcaraz any day over him in that nNo 10 position.

Like Saha when it was Moshiri!

Robert #78,

Gueye being out of contract complicates the situation further. Somehow, I overlooked this. He will not be so easily replaced.

His stats as a defending midfielder are amongst the highest in the Premier League.

It also would make it more difficult to achieve balance in the midfield,

ps: I don't want Callum Wilson back either. 33 is not the age range we should be recruiting at, we have enough of a certain age.

Moyes doesn't want a striker that scored goals. He's never had one or been able produce one. A striker in his team is the first defender, is someone who holds the ball up, and someone who chases lost causes. His best ever teams had Marcus Bent, Michail Antonio and Marouane Fellaini spearheading the attack.

He inherited a prime Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie and couldn't get 20 league goals out of either. Big money that he's spent on strikers has almost always failed.

Beto isn't his man because he can't do all of what Moyes needs him to do to get the 50-60 points a season that is Moyes's ceiling.

Beto I think is a decent striker who causes problems and would comfortably return double figures in a full season in a side playing well.

However, Delap better fits the mould of the single attacker team that Moyes wants and Beto will be his back-up. I wouldn't expect Delap to exceed 12 league goals for Everton, even if we finished Top 8 and he played every game.

Hamer is an excellent technical player but way too slow for the Premier League.

Jerome, Gueye has had a really good season but I don't think he's irreplaceable. It also depends what you want from a defensive midfielder as to whether his stats impress.

The two defensive midfielders in the Champions League Final will be Joao Neves and Calhanoglou. Neither will match Gueye for tackling stats… but neither need to.

Tommy, what about Yakubu's 21 goals in 39 games in his first season before he got injured in season 2?

He was defo signed as a goalscorer and fulfilled that role in that first season for Moyes.

No player is irreplaceable. Just like in any form of employment.

But Gana is so important to us. If he leaves, it's going to have to be someone special to step into those boots.

Chris # 101…

I'd say Andy Johnson was also signed by Moyes as a goalscorer. Also James Beattie.

I thought Mangala filled the boots pretty effectively, Danny.

On the strikers point, Moyes tried v hard to find a real class goal scorer – Jo and Saha being close but no cigar. What he would have wanted for the system was a Drogba. Class and physical attributes. Yakubu was an ace finisher but lacked mobility (as well as a genuine birth certificate), Beattie lacked mobility and Johnson lacked ability (and height).

At times his conservative football was a problem for strikers. But also lack of quality in the first XI was a common problem too.

He did also spend (waste) a lot of money on Scammaca and (I think this was a Moyes buy) Haller at West Ham but but failed. Good examples of Moyes's track record of spending big money badly!

Maybe Gana is looking at Doucoure's departure. He wanted to stay for more money but we didn't take up the option.

Gana and Doucoure were good mates, apparently, so maybe he saw the writing on the wall. Just saying.

According to the BBC Sport, Delap's choice is Man Utd or Chelsea.

@101 Chris

Maybe. But he only got 15 league goals as his best return. When he was back from injury,, Moyes wouldn't play him and he got his best ever Premier League goals return in a season at Blackburn after leaving us.

He may have signed Johnson and Beattie as goal scorers but he didn't persevere with Yakubu, Johnson or Beattie for any longer than a season reverting back to his preference of having a worker up top.

Saha could do everything, he was that good, but Moyes certainly didn't make a goalscorer out of him.

Point being, if you're a striker and you want to score a lot of goals and win trophies, you don't want to be playing in a David Moyes team because you'll achieve neither.

Tactics of keeping tight all game and hoping to get your nose in front by one goal over the course of 90 minutes or 2-legged ties is not the recipe for success and goals.

Jarrod Bowen

Beattie had to be moved on, it was clear it wasn't working out. We got good money back on a misfit.

Johnson was an odd one. Was it he didn't fancy him, did the player want to move back south or was he forced to realise the cash? He was decent, but seemed less effective after Wenger claimed he dived for pens.

Yakubu had a serious Achillies injury; whilst he was never the same player after, he did notch a fair number of goals. There was clearly a falling out, and Moyes wanted him out.

Saha was a fair player, but let's be honest, he left Man Utd for a nominal fee because his body was fragile. That meant he was prone to injury, and played within himself at times.

Good teams at the time had 4 good centre-forwards, we usually only had one in my opinion, and perhaps lacked genuine creative quality in midfield in numbers.

@ Ian. My feeling always was that his signing those players were efforts to try and evolve and have teams with goalscorers in. But he can't and never has evolved into a manager capable of winning things. He cannot go toe to toe with the big teams.

He gets most of his home results right. Will win a few away against the middle to lower end of the table teams and will get a home win or two against a really big team. That's him in a nutshell and at his very best.

It's good compared to what we've had for a number of years. But this is not a manager that will win anything with us or achieve a Top 4 finish in the way that the likes of Howe, Emery and Glasner have proved possible in very recent times.

Looks like he's going to Chelsea.

Nice one Paul (92) but I don't think that Martin had ice breaking in mind as opposed to say shit-show ..... (good to see Chels taken apart so far)

Another Chelsea one-liner, Oliver (111).

Will you now give us your specific source (eg, site or social media) unlike the first fella who didn't answer that one?

You're a wily man, Paul.

No source, just a Chelsea supporting guy I know, who reckons he knows! And of course the TalkSport people seem to very confident he will choose Chelsea.

Callum Wilson to us — I hope this is not true!

Thanks Oliver. good on yer!

I'm not saying that it is not true but hoping that it is not, just like Callum Wilson, fir fuck's sake.

Anyone know: Is Moshiri still the owner of the Liver Building?

Gutted Delap won't be coming to Everton.

We will be stuck with the underperforming Calvert-Lewin still 😭

We'd be lucky to get 38 games a season between Wilson and Calvert-Lewin.

Wilson is a decent striker but he picks up lots of injuries, he's done his cruciate ligaments twice in the past and has done well to come back from them. He is 33 so I'd prefer someone younger if Delap goes to Chelsea.

Where did you hear that, Ryan; that Delap is going to Chelsea and nowhere else?

Not saying this is wrong, I just like my sources.

Bringing in more injury prone players (especially strikers) would be stupid.

I think he's a chance of Champions League. It isn't the same Top 4 as first time, with Champions League going to the Top 5 plus the winner plus the Europa winner I think.

The FA Cup can be won in what 6 games.

He has usually finished 5th to 7th with us previously, which puts him in the pack. It'll be down to quality thereafter.

I think a fit Calvert-Lewin will score more than flavour of the month Delap, wherever each man ends up.

Better player and will cost £40M less.

Like Chelsea, Man Utd, and others we admitted to holding talks with him and being keen.

Moyes did play it down, managing expectations. It's an uphill battle persuading
players with England World Cup squad ambitions to join us.

Branthwaite doesn't make England squads but Quansah and Chabolah do.

I think going public was our best and only option.

The odds are he's going to Chelsea who will offer more money, more prestige and Champions League football. No doubt more likely to get an England call ahead of the next big tournament.

Selling him a vision of him being first choice, being adored in #9, and a good wage at our club was our only option. But if Chelsea have offered £150k a week and 8-year contract… in which case, that's us blown out the water.

He would have been a good option, but there are other good players we can go after.

I didn't think 8-year contracts were allowed any more.

Didn't the Premier League clamp down on that obvious PSR circumvention?

Brian #125,

You can give a contract of any length but the purchase price will be charged to the accounts over a maximum of five years.

Paul F, 119.

It's the big Twitter rumour and the BBC are saying Chelsea are favourites too.

https://talksport.com/football/3243773/chelsea-man-utd-newcastle-liam-delap-transfer/

Did we really have any chance competing with the super rich clubs who can have squads of multimillion pound players?

Money talks…

Colin, absolutely not, but I just hope the new regime can unearth a gem.

We've been starved of goals for way too long.

Joe, we're going to have to be creative. Any player who is making waves will be snapped up sharp. These clubs are like factory trawlers, they just scoop up everything in their path.

We need to be quick and agile. We are not bottom of the food chain, yet.

If Delap chooses Chelsea, I would be all over trying to land Jonathon David from Lille.

He's out of contract, 23 goals and 10 assists this season and only 25 years old.

The Sun saying Delap has gone to Man Utd tonight

Read more: Man Utd ‘agree Liam Delap deal with personal terms accepted' as Ruben Amorim looks to wrap up quick transfer

Colin (122), keeping Calvert-Lewin fit is the main problem with your point of view.

Ian (123), could Branthwaite's ‘exclusion' be explained by the fact that he's out injured for a few weeks?

Colin #122, given Dom's total lack of goal productivity even when healthy -- a goal every 376 minutes over the past four seasons -- I'd put a hefty wager on that. Although considering he's missed an average 20 games a year over that stretch implies that we may never find out anyway.

Brian #132, David has said openly that he would only join a Champions League side. Il Corriere dello Sport reports he has reached a verbal agreement with Napoli.

Thanks Andrew, 127.

Mike G @146, those ' verbal agreements ' are not worth the paper they are written on ! :-)

Seriously though, it makes me laugh when players say "they only want to join a Champions League Club".

For one, they have large squads, which makes selection/inclusion not exactly a guarantee. Secondly, they may get knocked out at the first hurdle?

Some interesting comments on this one. But firstly, who is the speechless Lord Hughes? Expose yourself. Not physically, verbally will do!!

I'll try and go through the posts, but I'll be generic on the comments.

Robert @104, Mangala looks a good player. A shame we didn't see more of him due to injury. Maybe he's just not in Moyes's plans?

Yakubu was unfortunately hit by a terrible injury. Those of us who have been hit by an achilles injury know how that impacts you and how painful it is. Fortunately, when I suffered it, it wasn't ruptured.

Louis Saha was absolute class. Talk at the time (no references or sources sorry), was that if he didn't feel 100% fit, he wouldn't entertain playing.

On Delap, I get the comments on the James Beattie similarities. I admit, it did cross my mind.

But I don't know enough about the player, so can only judge him if he ends up wearing an Everton shirt. Probably my most reliable Chelsea source is my cousin, who grew up in Battersea. If Delap was going to Chelsea, he'd have let me know by now.

Delap shouldn't suffer from the same issues Beattie had.

Delap has a decent turn of pace and good mobility. He's well suited to a Moyes team – especially if we can improve our wing and full-back play.

As I keep saying, Robert, I'll have to keep relying on yours and others' opinion of him. I only watched him twice this season when they played us and he was anonymous.

But you can't judge a player on a couple of matches and, as you say, like a lot of our players, surrounded by better ones, they can flourish. We've all seen that over the years. The upside is when it all clicks and the downside when we have a lone survivor surrounded by sub-quality players.

Everton should be striving for better all over the pitch, getting the right balance. A successful team doesn't have to be full of world beaters. It just needs to be the right blend.

If this lad signs for us, then I hope he is as good as some make out. I can't comment. But for him to succeed, he needs to be surrounded and supported by the right players, as is the case with any striker.

Last thoughts on James Beattie. He actually joined what was a decent emerging Everton team. Suspensions, injuries, inconsistency, and falling out of favour with Moyes, put an end to his Everton career.

I've mentioned this before. I'll never criticise a player for injuries, as it is an occupational hazard for footballers. But I always remember him walking onto the pitch at Craven Cottage, dressed in his civilian attire as he was out injured.

I was very close to the pitch and, as is the nature of the way the teams come out at Fulham, they walk right past the away / neutral end. He came over to sign autographs. I took one look at him and he'd obviously put a bit of timber on. There is a distinct difference between injury and fitness in my opinion. I think Moyes went cold on him quickly.

Derek,

Secondly, they may get knocked out at the first hurdle?

I don't think I want to be the one who has to take precious time out of my day to mansplain a fundamental difference between league and cup play… but let's just say the clue lies in the second part of the name: Champions League.

Danny # 140, totally agree Delap was anonymous against us. My comment at 139 was more about him having the playing style and physical attributes for a Moyes team. Whether he has the quality / output is another matter.

Some of the comments seem to be working on the basis that Ipswich finished below us - and therefore Delap should score more for us since we are the better team. I'm not sure about that for a few reasons:

1. Everton will play a more conservative style than Ipswich which, as we have seen over the years, can make it difficult for strikers to flourish. Ipswich also had a very talented attack last season with the likes of Hutchison, Philogene and Enciso in support - and Smodzics and Clarke not being too shabby either.

2. Although he has a good highlights reel, it's still unclear how good Delap is. There have been lots of players who hit a purple patch and then struggle to hit those heights again. After all, this is Delap's first decent goal haul of his career. Take Solanke for example, he finally hits a big goal haul for Bournemouth (19 in 38) and then joins Spurs for £65m where he is suddenly surrounded by better players - but ends the season with 9 in 27.

That's not to say I think Delap would be a flop. I think he would prove to be a very good value signing for the low price of £30m. But he'd really have to take his game to a new level if he's going to improve on his goalscoring form at Ipswich.

I agree with Danny, Delap did nothing in both games we played Ipswich this season, not seen a lot of his games so other than two appearances I can only go off what others have seen in the player.

The player who caught my eye for Ipswich at Goodison was Julio Encisco 21 year old, he was all over the place causing trouble for our defenders long before he scored that wonder goal, played out on the left but was switching and making moves to the middle, did a lot more than Delap did and managed to get six shots off to Delap two.

Totally agree Robert.

I rarely question your analysis as it is way ahead of my off the cuff interpretation of the game!

What is important for Everton and Delap, is that if he does choose Everton, he doesn't suffer from what our recent strikers have done. They've been like horses being led to a dry watering hole.

I always go on about the 80s, but let's take a step back. Would Bob Latchford have scored his 30 goals in a season without support and supply?

The striker is the talisman, but it is what backs him up that leads to goals.

To all of the people doubting whether Delap is good enough, who do you think this club could attract who's a level above?

Michael - 141

Twenty-nine teams qualify directly for the league phase, with the final seven spots coming through qualifying, which concludes with two-legged play-off ties.

I think Derek could feel a little hard done by after reading your unnecessarily patronising post.

Although at the moment all 6 qualifiers from England do qualify for the 'league stage'.

Athletic reporting that Delap prefers Chelsea.

He must like watching football rather than playing it. Can’t say I’ll lose any sleep over it.

Unfortunately, whatever Romano says, usually the opposite happens. What was that?.. Chelsea.