Summer Transfer Window 2025 Thread

[Eggs]

Not good enough, we need better than him. Bit like Doucoure, works hard and always puts a shift in, but lacks quality required in the prem.

….presume you live in the area so that’s an interesting insight?

 

[SuperKev91]

Traditionally the Everton way too? Of course 'good football' is subjective and there will be differing views on how exactly the team should play, but I think it's fair to assume that having players with good technical attributes all over the pitch will be pretty much universally accepted as being a good thing.

I’d also caveat that with we probably wouldn’t as a fan base put up with the stuff that Southampton for example have conjured this season, or Spurs even for that matter.

‘Man City lite’ type players and managers just won’t work at this club IMO. For me the prototype for the perfect stylistic blend at Everton is Simeones Atletico. Pragmatic, aggressive, solid but front foot football and trying to play forward at all times but with quality in attacking areas.

Obviously we aren’t getting Simeone any time soon but it has to be front foot, aggressive football for me. The fans in the ground won’t accept possession for possessions sake, we want to see sustained pressure and aggression.

 

[Neiler]

Traditionally the Everton way too? Of course 'good football' is subjective and there will be differing views on how exactly the team should play, but I think it's fair to assume that having players with good technical attributes all over the pitch will be pretty much universally accepted as being a good thing.

Sure there is a style in our DNA but i think that's generational to, someone who grew up in the 60 era might see our DNA as different to someone who grew up under Moyes.

Id use the words high quality players as opposed to technical, we do love a rough and tumble Cahill, Carsely, Felllini, Dunc type and a cult hero even sometimes over technical players.

Ultimately for me it comes down to the quality of player. We've tried pressing and aggressive, wide pressing, models before we've tried possession based models. Ultimately the lack of success has seen us wanting a change whatever the vouge was at the time. Ultimately other teams have been doing the same thing but have better quality players really.

The RS play good football, but its different to City. City play good football (if not to my taste) - but they are completely different to the RS stylistically.

Id be bored if we played like City, but id like a high tempo aggressive, combative style maybe like the RS or the way they were under Klopp.

So i think what good football means and the type of player you need to achieve is very broad, subjective and i dont think its universal - particularly as time goes on - football fans generally get contemptuous and seek change in a very short time.

 

[Bluelenny1984]

Most of us would prefer that, Moyes on the other hand doesn’t. He likes a 10 that just feeds the ball out wide and then gets in the box on the end of it. See Fellaini, Cahill, Soucek etc. None of them could play a through ball.

Arteta could, he was arguably our best number 10 we’ve had in a long time and he was signed by Moyes. I think everyone just wants to be negative about Moyes the years of failure is stinking the place out.

 

[Lanolin]

Sure there is a style in our DNA but i think that's generational to, someone who grew up in the 60 era might see our DNA as different to someone who grew up under Moyes.

Id use the words high quality players as opposed to technical, we do love a rough and tumble Cahill, Carsely, Felllini, Dunc type and a cult hero even sometimes over technical players.

Ultimately for me it comes down to the quality of player. We've tried pressing and aggressive, wide pressing, models before we've tried possession based models. Ultimately the lack of success has seen us wanting a change whatever the vouge was at the time. Ultimately other teams have been doing the same thing but have better quality players really.

The RS play good football, but its different to City. City play good football (if not to my taste) - but they are completely different to the RS stylistically.

Id be bored if we played like City, but id like a high tempo aggressive, combative style maybe like the RS or the way they were under Klopp.

So i think what good football means and the type of player you need to achieve is very broad and i dont think its universal - particularly as time goes on - football fans generally get contemptuous and seek change in a very short time.

If you don't think Cahill, Fellaini and Ferguson had good technical ability I can only assume you never saw them play? The point wasn't that we should sign a load of 4ft nothing players who stroll around never putting a tackle in and playing constant tippy tappy football, it was just that we have an opportunity to bring in players who are actually good footballers, able to pass to eachother and control the ball in less than 8 touches, that type of thing.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Arteta could, he was arguably our best number 10 we’ve had in a long time and he was signed by Moyes. I think everyone just wants to be negative about Moyes the years of failure is stinking the place out.

I don’t know the stats and cba to look them up so happy to be corrected, but I don’t recall Arteta playing as a 10 for us often if ever. He played CM and RM from memory.

 

[Pabbers]

Yeah the stylistic thing is less of an issue. What I meant was it sort of locks you in to a long ball style a little bit. But that's not really important for me. As long as we're pushing top 10 next season I don't care too much about our style.

Financials are important to me given his age. I wouldn't want us to be signing him on a multi-year contract with a 6-figure weekly salary

He is 5 years younger, than our current best midfielder.

He is a good footballer that is more than just a long ball merchant, he is all action all round midfielder that this is a 10-15 goal contribution player most seasons.

3 year deal on around te Doucs money is standard for a good prem player.

I want us ot sign good youngsters too....but the reality is we need good experience players that can perform from day 1.

Would love Rigg too btw, and Sam Field.

These along with a soucek would be perfect blend.

 

[toffeeblue9]

I’d also caveat that with we probably wouldn’t as a fan base put up with the stuff that Southampton for example have conjured this season, or Spurs even for that matter.

‘Man City lite’ type players and managers just won’t work at this club IMO. For me the prototype for the perfect stylistic blend at Everton is Simeones Atletico. Pragmatic, aggressive, solid but front foot football and trying to play forward at all times but with quality in attacking areas.

Obviously we aren’t getting Simeone any time soon but it has to be front foot, aggressive football for me. The fans in the ground won’t accept possession for possessions sake, we want to see sustained pressure and aggression.

Moyes did pretty well with Osman, Pienaar and Arteta in our midfield tbf

 

[toffeeblue9]

I don’t know the stats and cba to look them up so happy to be corrected, but I don’t recall Arteta playing as a 10 for us often if ever. He played CM and RM from memory.

Correct - Cahill, Fellaini and Osman (at a push) played there. Possibly even Pienaar once or twice, but don't remember ever seeing Arteta there

 

[Neiler]

If you don't think Cahill, Fellaini and Ferguson had good technical ability I can only assume you never saw them play? The point wasn't that we should sign a load of 4ft nothing players who stroll around never putting a tackle in and playing constant tippy tappy football, it was just that we have an opportunity to bring in players who are actually good footballers, able to pass to eachother and control the ball in less than 8 touches, that type of thing.

They wouldn’t be in my top 30% of the best technical professional players I’ve ever seen mate, no.

Like I say good football means something different to everyone including you, as you describe in your post. Q.E.D

 

[Pabbers]

Central midfielders that score more than most strikers ARE worth 85k a week imo. Fellaini was on 75k a week about fifteen years ago. I agree with you about the massively overhyped Sunderland midfield, though.



I think he’d be a good signing too. He isn’t even that old. He’s five years younger than our best central midfielder. He’s five years younger than Gary McAlister was when he signed for the RS and was a roaring success for them.

Just to refresh people’s memories, we paid 4.5 million for a young Alex Nyarko with ‘massive re-sale value’ when the RS were signing a 35 year old Gary McAlister.

Prize money and league placings > eventually making a 20 million profit from selling someone like Onana, who was a bit crap anyway. We absolutely mugged Villa off with that one!

Spot on.

People are obsessed with age, I blame Fifa and Footy manager.

We need good players for the right now...not just future.

Im pretty certain that after a handfull of games...fans will adore Soucek and rave about him. Many go mental when Garner and Tim put in a 7 out of 10 performance, and SOucek is levels above the pair of them.

Look, if its £30 mill then maybe its a different question, but I doubt it will even be £20 million.

 

[Lanolin]

I’d also caveat that with we probably wouldn’t as a fan base put up with the stuff that Southampton for example have conjured this season, or Spurs even for that matter.

‘Man City lite’ type players and managers just won’t work at this club IMO. For me the prototype for the perfect stylistic blend at Everton is Simeones Atletico. Pragmatic, aggressive, solid but front foot football and trying to play forward at all times but with quality in attacking areas.

Obviously we aren’t getting Simeone any time soon but it has to be front foot, aggressive football for me. The fans in the ground won’t accept possession for possessions sake, we want to see sustained pressure and aggression.

'Man City lite' no, but Man City, yeah definitely. The style thing is only an issue when you're not good at it, nobody at Goodison wants to see us passing the ball aimlessly and losing, but if we were smashing teams 5-0 every week by passing them off the park we'd be lapping it up! We need better technical players because there's only so far you can get with a team that can't keep hold of the ball, but that doesn't have to mean we become a City lite.

 

[Vaughan]

Sure there is a style in our DNA but i think that's generational to, someone who grew up in the 60 era might see our DNA as different to someone who grew up under Moyes.

Id use the words high quality players as opposed to technical, we do love a rough and tumble Cahill, Carsely, Felllini, Dunc type and a cult hero even sometimes over technical players.

Ultimately for me it comes down to the quality of player. We've tried pressing and aggressive, wide pressing, models before we've tried possession based models. Ultimately the lack of success has seen us wanting a change whatever the vouge was at the time. Ultimately other teams have been doing the same thing but have better quality players really.

The RS play good football, but its different to City. City play good football (if not to my taste) - but they are completely different to the RS stylistically.

Id be bored if we played like City, but id like a high tempo aggressive, combative style maybe like the RS or the way they were under Klopp.

So i think what good football means and the type of player you need to achieve is very broad, subjective and i dont think its universal - particularly as time goes on - football fans generally get contemptuous and seek change in a very short time.

thats what the likes of Alcaraz, NDiaye and possibly Richarlison could bring, flair and the ability to get stuck in, have a bit of snark, win challenges and stick it up the opposition

Soucek signing for a quarter of our budget would be an instant seal of our ceiling

 

[Charles Hawtrey]

I realise we cannot do a Notts Forest and buy a whole new squad, as we need results from game one onwards next season. Leeds will be determined to buck the trend and not to go back down next year.
That said we shouldn't be looking at the 'Soufal' twins from Wham. Or Longstaff - way below what we need. If we need squadfillers then keep the ones we have already and spend the transfer money on exciting skillful players who are a big upgrade on what we have and can get a top 10 finish next year. We desperately need pace in the team!

 

[RinkyDinker]

Not good enough, we need better than him. Bit like Doucoure, works hard and always puts a shift in, but lacks quality required in the prem.

Love it when we get real insight, from those that have seen such players in the flesh. The time to get him was when Derby had a car boot sale under Rooney and they lost their best players at a pittance. Huge leap from championship to prem for a lot of players, so your feedback gives me visions of Flynn Downes (moyes last £15m midfield gamble from the championship!)