One last thing - the "difficult negotiations" cop out is exactly that; a cop out.
If you want a player and consider him a key acquisition, you pay for the damn player. It's like us with Stones - if someone wants him, pay the valuation or do one.
I refuse to believe Everton haven't been aware of the valuation at all, and I'm convinced beyond any doubt we've done our usual, and that is try to pay on the drip.
This board we have are an absolute disgrace when it comes to investing money. This transfer and keeping Stones might have put us somewhere near a positive net spend over the last 15 years and actually indicated some investment in the playing squad for the first time in the modern era.
But no. Keep the TV money, OOC the hell out of it and business as normal.
Do one Kenwright you absolute charlatan.