Everton January 2022 Transfer Thread

[davek]

Yeah I just don't think Allan is a natural sitting player. Maybe in a 3 (which is what he did when Ancelotti arrived) he could get away with it, but his best role is, like Longstaff, to press around and hassle the opposition, which is why him playing in a 2 doesn't make sense as it doesn't get the best out of him or Doucoure.

My worry with Longstaff is it's just another bang average player that this particular manager likes. And the results aren't good enough with this manager and I don't think they ever will be. Eventually he will go and we're burdened with Benitez's wants, just like we were with other managers.

The plus side with Longstaff is that he's young (22/23). But unlike Mykolenko and Patterson, I don't think he's got enough in his game to be particularly wanted by anybody other than Benitez.

That being said if he comes I'll support him. There's just better players for what we need (a sitter, or a transitional number 10) available even this window. Kamara from Marseille is a brilliant talent, available for around £10m as he's out of contract. A proper sitting midfielder. There are others too.

I just feel that bringing Longstaff in doesn't really solve the issues we have in midfield, but maybe Benitez would switch to a 3 and they'd muddle through.

Kamara or some other might be more talented. But do we buy in 3 with zero PL experience and expect a smooth transition after January?

 

[MikeH72]

He will be part of the Digne deal. This is just posturing. You turn down our approach, so we turn down yours.

Digne doesn’t want to join you mate.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

Yeah I just don't think Allan is a natural sitting player. Maybe in a 3 (which is what he did when Ancelotti arrived) he could get away with it, but his best role is, like Longstaff, to press around and hassle the opposition, which is why him playing in a 2 doesn't make sense as it doesn't get the best out of him or Doucoure.

My worry with Longstaff is it's just another bang average player that this particular manager likes. And the results aren't good enough with this manager and I don't think they ever will be. Eventually he will go and we're burdened with Benitez's wants, just like we were with other managers.

The plus side with Longstaff is that he's young (22/23). But unlike Mykolenko and Patterson, I don't think he's got enough in his game to be particularly wanted by anybody other than Benitez.

That being said if he comes I'll support him. There's just better players for what we need (a sitter, or a transitional number 10) available even this window. Kamara from Marseille is a brilliant talent, available for around £10m as he's out of contract. A proper sitting midfielder. There are others too.

I just feel that bringing Longstaff in doesn't really solve the issues we have in midfield, but maybe Benitez would switch to a 3 and they'd muddle through.

Like I mentioned mate, Allan is not a sitter, he's always been a chaser, a hassler - I don't think he enjoys the sweeping up arts

 

[BlueToff]

How could you when we only made an offer last night after we turned down their offer for Digne.

It was reported last night by the Mail and Sky.

You posted on here last night, after those reports, that we'd bid for Longstaff and Newcastle had bid for Digne.

When in fact, that was the initial reports from the north east, which were then corrected across the board to state that Everton had bid for Longstaff and Newcastle had not yet bid for Digne but had held discussions.

 

[davek]

Or be sensible with the budget and take him for free in 5 months?

Maybe. Let's see what Newcastle do. They aren't exactly waiting on cash to make moves themselves so can afford to play hardball.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

My concern with the Longstaff issue is we are still not defining the issue with midfield.

 

[davek]

Strange definition of personal you have there Dave

I dont understand.

 

[BlueToff]

Like I mentioned mate, Allan is not a sitter, he's always been a chaser, a hassler - I don't think he enjoys the sweeping up arts

I think he just isn't good at it either. Not even that he doesn't enjoy it. Like I think he has flaws but I won't question his work ethic. The lad definitely doesn't shy away but that's a huge problem when it comes to positional discipline.

Again comes back to why anyone would think he can work in a two and also get the best out of Doucoure. And for those who say we did fine at the start of the season, we didn't, we were regularly leaving big gaps in midfield. Bloody Burnley did us in for an hour.

 

[ChesterBlue]

I dont understand.

Evidently

 

[davek]

Evidently

Then explain...if you can.

 

[blue to the bone]

Our bid for Longstaff has been rejected by Newcastle.

We can all read twitter mate.

 

[JimmyK]

Jesus, grow up.

You literally just said more players like Rondon, Townsend etc.

Mykolenko & Patterson are not ‘like’ those players though are they?!

And tbf Rondon & Townsend were free, and squad fillers brought in because quite frankly what choices did we have in the summer with a budget of 1.7 million?!

Years & years of money squandered led us to this. But I guess that’s the current managers fault too.

I've not seen much of Mykolenko and I'd be surprised if you have. From what i've read he's a left back who would be more likely to move to centre half than left wing and his attacking style i've seen described in more than one place as kick it forward and run after it. If thats true then yes he is another player like that because i'm talking about their style of play not their age.

 

[Bluestar]

He wasn’t worth £50, that was how much Newcastle apparently quoted Man Utd for him. That was also when he played regularly, he’s featured on the bench more often than not this season at an extremely poor Newcastle.

Not the signing we should be making, more squad player dross.

Steve Bruce managed him though. Before Bruce came, he was supposedly good. I’m sure never ever worth anything like £50m.

 

[BlueToff]

Kamara or some other might be more talented. But do we buy in 3 with zero PL experience and expect a smooth transition after January?

I think we're already accepting that there's not going to be a smooth transition, aren't we?

It's not even about the talent here mate, it's for me - as @chazzle_dazzle says - that Longstaff doesn't really solve anything in our midfield. It lacks a sitting player for a 3 and it lacks a creator if we play 4231. He's neither. So it seems like a pointless signing.

Whereas with Gray and Townsend (and I wanted Gray btw when we were linked), we had definite needs for both of those players.

 

[Tree13]

Re Longstaff:

Kamara and Zakaria are both OOC in the summer... But if they leave on frees, they won't come to us. Bid £10m for either of them now, before even looking at Longstaff. Let's see if either of their clubs wants some return on their investments.

If we were to somehow get one of Kamara or Zakaria stick him on a 4.5 year contract and the transfer fee is only £2.25m per year in accounting terms. The money for that (and his wages) is provided just by Delph and Tosun leaving in the summer and their wages coming off the books.

Longstaff is not of the standard of either Kamara or Zakaria.