Everton January 2025 Transfer Thread

[Simon Buttle]

I didn't say it was what you said? I'm talking generally, not specifically to you. A couple of people said that it wouldn't cost hundreds of millions but realistically I think it would. As I said to you earlier, we're literally talking about a dozen players here, and we're talking about wanting a squad which can do better than the 12th place we would have achieved on merit last year. I just don't think that it's reasonable to think we could undertake that sort of rebuild without spending in the region of £200 million. It's theoretically doable of course, but it's highly unlikely. With the greatest of respect, there must be a reason why just going and buying a load of players en masse from Bundesliga II and the Swedish league isn't a common model for successful teams. If it was easy as you're suggesting then it's difficult to understand why nobody does it really.

It comes down to where you do your recruitment, we always stick to the top 5 leagues which is costly and awkward for a club like us. We should be looking further afield that was my point in regards to other leagues, tbf if they are good enough for the likes of City, Brighton, Spurs and many others around Europe I don't see why they can't be good enough for us. Tbh our biggest issue is that its going to be Thelwell who probably does the rebuild and I'm not sure that he is the best person to do it regardless of what it costs.

 

[Simon Buttle]

My guess is £300mil over several windows.

Sorry but that is a ridiculous amount and would show incredibly poor value and poor recruitment. We don't need to spend that sort of money imo.

What on earth do you think we need to spend that amount on Zat?

 

[jazzy]

My guess is £300mil over several windows.

Is that what you think TFG will spend or what you think it would take to get us into the top 6 ?

 

[Lanolin]

It comes down to where you do your recruitment, we always stick to the top 5 leagues which is costly and awkward for a club like us. We should be looking further afield that was my point in regards to other leagues, tbf if they are good enough for the likes of City, Brighton, Spurs and many others around Europe I don't see why they can't be good enough for us. Tbh our biggest issue is that its going to be Thelwell who probably does the rebuild and I'm not sure that he is the best person to do it regardless of what it costs.

That's absolutely not a model that any of those clubs use though is it? I mean they might pick up the odd player from those backgrounds, but nowhere near as often as they buy from more established leagues. My point is only that on the whole, you're going to struggle to make a dozen signings who can make up the core of a top half Premier League squad without spending a couple of hundred million quid. I would love to see us do it, genuinely, I just don't think it's realistic. I think people are setting themselves up for a fall - again - if they think TFG are going to take us over and just immediately solve our problems with a brand new shiny squad full of unheralded young talent that we've picked up for peanuts. Personally I expect us to be rebuilding for a while, with contract extensions for some players we'd rather be losing and some uninspiring squad filling signings mixed in with hopefully a sprinkling of more appealing prospects while we try to build over a few years. Obviously I have no inside knowledge on that, it's just my expectation.

 

[Simon Buttle]

That's absolutely not a model that any of those clubs use though is it? I mean they might pick up the odd player from those backgrounds, but nowhere near as often as they buy from more established leagues. My point is only that on the whole, you're going to struggle to make a dozen signings who can make up the core of a top half Premier League squad without spending a couple of hundred million quid. I would love to see us do it, genuinely, I just don't think it's realistic. I think people are setting themselves up for a fall - again - if they think TFG are going to take us over and just immediately solve our problems with a brand new shiny squad full of unheralded young talent that we've picked up for peanuts. Personally I expect us to be rebuilding for a while, with contract extensions for some players we'd rather be losing and some uninspiring squad filling signings mixed in with hopefully a sprinkling of more appealing prospects while we try to build over a few years. Obviously I have no inside knowledge on that, it's just my expectation.

Newsflash pal, it will be a hell of a long time before we are a top half team regardless of how much money is spent.

 

[Lanolin]

Newsflash pal, it will be a hell of a long time before we are a top half team regardless of how much money is spent.

True enough, it's going to take decades to make up that - checks notes - 1 point gap from last season.

 

[Simon Buttle]

True enough, it's going to take decades to make up that - checks notes - 1 point gap from last season.

Our fanbase wants this club to be up competing for Europe, its miles away from that, its not just about the first team its the extended squad there is huge work to be done, both on the pitch and off the pitch.
Let's just see what happens when TFG actually takeover and what their plans are, we are discussing players when we don't even know if they want to put their own Manager/DoF in yet, something which will have a big impact on which players stay/go/come in.

 

[brieverton]

Big job to do next summer but let's get there first. We will have to offer 2 year contract extensions to those we wish to stay.

I don't think JB will stay and the lure of a glamour club will be too great for him and Friedkins won't turn down a big offer.

There is a huge co-ordinating job to get recruitment right and the much of the groundwork for that will be done months in advance.

TFG have not succeeded with recruitment at Roma to date and that is a concern. Here they will probably need to decide very quickly if Thelwell is to be retained or not and if he is, he should be given another couple of years to implement plans with support from upstairs.

Assuming we stay up and all is well on that front next summer will be a very exciting period but I think it will soon be tempered with realism.

We can't run before we can walk but still scope to do much better with proper recruitment. They have room to replace the manager and retain Thelwell and I imagine that will be the basis on which they approach next season.

 

[Raino85]

It comes down to where you do your recruitment, we always stick to the top 5 leagues which is costly and awkward for a club like us. We should be looking further afield that was my point in regards to other leagues, tbf if they are good enough for the likes of City, Brighton, Spurs and many others around Europe I don't see why they can't be good enough for us. Tbh our biggest issue is that its going to be Thelwell who probably does the rebuild and I'm not sure that he is the best person to do it regardless of what it costs.

Top 5 leagues you say

 

[Raino85]

Sorry but that is a ridiculous amount and would show incredibly poor value and poor recruitment. We don't need to spend that sort of money imo.

What on earth do you think we need to spend that amount on Zat?

Zat wants to spend it all on Wharton

 

[Zatara]

Sorry but that is a ridiculous amount and would show incredibly poor value and poor recruitment. We don't need to spend that sort of money imo.

What on earth do you think we need to spend that amount on Zat?

Abdukodir Khusanov and some others like the Turkish kid have been linked recently...even they are quoted at £20mil.

We will need:

1 or 2 full backs
1 or 2 centre backs
2 central midfielders
3 or 4 attacking mids/wide players
1 or 2 centre forwards

= 8 to 12 new signings.

I'm giving a spending number without any incoming fees. If TFG spent circa £100mil in one window at Roma then looking at our squad and the predicted outgoings over the next 2 windows id suggest it would cost more initially + further amounts over a 2-3 year period.

Is that what you think TFG will spend or what you think it would take to get us into the top 6 ?

I would expect TFG to spend £200mil over 2-3 years and predict £300mil to get us a 'potential' top 6 squad.

My thinking is purely based on transfer spend at Roma, going for younger more expensive players and the difference in our league and theirs.

Its not a 'wish' -- looks to me as though we'll be spending on a couple of high end players towards the top end of the pitch based on those we need and we have seen Thelwell interested in before.

 

[W84 Dum Freeze]

Seen some click bait links mentioning Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan as a possible January transfer target.

He came on tonight as sub and provided an assist for the third goal in a 3-1 win against at 10 man Brugge.

Overall impression was someone full of energy, predominantly left footed playing on the right wing.

A bit of pace and the odd trick, although a bit positionally naive and out of synch with teammates who were pointing out better positions to adopt when in possession.

When dispossessed, the forward energy he showed was lacking in trying to retrieve the ball.

Had all the hall marks of an early Everton career Iwobi type of player and not one we should be spending big bucks on to improve our squad on tonight's display.

 

[W84 Dum Freeze]

Big job to do next summer but let's get there first. We will have to offer 2 year contract extensions to those we wish to stay.

I don't think JB will stay and the lure of a glamour club will be too great for him and Friedkins won't turn down a big offer.

There is a huge co-ordinating job to get recruitment right and the much of the groundwork for that will be done months in advance.

TFG have not succeeded with recruitment at Roma to date and that is a concern. Here they will probably need to decide very quickly if Thelwell is to be retained or not and if he is, he should be given another couple of years to implement plans with support from upstairs.

Assuming we stay up and all is well on that front next summer will be a very exciting period but I think it will soon be tempered with realism.

We can't run before we can walk but still scope to do much better with proper recruitment. They have room to replace the manager and retain Thelwell and I imagine that will be the basis on which they approach next season.

I guess it will be a fresh start across the board replacing what they can with better quality for 25/26.
It is that old adage though:

"Rome wasn't built in a day"

 

[catcherintherye]

It comes down to where you do your recruitment, we always stick to the top 5 leagues which is costly and awkward for a club like us. We should be looking further afield that was my point in regards to other leagues, tbf if they are good enough for the likes of City, Brighton, Spurs and many others around Europe I don't see why they can't be good enough for us. Tbh our biggest issue is that its going to be Thelwell who probably does the rebuild and I'm not sure that he is the best person to do it regardless of what it costs.

I'd agree with you mate, but I think it's untrue City do more of their recruitment from outside of the top 5 league. Most of their players are top 5 league players.

I'm also not sure Thelwell can really be attacked with the work he's done.

 

[catcherintherye]

That's absolutely not a model that any of those clubs use though is it? I mean they might pick up the odd player from those backgrounds, but nowhere near as often as they buy from more established leagues. My point is only that on the whole, you're going to struggle to make a dozen signings who can make up the core of a top half Premier League squad without spending a couple of hundred million quid. I would love to see us do it, genuinely, I just don't think it's realistic. I think people are setting themselves up for a fall - again - if they think TFG are going to take us over and just immediately solve our problems with a brand new shiny squad full of unheralded young talent that we've picked up for peanuts. Personally I expect us to be rebuilding for a while, with contract extensions for some players we'd rather be losing and some uninspiring squad filling signings mixed in with hopefully a sprinkling of more appealing prospects while we try to build over a few years. Obviously I have no inside knowledge on that, it's just my expectation.

I just said the same. City buy most of their players from top 5 leagues, indeed lots from the premiership.

I don't see many teams recruiting from outside of the top 5 leagues. Brighton are the main, and perhaps sole exception and to date have been ran very well. Early on they flirted with relegation and at time's fortuitiously avoided it. I'm not sure we would really want to willingly take that risk. It's also worth saying, Brighton also bring in lots of older English players with experience, the sorts people seem to be countenancing us not signing.

The other sides who tend to do it, seem to get relegated. Leicester, Southampton, Leeds, Burnley, Ipswich this season, Norwich etc. I wrote a piece a couple of years back, essentially saying that Leeds, Leicester and Southampton all did what football hipsters say you should do. Sell your best players, buy cheaper unknown players, got young European coaches etc and all of them went from a bae of stability to relegation.

I watched Ipswich on Saturday, who I'm told spent 100m+ on players, and watched them get ran all over in midfield by Doucoure/Gana. There's lots not to like about Dyche, but one thing I do like is he seems to understand that you need people who are battle hardened to survive in the PL.