Lukaku

[zirc]

Why? They've added a LB and a backup keeper. If we're assuming they'll be better, then we should assume we'll be better as we have just as much information to go on.

I agree with the statement that preserving last year's squad isn't enough. No one is advocating it though. Martinez explicitly said that we need 2 players in before the start of the season, not 2 players by the end of the window. So if we get two in by the start of the season, plus 2-3 more beyond that by the end of the window, then we will have reached the 6 or 7 he originally stated.

I think we can also assume that Garbutt and McAleny will see some first team action this season, at least in the cups or in the early European games.

I think their signings from last year, which were quality, will be much better with a full preseason together and a consistent system.

I don't really mind if we don't make a serious run at top 4 though, I'd much prefer we do all we can to win the Europa league. I want to win things and this season EL is the most prestigious trophy we have an realistic chance at winning.

 

[paulbefc]

I saw the manager respond glibly to an off the cuff remark, players talking about how nice it would be to have him here, and somebody i've never heard make a statement before talk about the potential of the move.

It's a simple question really - Have we made a firm bid to Chelsea which has been accepted? Or have we enquired about his availability and they've told us to wait until he comes back from holiday to see what happens? Either 3 quarters of this deal have been completed, or nothing at all - I'm leaning towards the latter.

Right okay, was just interested to hear whether you'd missed everything or seen it all and still somehow managed to conclude that there's no evidence we're looking to sign him, as you said in the original quote.

As you were.

 

[Connor]

I saw the manager respond glibly to an off the cuff remark, players talking about how nice it would be to have him here, and somebody i've never heard make a statement before talk about the potential of the move.

It's a simple question really - Have we made a firm bid to Chelsea which has been accepted? Or have we enquired about his availability and they've told us to wait until he comes back from holiday to see what happens? Either 3 quarters of this deal have been completed, or nothing at all - I'm leaning towards the latter.

Have we made a bid ? Kind of. Roberto met Chelsea a week after the season ended, had a very long meeting and then walked away happy with the money he was quoted. Roberto went back a few weeks later and told them we'll pay the asking price - unknown atm - then the World Cup happened and it went quiet. It's on Rom.

 

[Rook]

I think Lukaku is going to get lazy once he signs.

For the last couple of seasons he's gone out on loan to try and impress Chelsea, that's obviously failed (hence JM choices to purchase Costa).

If he moves, he has no one to impress considering we have virtually no other strikers. He's going to start every game.

If anything I'm sure he'll be motivated by the size of some of the contracts that players are getting in their mid-late 20s.

 

[RaleighBlue]

I think their signings from last year, which were quality, will be much better with a full preseason together and a consistent system.

I don't really mind if we don't make a serious run at top 4 though, I'd much prefer we do all we can to win the Europa league. I want to win things and this season EL is the most prestigious trophy we have an realistic chance at winning.

I think they may be better this year, but their (once again) new manager is still a bit unproven and Levy has a quick trigger. Poor start and he may be put down for another flavor of the month to come in. Spurs can be counted on for one thing - inconsistency.

We also have had an extra year in our new system, so theoretically should improve even if we do end up standing still in regards to new faces. I just don't think we will, I think we'll see 5+ new players (counting our former loans as new players) by the end of the window and at least one new signing before the start of the season (discounting Besic).

It's entirely plausible that we screw up this window and don't spend or get in what we need, I just think that a transfer window can only be properly postmortemed after it's complete.

 

[navidson]

Have we made a bid ? Kind of. Roberto met Chelsea a week after the season ended, had a very long meeting and then walked away happy with the money he was quoted. Roberto went back a few weeks later and told them we'll pay the asking price - unknown atm - then the World Cup happened and it went quiet. It's on Rom.

Those seven words sum up Everton in the transfer market perfectly.

 

[EverBlue86]

I saw the manager respond glibly to an off the cuff remark, players talking about how nice it would be to have him here, and somebody i've never heard make a statement before talk about the potential of the move.

It's a simple question really - Have we made a firm bid to Chelsea which has been accepted? Or have we enquired about his availability and they've told us to wait until he comes back from holiday to see what happens? Either 3 quarters of this deal have been completed, or nothing at all - I'm leaning towards the latter.

Agree 100% mate he wouldn't be travelling with the rest of Chelsea squad when he returns if any deal was in place, I would bet anyone we will be without him come the Leicester match

 

[DrEFC]

Have we made a bid ? Kind of. Roberto met Chelsea a week after the season ended, had a very long meeting and then walked away happy with the money he was quoted. Roberto went back a few weeks later and told them we'll pay the asking price - unknown atm - then the World Cup happened and it went quiet. It's on Rom.

How do you know this? Truthfully.

 

[Connor]

How do you know this? Truthfully.

Just what I've heard mate, I'm not ITK, will never claim to be either but I've heard it a few times from different people.

 

[zirc]

So just to be clear, we want lukaku, and he wants to come here, we're just not seeing eye-to-eye with Chelsea on the finances?

 

[LinekersLegs]

The problem I have with the whole Lukaku thing is : - How have we managed to have a 200+ debate and structure our entire transfer window around a target that, for as far as I'm concerned, we haven't actually made a bid for?

All this chat about Lukaku being away on holiday - Surely the first aspect of any transfer is for a buying club to make a bid, and then a selling club telling that club whether the bid is successful or needs to be upped. This should all have been done by now, and if it had been, would have made the national press. Then, when Lukaku came back from holiday we would have started discussing personal terms with him - as his parent club would have allowed us to.

It's astonishing that so many forum pages have been created on the assumption that we'd be signing a player just because we had him on loan and he once hugged our manager

Drogba was a free agent and got knocked out of the World Cup far earlier than Lukaku did. Yet Chelsea, despite having far less financial constraints than us, only signed him this weekend. So it is not just our negotiations that can seem amazingly slow and complicated.

And given that Drogba could be Lukaku's replacement, that deal might have complicated our Lukaku negotiations.

 

[Hellerad]

 

[DrEFC]

Just what I've heard mate, I'm not ITK, will never claim to be either but I've heard it a few times from different people.

Fair enough, just desperate for it to be the truth!

 

[ianefc]

Arsenal has.

Chelsea and City have, but who cares about them.

Liverpool have not. Nor have Spurs. United may have, and probably will.

Yes, we need more people. I agreed with that. We need two more by August 16th (assuming we already have Besic/Barry). Then probably need another 2-3 before deadline day.

This is not unreasonable or far off of what Martinez has said.

3 loan players is fine. Worked out last year.

Everyone they have signed would at least compete for a starting position over here

 

[meagher94]

Rashad ‏@Mourinholic 4m
Chelsea have accepted an Everton bid for Lukaku, and talks will now take place ahead of a move. [talkSport]

Has anyone been listening to talkSport and heard this in the last few minutes? I'm inclined to believe it's a lie.