The summer 2013 Everton transfer rumourZ thread

[yakublue]

Yup, I think he is more than a decent player, and Alcaraz would be our third best CB. For a combined £5 million. And people are distraught.

People are just scared because it looks like we'll lose one or both of our best players, and neither of the players we seem to be closest to signing are that exciting.

I have no problem with signing Alcaraz on a free, but I can understand why people don't want Kone. It's not often that Everton drop £5-6 million on a player, so when we do you want it to be someone who can make a real difference to the team over a long period. With Kone you're looking at a player who has had a pretty erratic career, and who, at 29, is unlikely to improve much.

I don't think anyone will be complaining if we add Alcaraz and Kone, and then go on to sign a few other more exciting players, including a top-quality striker. The concern at the moment is just that we aren't currently being linked with anyone in that bracket.

 

[Tree13]

Gibson is the prime example mate.

I was amongst the posters not really seeing the point in that signing.

I don't think Gibson is a valid comparison though. He cost one tenth of what has been suggested as the fee for Kone and is five (?) years younger, so was a very low-risk transfer. If he didn't blossom, we could probably still shift him for what we paid for him.

With Kone the increased age and the increased fee make the POTENTIAL risk far higher, in that we will be far less likely to recoup the initial outlay if he fails to deliver on the pitch.

If Kone scores 15 goals this season that would be a good personal return, but if for instance those goals come at the cost of Jelavic scoring less (thereby destroying his value to us AND his value if we try to sell him), or we drop two positions in the table, overall would the transfer have been worthwhile or not?

To answer those who keep bringing up Distin as a counter-argument: if you can't spot the difference between a 31 year old DEFENDER with several years' prem experience and a 29 year old STRIKER with one years' prem experience, then pleases top and think about that. Distin's transfer was a far lower risk than Kone because defenders have longer careers and peak at a different age, and the individual player had an established prem pedigree - Kone lacks this pedigree. He did well in a lesser league (Holland) and was hit-and-miss in Spain - awful at Sevilla and above-average at Levante. The fear is that the Levante season was an anomaly which he will not repeat. 11 goals in 30+ for Wigan is not nothing, but it does not mark you out as a top-drawer striker.

Kone is a risky transfer in that if he fails to deliver we'll get little if anything back from the outlay. And if he suceeds in realistic terms (15 goals) then he's really nothing better than an on-form Jelavic, so for this transfer to make sense I suspect Jelavic will be sold before the end of August to release funds to chase a better striker. That being the case, why not just chase the better striker now?

Of course if he scores 20+ this season, and 15+ the next, I'll eat my words.

 

[MickM86]

It looks like the Alcaraz deal has hit a brick wall









He's demanding an escape clause in his contract.

 

[Tree13]

Precisely this. £5m should be used on youth with resale value unless you are talking about someone who will clearly make a real difference. Can't see that Kone is that man. He's not **** but by the same token I would rather Martinez attempt to help Jelavic rediscover the form of a season and a half ago, as that player would be far more valuable - in every sense - than Kone.

Agreed. Have some rep.

 

[ijjysmith]

It looks like the Alcaraz deal has hit a brick wall









He's demanding an escape clause in his contract.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Tree13]

As squad players thats fine, but if we're spending £5m on Kone he wont be a squad player.

His performance on the pitch will determine whether or not he's more than just a squad player. That same performance will determine, in part, if the transfer fee is excessive or not.

 

[Phenom]

It looks like the Alcaraz deal has hit a brick wall









He's demanding an escape clause in his contract.

Stubbsy Stubbsy show us yer Sauce?

 

[Tree13]

Yup, I think he is more than a decent player, and Alcaraz would be our third best CB. For a combined £5 million. And people are distraught.

Alcaraz + McGeady + Kone = between £9m and £11.5m (approx);

Alcaraz + Donovan = maybe £2m, leaving £7m to £9m towards a better striker.

That's why many are questioning the wisdom of signing Kone, and McGeady.

Alcaraz is a no brainer as he only has to be better than Heitinga to justify his transfer fee (£0).

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Stubbsy Stubbsy show us yer Sauce?

Read it again fella!

 

[ijjysmith]

Alcaraz + McGeady + Kone = between £9m and £11.5m (approx);

Alcaraz + Donovan = maybe £2m, leaving £7m to £9m towards a better striker.

That's why many are questioning the wisdom of signing Kone, and McGeady.

Alcaraz is a no brainer as he only has to be better than Heitinga to justify his transfer fee (£0).

Does Donovan even still play football though?

 

[caught]

Precisely this. £5m should be used on youth with resale value unless you are talking about someone who will clearly make a real difference. Can't see that Kone is that man. He's not **** but by the same token I would rather Martinez attempt to help Jelavic rediscover the form of a season and a half ago, as that player would be far more valuable - in every sense - than Kone.

Which young player would you like instead?

Martinez has spent a year working with Kone. He rates him and knows how to use him. There's a good chance he'll make a positive impact on the team. Every bit of evidence implies that the run of form that was an anomaly for Jelevic was his first few months at the club. Aside from Rangers his goal ratio is average, and, despite there being no doubt he works hard, he offers hardly anything aside from goals. Kone and Jelevic have very similar scoring records. The difference being that Kone's a more rounded player and his record is in better leagues.

£5-6m for a 29 y/o isn't cheap, but that price for a 10-15 goal a season striker is decent. If he averages 1/3 (his Wigan ratio) for the next two seasons he'll have been a good signing.

 

[pablo_p]

Does Donovan even still play football though?

Yep.

Watched LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes last night on ESPN. He was instrumental for both their goals, if not slightly lucky for their second.

His pace hasn't left him, and he's returned to the US national side, so good competitive football in a better league could help his/their WC bid.

 

[Zatara]

Yep.

Watched LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes last night on ESPN. He was instrumental for both their goals, if not slightly lucky for their second.

His pace hasn't left him, and he's returned to the US national side, so good competitive football in a better league could help his/their WC bid.

The more i think about it the more angry im getting at the thought of signing kone...

What an absoluyely stupid transfer...i cannot think of a single positive.

 

[pablo_p]

The more i think about it the more angry im getting at the thought of signing kone...

What an absoluyely stupid transfer...i cannot think of a single positive.

A lot of people are saying that he'll get more chances with us than he did at Wigan. There'd be some mileage in that statement, provided that we keep hold of Baines.

Personally, I wouldn't mind getting the players touted in strictly as back-up. That isn't to say that I'd be happy. More like, we'd have more competition for places and the squad would be bulkier already.

We'd still need a player or two that could waltz into the starting XI, though.

 

[somuchfun]

Donovan is 49 years old ffs and looking to quit football.