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50 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

 

 

Wow ... can't blame him.

Probably got a big offer off the back of his exploits this past season.

Achieved the League and Champions League at Real Madrid, and so goes out on the high of all highs.

Cool.

20 minutes ago, Roids said:

This cope/delusion where some rationalise signings because 'Howe will fix it' always throws me off.

 

Talent ultimately matters at the end of the day & you either like/rate DCL or not (I don't) .

 

A hug & verbal affirmations from Howe won't turn convert from an often injured goal shy striker to a stud, he's 27!

 

Might as well get Martial in since Howe supposedly has a midas touch.

 

 

 

Howe doesn't need to fix anything.

DCL needs out of Everton and in a better team.

If and when he signs, we'll see who's right about what kind of player he is.

13 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Yes, it's exactly what he was intended for. 

I think these kind of signings will allow this option when necessary, but I don't necessarily think they will all be signed just for this purpose.

I'm sure we'll see some come through to the first team too.

5 minutes ago, TBG said:

In comparison Real Madrid have signed Mbappe on a free.

 

Makes you think 

Funnily enough last year they signed 'washed' striker Joselu as a backup.

Worked out alright for them ...

5 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

I hadn't picked up on that, but I was saying that if we had a third striker it would be much more comfortable. Same if Wilson stayed really, he can't be relied on to be available when Isak needs a break.

The only reason we are looking at DCL is to replace Wilson I think.

With the injuries last season, his age, and the fact his contract is now in the last year, it's hard to justify keeping him. Especially as there is some interest in him too.

But yeah, talk has continued about a younger versatile striker coming in that can also play other positions. Will be a player that still needs developing, but will be in the first team.

6 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

I'm not against it if the club thing it can work, but I do have worries. I was kind of hoping the Wilson replacement would be a safer or more exciting bet.

 

I can see him doing damage in the cups TBF.

 

Maybe we still see Gordon as someone who can play in the middle still. And of course we have a few (although not many) less games to play.

 

 

 

I think because it looks like Isak will miss games, the feeling is we need someone comfortable in the league as an alternative option.

We're still going to look for a younger versatile striker by all accounts, and so that will likely be more of a wildcard exciting signing.

3 hours ago, joeyt said:

Can't imagine him being suited to Dyche-ball

Really unfortunate for him if he's prioritizing that move to Everton.

Lyon would be the smart choice I think.

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Speaking personally I haven't really seen him play this season, certainly not regularly. I'm mainly going on his reputation for being injured a lot. You're right he has some basic attributes that are good though.

His attributes have not suddenly left him. In the right team they are just going to be more pronounced and effective.

We're just a couple of months away now. Let's see what happens. I'm looking forward to it.

5 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We have to raise X amount by the end of the month and are selling valuable assets to do so. We are selling because we have too.. I guess it's not at rock bottom prices but it seems we are gaming the system with Everton for mutual beneficial fees.

 

Certainly - if we had not gotten ourselves into an FFP hole, we wouldn't be selling Minteh in June or at all.

 

IMO we didn't think the punishment for falling foul of FFP would be so severe.

Minteh is an asset that we are going to make a significant profit on, but he is not a significant hit to the first team because he has not been involved.

Wilson is a very injury prone 33 year old that looks like he isn't keen on continuing to play second fiddle.

Almiron has run his course and is quite frankly not good enough.

Is there someone else I am missing? Because these cannot be classified as fire sale moves surely?

58 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

But Gordon was very young, we knew he had pace to burn and that he was a pressing machine. And no major injury worries. Huge potential that is being realised.

 

DCL does not have the same attributes. He’s been living off a purple patch from 4 years ago and his next injury will probably keep him out for a few months. I don’t get it, I’d honestly rather have Chris Wood back.. at least he’s reliable in terms of his body not breaking down.

 

Its a luxury signing when you know the rest of your squad is 100% - but it’s not though is it.

 

 

 

Sometimes I really wonder which Calvert Lewin I've been watching.

That guy is at least 6 ft 2, he is quick and strong, and has an incredible work rate. All things Howe values. He has also shown he will score goals under better circumstances.

It has also been shown and stated multiple times now that his injury record is being exaggerated. Never mind the fact that he is not coming in to be our lead man upfront and so won't be under the same rigorous demands.

I cannot wait for August to come around,if we sign this guy, because when the guy gets on the pitch in the kind of team we have built it's going to be really interesting to see what people have to say then.

35 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We are fire selling players this summer.

How are we fire selling players?!

Szoboszlai man .. really beginning to wonder about this guy. Regardless of the position he has been played in, I think we may have dodged a bullet.

2 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

I’d bank on Isak alone, not sure I’d rate DCL higher than the other two. (Based on the last few seasons, under Carlo he looked the real deal).

I like Zirkzee a lot and also appreciate Hojlund's raw attributes and think he will come good. 

However, having them as the two striker options upfront could come with some growing pains. Zirkzee is class but even last year when he was great for Bologna, it was more his involvement in build up, and his creativity that really stood out.

Isak is looking like a 20 goal a season striker for us going forward, and I really cannot see DCL struggling to score in our team. Isak, Gordon, Wilson and even Almiron the previous season, have been productive in this team.

DCL's heading ability in the box alone will be such a huge threat, as we are quite direct and get decent crosses into the box from good positions.

36 minutes ago, duo said:

Eddie said each transfer window is our chance to build on the quality we already have in the squad.  No one can say that DCL fits into that bracket - Wilson is a far more clinical striker. Nevermind it being a sideways move from Wilson, it's a step backward.  Look I am no scout but surely the club has better prospects that they can target and I am not even talking about the likes of Sesko. Someone of the Pérez ilk that Eddie can mold.  I can't even see how he fits into our style of play.

Regarding the disparity between Wilson and DCL, and DCL not being a good fit, I disagree on those two points, and so we can set that aside, that's fine.

Isak as great as he is, is not looking like the most robust of strikers that can power through every game over a season. We need a seasoned striker that can come on for him in the second half, and who can also step in when he picks up the odd nick here and there as has been the case.

The club have still said that they will also still be looking for a third forward that is more versatile and more of developmental player, and so that should still happen anyway, but this kind of player just can't be the main option behind Isak.

21 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

That means Hojlund on the bench though, either way that is two excellent young strikers.

I'm not really sure what Man Utd are hoping for to be honest.

Between the pair of them, there's a chance neither really hit the heights they need, as they are both still pretty inexperienced at a higher level.

I thought they would go for someone like Toney for the first team and then bring Hojlund along behind him.

Isak and DCL or Zirkzee and Hojlund? I'm banking on our pairing to be more productive personally.

8 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Zirkzee won’t be first choice at Man Utd surely ?

He definitely will or he wouldn't be joining them I don't think.

AC Milan have been chasing him to be their new number 9.

1 minute ago, relámpago blanco said:

It'll be truly awful if we sell him and see him winning champions leagues with Man City

This mans career prospects are escalating at an astonishing rate! 

I don't think we could ever out do Chelsea though so I think we'll be okay.

They could have legit had Salah, DeBruyne and Lukaku come through together and play together the last 10 years.

2 minutes ago, duo said:

I get that but we play enough games to rotate. It is not like Isak is able to play all games, plus they can play in addition to Isak - depends on who they get and their flexibility.  DCL is also a completely different style of player so if Isak gets injured we won't have a like for like replacement.

The calibre of players like Sesko, Zirkzee, David, Gimenez, Ghuirassy are all getting first team main striker offers from other really good clubs. The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, AC Milan, Dortmund etc. They are more likely to choose those sorts of options, rather than join us and rotate with Isak.

Play style wise, I think it's fine as his profile still works well for us, while adding some different elements. Isak and Wilson are very different but were still both effective in our setup.

1 minute ago, macphisto said:

I wonder if we're a little behind the times as a fan base? Are we not focusing too much on developing young players with a view to them becoming 1st team players rather than a way to generate income and get around FFP which is equally important to the club? We will make a significant profit on Minteh which is what we want. With this model, we have to accept that some players will move on and become great players; just part of our model as to generate high fees there has to be a "risk" of our young players becoming stars of the future. 

Yeah, we're only now being run as a normal outfit and so we're still new to this sort of thing.

Just now, SUPERTOON said:

It’s just frustrating that we are going to seemingly sell a really highly rated youngster whilst still having Miggy and Murphy. ( I know no one wants to buy them before @Gawalls mentions it).

 

 

It's certainly frustrating but at least every other club is in the same boat.

I think eventually things are going to be changed too, because it's not a great environment for young players to be moved around like this as pure profit pawns.

6 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Aye, but I can’t see him being any worse than Miggy.

I understand man, but can we really operate by this premise?

Also we really need to aim for someone that we anticipate being very good on that right side, and not just better than Miggy, which might still not mean they're good enough.

Even on that left hand side, i think part of the reason we went for Barnes, was because although the club rated Gordon, there wasn't any certainty his progress would be so rapid, and so Barnes was a more guaranteed performer output wise. I think Gordon was more of an upside purchase. With Barnes injury early on and Gordon's breakthrough season it worked out differently though. 

1 minute ago, midds said:

I'm just sayimg there's an element of risk regardless of whether we get him out of the door this week or keep him and take the hit. Personally I think I'd take the hit, see how he goes and then make an informed decision. It'll maybe cost us a few points but it's what I think I'd do - if others disagree then fair enough

I understand man. That's fair enough 

1 minute ago, midds said:

I also think that we at least need to see him in training before we decide to stick or twist on him. Also, I'd be fucking astonished if he's less productive that Almiron. What if we're flogging a gem we unearthed for a relative pittance and he goes on to become a £100m+ player in 3 years time? Massive risk to take, no? 

No, not really, because we would have kept all our more important players and bought a more first team ready right wing player, and continued on pushing forward.

God knows where we would be by the time 3 years passes. Certainly not waiting around for Minteh to maybe become a £100 million player.

Make more sense, no? 

5 minutes ago, midds said:

I could just about entertain selling on so quickly if he didn't play in the EXACT position we've got a massive, gaping hole in the first XI. If he was another CM and we were already stacked there then it's an easy decision to sell him for pure profit. But that's not the situation - if he's anywhere near as good as lots of people think he is then keeping him and filling that gap would solve an even bigger problem in the actual first team. 

 

Either way, I'm not sure this decision needs to be made before he's even pulled a Newcastle training shirt on. I'm half tempted to just take the hit of 2 or 3 points and keep him. He makes an impact early days then he'll grab us far more than that over the 38 games we'd play with something threatening on the right AND left 

What happens if we go with this and plug him into the first team as our right winger option, and he goes out there and performs poorly? Massive risk to take, no?

1 hour ago, Conjo said:

Olise has had one good season (in which he was injured for half of). His two seasons before that were not really impressive, and at Mintehs age he was struggling to get into Readings squad and ended the season with 1 assist, 0 goals in 19 appearances.

45 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Minteh at 19 is way ahead of Olise at the same age. His output and underlying stats (at 19) has him on an elite trajectory.  He’s the type of player Dortmund sign and look to flip for £50m+.  

Olise was 19 in the 20/21 season for Reading and had 7 goals and 12 assists that season in the Championship and played 44 games.

I think the Championship is a much more rugged and tougher league than the Eredivise, and him doing that at 19 in that competition trumps what Minteh did for Feyenoord last season IMO.