With only 10 games left, it seemed time to open up this can of worms... We already have the rumor about EJ coming over form the states. Now football365's transfer gossip has us in for another yank, one who has already worn the shirt: ...Portsmouth and Everton will battle it out for Fulham striker Brian McBride... As usual, no source is sited (that's why it's gossip, I suppose...). http://www.football365.com/news/transfer_gossip/story_179059.shtml
That McBride rumour has been in our papers aswell. Hell be on a bosman so might aswell give him ago. That Eddie Johnson fella, hasnt he just signed for Kansas City?
Yup, but I heard that he wasn't too happy about it (not so much the KC part but that Dallas offloaded him in the first place). That rumor, BTW, is completely based on a US serviceman's account of his conversation with the USMNT prior to the recent Poland friendly (there is a link to it in the Dithering Daveys' Transfer Market Misadventurs thread; probably also in the EJ thread).
He actually told his agent that he would rather play in KC than NY/NJ which was also trying to obtain him.
Egads! And who can blame him!? (Sorry, I'll try to keep my DC United bias in the appropriate forum from now on...)
I'd love to see McBride back in blue. That guy keeps himself in great shape and should be good for at least another solid season or two. I think the boat's still out on Johnson. He's got a lot of potential, but whether he'll develop into a consistent scorer is still a question mark, IMHO. Hopefully, Eddie steps up his game soon -- so far in 2006, he's looked average at best.
I think we should move for Sylvain Distin of Man City. It was him or Kroldrup last summer, and Moyes picked Kroldrup. Distin's out of contract at the end of the season, so we could pick him up for free.
Finally, a USMNT fan talks some sense about EJ. After he had those spectacular couple of games last year, everyone was jumping on his ship and claiming that he was the next big thing. But from what I've seen, he's been absolutely average and not good enough for the Prem. I guess we'll see once he gets fully fit after that injury and gets back into top playing form. In any case, there's no way he should get another look from anyone until after World Cup.
The McBride rumor can be put to rest -- Brian's just signed a 1-yr contract with Fulham good to summer 2007: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/4795342.stm
Yeah but never mind about McBride. Distin? they wanted 7.5m for him in the summer and tbh he isnt worth 2m, i know that hes gonna be on a free but in all honestly i dont rate the guy, i think hes worse than what Yobo was when he first came to us. We can do better. For me i think well make a move for Jolean Lescott if or when Wolves dont get promoted.
From BBC rumours: Everton boss David Moyes is planning a £7m move for former Manchester United flop Diego Forlan from Spain's Villareal. (The People). Everton are keen on Manchester United defender John O'Shea. (News of the World) Everton's Joseph Yobo is wanted by former club Marseilles. (Daily Star)
Please, please, please let us get Forlan (not gonna happen). And please, please, please let Yobo go to Marseilles.
I try to be more open minded about Joey, but it's going to take a lot of hard work and a long period of no screw ups for me to overcome this bad taste he has left in my mouth. I'm not that difficult to please - he just has to work really, really hard and try to not screw up. Sometimes, I just don't think he cares and that really bothers me.
The way the club is run were gonna have to sell either Big Joe or The Matador and we aint selling the latter. Forlan would seem a good proposition but i dont think hes suited to the English game. Also i doubt we would be able to spend 7million on one player and match his 40k a week wages. Better bet would be someone like Bellamy or Nihat O'Shea wouldnt be the worst buy depending on the fee i would also like to see Ferrari bought on a permanent basis.
Football365 is suggesting that to get O'Shea we would sell both Weir and Stubbs: ...Everton are keen on Manchester United defender John O'Shea and will offload David Weir and Alan Stubbs to finance the deal... If true then I definitely agree that we need to bag Ferrari as well (actually, I agree regardless).
Well offload Weir for sure but Stubbs will want a 2year deal and Moyes may only be willing to offer him a 1 year deal.
This is maybe not really news, as AJ has been linked to us before, but football365 has the following today: EVERTON EYE UP AJ Everton have made Andrew Johnson their principal summer transfer target, according to The Guardian. David Moyes wants to pair Johnson with James Beattie next season, but his efforts to sign the striker could be thwarted by Crystal Palace’s promotion bid from the Championship. Johnson won't leave Palace if his side return to the Premiership, but 'The Everton manager will renew his interest in the 25-year-old Johnson should Iain Dowie's side fail to secure promotion.'
Yeah apparently were gonna offer 6m for him in the summer if Palace arnt promoted. Heard today tho that he has stated that while he is flattered to be linked with Everton he wants to stay at Selhurts Park. If they dont go up i think a deal could be made in the summer has hes very unlikely to make the England squad.
Apparently it has been reported in "The People" that Arsenal are going to bid 8million for Joseph Yobo.
Wow, at first blush that looks like a great deal. Yobo's got a lot of talent and long-term upside, but his brain farts have cost us games, and I don't see that changing soon. And 8 million quid is a lot of cash. The problem is that we are pretty thin in central defense. We'd have to sign Ferrari fulltime, and then we'd still be looking at one or two defenders to buy as Weir has probably had it and Stubbs can't be far behind. With our track record of being able to attract players, even when we have the cash, adding more holes that need to be filled for the offseason is not terribly appealing. Especially if we end up playing more games again this offseason (Intertoto and/or UEFA Cup). Still, I betcha Yobo would want to go, so it may happen anyway.
I doubt my opinion would matter here. But my team (Hertha) has a really decent center back, the Croatian International Josip Simunic, who's available on a Bosman. He was once tracked by Pompey and Arsenal and I think would be a really good and CHEAP addition to Everton. He has the same attributes as Yobo and isn't nearly as dumb. However, this is all pending on whether or not we re-sign him again.