Aj The Times Point Of View

[bassman]

Have just read this on Times website. seems to me BK/DM are up to old tricks, make a lot of noise about tranfers they know are not going to happen. once again, no bloody money available. what happened to the money we had to buy Owen last season? Yes, I know, it never existed!

 

 

Everton were relieved to get in on the act after Simon Jordan, the Palace chairman, had appeared reluctant to accept their offer. They had a £7.25 million bid rejected last week, and have matched the £8.5 million fee offered by Bolton and Wigan, but the uncertainty stems from the structure of the deal proposed by the board at Goodison Park. Whereas Wigan have offered the majority of the fee up front and Bolton within 12 months, the Merseyside club have asked to stagger payments over the next two seasons because of a lack of available funds.

 

Now, however, Everton can be cautiously optimistic about their chances of signing Johnson, particularly as the 25-year-old is believed to have misgivings about joining either Bolton or Wigan. Allardyce and Paul Jewell, his Wigan counterpart, will attempt to convince him that their respective clubs can help him fulfil his international aspirations, but Everton remain hopeful that he will reject both , which would leave them as clear favourites.

 

In terms of wages, Bolton and Everton share concerns that they might be unable to match the terms on offer at Wigan, whose multimillionaire owner, Dave Whelan, is expected to guarantee Johnson more than £45,000 a week plus bonuses.

 

If it comes down to more than money, however, Everton are hopeful that their higher profile has the strongest attraction, while Allardyce believes that his powers of persuasion will prove decisive when he meets the player.

[Guest fozzie22]

If it does go tits up and lets be fair he's not even supposed to have met anyone from Everton yet if you beleive the press it will boil down to money,i am concerened at the fact we cant pay for him up front tbh,surely its in palaces interests to get the cash in a lump sum,not on the drip...

 

We shall see