Johnson & Arteta?

[Romey 1878]

http://www.sportinglife.com/story_get.cgi?..._Nightlead.html

[WestcountryToff]

keep him, we've got a good, capable and reliable striker force if we keep him, we know hes premiership level and can score goals for us, why go and a mess with something thats not broken. ultimately were looking to improve our squad and i dont think we can lure anyone better than Johnson (or let alone afford them) at this time, also id rather keep the budget we have and have a reliable striker rather than selling him and buying another striker who has the chance to be a total flop, and tbh we dont have good experienced backup, Johnson is holding us together up front.

 

i seriously hope West Ham get relegated from that court case because i hate the way they are just throwing cash at anyones players.

 

Well said ASH! WHU need to go down....Just to show that money isnt everything. As for AJ, let him go for 18Mil and replace him with who?

At the end of the day he doesnt just score the goals he fits into the everton way, the team ethic and how the EFC way is. - Yes dont get me wrong every player has a price but with that money we could afford a lot of players they could score goals but they wouldnt be an everton player - there is more than goals to being a striker at our club...Loyalty,pride and passion comes to mind.

[RoGuEAuDiO]

i think its a complete farce lol who the hell are west ham any way, they shouldnt even be in the prem.they should be spending their money on the the cash lost by those who were relegated.

[Bill]

Tim Cahill is the latest target for W Ham 24 Hrs after a bid for Andrew Johnson was Dismissed by Everton.

Rumour has it they will now turn their attentions to Cahill.

[RuffRob]

I think West Ham are starting to pi55 a whole lot of clubs of - Read in the paper they are trying to guzzump Newcastles bid of Joey Barton and Mark Viduka - by waving silly money at them. (OK, Newcastle have done it to us in the past, but it still doesn't make it right).

 

It is clubs like West Ham that really wind me up - throwing money around left right and centre over inflating the market place. Hope they end up with a team of money grabbing mercs who take the club down a la Leeds.

 

Hate saying this type of thing, but hope Sheff Utd win there arbitration and West Ham get relegated becasue of the Teves incident.

 

Rumour are started somewhere and somebody connected to West Ham is tying to unsettle some of our players by hinting they could be earning mega money with the Hammers.

 

Lets hope they continue to wind other clubs up - As I am sure if Everton and Newcastle had any vote in West Hams future this summer - they would vote them to go down at this moment in time.

[jofanon]

Straight swap for Tevez and Reo-coker.

 

Done deal.

 

When I say done deal... I mean I would do a deal on that.

 

Not that a deal had already been done!

[fcssl]

I think that Moyes comments on the website today are a little interesting, in that he has said he will not be selling AJ, however the rumour was the AJ and Arteta were being targetted by West Ham. I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong (I would like to think so anyway) but I don't think that Moyes has said anything in the last couple of days about Arteta. Is there something in this? I hope not!

[Mac]

I've just read on Ceefax, WHU are interested in Cahill too Bill. I read Robs post with interest and he summed up my feelings about this silliness, PANIC BUYING. Each and every player available so far has been linked with WHU and Newcastle, let them continue to do this.

 

In my mind a great deal of this is coming from 2nd rate Hacks who casn't be arsed to be journalists and are being very lazy boys indeed.

 

ATB

 

Mac

[aaron]

petition for WH to be relegated anyone?

[fcssl]

definatley gets my vote!

[SimonButtle]

Why are you all so worried? we finished 6th and gained a position in europe for next season, WHU only just survived.any player who wanted to still join them, would only be doing so for money, and would you really want that player at the club? i know i would'nt.

[Bill]

I think they are sending out a message of intent, old Egbert Magnuson is ensuring they wont finish in a similar position again.

 

Being linked with so many players, and offering the sort of money thats being reported, will help attract more players to the Bandwagon, i would'nt be a bit surprised if they become a team to watch out for next season.

[blue4everdan]

This rumour is just alot of BULLSHIT.

 

AJ has already said he'd sign up for life.

If Arteta does go anywere, it will be back to Spain and I really really really doubt he will go.

[Romey 1878]

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/pr...icle2617382.ece

[Joe]

20 million is a lot for AJ. I wouldn't want to sell him but I can understand why Moyes would for that kind of money. I still don't think it will happen.

[Noel Edmonds]

If W Ham are really prepared to pay £20m for AJ then I'd definately take it. It is a huge amount of money and would almost certainly eclipse any transfer funds we currently have. Yes AJ is a good player and has been in good form this season but 20m could buy you a hell of a lot better.

If he (or his mrs) really is homesick then i wouldn't begrudge seeing him go for nearly 150% profit in 12 months! Its good business.

 

You can say we shouldn't be selling our better players but everybody has their price, if stupid amounts of money come up you've seriously gotta look at taking them for the benefit of improving the squad on a whole.

 

The only player indispensable to us imo, is Mikel.

[zequist]

Just more stupid rumormongering. Moyes, Wyness, and now even Magnusson (see the link below) have all rubbished it - how many more refutations do these reporters need before they'll finally get the hint?

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...897&cc=5901

 

Of course, even Man U and Chelsea aren't immune to bogus stories about their key players being targeted by other teams (can't remember if it was Lampard or Terry who had to rubbish one of those a few weeks ago), so there's no reason to expect that we'll be treated any different. But it still gets annoying after a while.

[aaron]

Magnusson told his club website: 'I've had a very positive discussion with my good friend Bill Kenwright, the Everton chairman, and can confirm that West Ham have not and are not bidding for any Everton player at this time.'

 

quite worrying that, not at this time. does that mean they WILL bid at one time for a player?

[Glenjamin]

We shouldn't sell players that got us to europe. Instead of selling good players to buy good players we should focus on areas of weakness and use our transfer budget to fix these areas. Selling players like johson can only expose our weak areas even more

[RuffRob]

If W Ham are really prepared to pay £20m for AJ then I'd definately take it. It is a huge amount of money and would almost certainly eclipse any transfer funds we currently have. Yes AJ is a good player and has been in good form this season but 20m could buy you a hell of a lot better.

If he (or his mrs) really is homesick then i wouldn't begrudge seeing him go for nearly 150% profit in 12 months! Its good business.

 

You can say we shouldn't be selling our better players but everybody has their price, if stupid amounts of money come up you've seriously gotta look at taking them for the benefit of improving the squad on a whole.

 

The only player indispensable to us imo, is Mikel.

 

You say WE could buy hell of a lot better - Who?

 

You have to remember we are Everton and not Man U or Chelsea - if a £20M bracket quality striker became available, which other teams would also be trying to get his siniture - Wigan, Reading or Man U Chelsea.

 

When we signed Johnston our rivals for his signiture where Wigan and Bolton, so he came to us.

 

AJ has been a very good player for us this season - Not only as a goal scorer, but his pace and work rate up front have given the rest of our team a lot more space as defenders can't push up as they would like to against us.

 

Also, becasue of the new TV money around and the fact a few clubs have been taken over and have money to spend. The £8.6M spend last season will not have bought AJ this season. He would have cost more in the region of £10-11M as a top player from the Championship with Prem experience.

 

Simple equation - there is only a finite number of players worth buying + clubs have more money = The price of players goes up.

 

If West Ham are willing to pay £20M - then that is what player of his quality are worth, they are not ten a penny so a replacement of equal value is also going to cost £20M or very near than much.

 

i. selling AJ sends out the wrong signals to other players at the club - such as Arteta.

ii. You have to get a replacement that will do the same job as AJ - no matter what fee you pay players can flop, why take that risk, when you have a player already at the club who does the job you want doing?

iii. Buying decent player this season is going to be tough becasue plenty of teams have plenty of money to do battle in the transfer market

iv. AJ has 4 year left on his contract on a wage we CAN afford

 

It was all slightly different when we sold Rooney - We where in the shit, and our squad was old and below average at best. At that time, a £20M cash injection was very much welcome, as the squad needed a total rebuild. That is not the case now. We are looking to add a couple of signings to IMPROVE the squad each summer.

 

Sell AJ for in the end may only be a £2M or so above his REAL value at best - You must be joking.

 

We shouldn't be selling player to a team who in all honestly will be looking to compeate for UEFA cup place againsts us next season. It make teams around us stronger and us weaker.

[comeonblueboys]

I completely agree. I can't believe that with the trouble we had getting goals before AJ arrived that people are suggesting we should think about selling. He has given us goals and options upfront that we never had, and he stretches teams like no other player we've got or are likely to be able to get.

[CraccerC]

i don't think you need 20 million to replace a striker that essentially just pace ... awful first touch, not a great finisher.... 20 million could buy you better, it's all about looking around, scouting. and ofcourse u wudnt just sell him until u'd found a replacement, i'd try for defoe

[Everton_Worshiper]

i don't think you need 20 million to replace a striker that essentially just pace ... awful first touch, not a great finisher.... 20 million could buy you better, it's all about looking around, scouting. and ofcourse u wudnt just sell him until u'd found a replacement, i'd try for defoe

 

Just to please CraccerC...you could sell Johnson and buy Nugent and Bent

[MikeO]

I completely despair at times. How can we even talk about anything so mind bogglingly stupid as selling any of our best players. 100% with Rob. Speechless that anyone would consider it.. .

[RuffRob]

Just to please CraccerC...you could sell Johnson and buy Nugent and Bent

 

Isn't Darren Bent being quoted in the same up to £20m bracket - I wouldn't swop to be honest

 

As for Nugent - yes we could sell AJ and Nugent might be a even better player, but equally may just not cut it at Prem level. and we go backwards next season as a result of not having it up front.

 

Solution - you buy Nugent, if he is amazing and Vauaghn, Victor an McFadden show consistency and class through next season - then maybe you consider selling AJ for £20M, as the investment may be worth while elsewhere in the team.

 

CraccerC - please include some examples of players with AJ's pace and work rate and everything else he brings to the team, in the £20M bracket and who would come to Everton and who we would want. I imagine your list is't to extensive.

[Bill]

I completely despair at times. How can we even talk about anything so mind bogglingly stupid as selling any of our best players.

 

Money talks Mike, I dont know what your job is But if you had the Chance to do the same job for twice as much money, which in turn enables you to buy a bigger and better house, a new bigger and better car, go on more expensive exotic holidays, which enables you to give you and your family a much better quality of life, wouldnt you be sorely tempted.

 

Footballers are not robots, they are human beings llike you and i with the same insticts to provide the best we can for our family's lifestyle, I would'nt blame anybody in any walk of life who wants to better themselves.

 

As much as i dont want to see them go, if we dont hit the euro positions in the League next season there will be a lot of

clubs looking to offer our Best Players another step up the Ladder to better themselves, We have to face the fact that half of this team wont be here in a few years time they will have moved on and i cant blame them, its up to the Club to offer them the same money as they can get elsewhere, then there would be no need to move.

 

The prime example is Joey Barton, he says players are not judged on how much money they earn its all about the trophies you win, so what has he done, he's accepted "In Principle" to go to Newcastle who havent won a trophy for god knows how long, BUT HE IS GETTING £70.000 A WEEK FOR GOING THERE. speaks for itself does'nt it.

[MikeO]

I'm in complete agreement Bill, what I was talking about was the clubs position, that we should not consider selling our best players because "£20m could buy you better." If a player no longer wants to play for the club then sell him for sure.

 

Though as a matter of interest I worked for the same small family company in London for seventeen years because I liked the people, we were doing work that I was proud of, we were very successful and innovative and we were highly respected within our field. I was offered more money to go elsewhere on a number of occasions but the cost to my quality of life and job satisfaction were not worth it in my estimation.

 

Admittedly at the time I was single and if I'd had a family to consider I may have made a different decision.

 

Predictably ( ) the company went bankrupt within six months of me leaving due to "ill health."

[CraccerC]

Isn't Darren Bent being quoted in the same up to £20m bracket - I wouldn't swop to be honest

 

As for Nugent - yes we could sell AJ and Nugent might be a even better player, but equally may just not cut it at Prem level. and we go backwards next season as a result of not having it up front.

 

Solution - you buy Nugent, if he is amazing and Vauaghn, Victor an McFadden show consistency and class through next season - then maybe you consider selling AJ for £20M, as the investment may be worth while elsewhere in the team.

 

CraccerC - please include some examples of players with AJ's pace and work rate and everything else he brings to the team, in the £20M bracket and who would come to Everton and who we would want. I imagine your list is't to extensive.

 

i am not a scout

[RuffRob]

i am not a scout

 

you said "..£20M would buy you hell of a lot better.."" But basically you can't think of a single person.

 

Emm great idea to cash in on AJ this summer then, with no replacment lined up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That will really see the club moving on

[aaron]

defoe isnt as good as AJ IMO but with £20mil we could sign him and nugent, two very good england strikers for the price of one.

But atm i would very much like us to keep hold of AJ as i can see him remaining with us for a long long time and one day be captain (watch this space)