Everton Banter 3

13 Jul 2026 13:52:08
Everton’s pursuit of a new right-back is more likely to be concluded closer to deadline day (Tuesday, September 1) than the start of the season, according to journalist Paul Bradshaw, who reports the club are playing the long game in the hope of striking a cheaper deal for Guela Doue.
I really hope this is just paper talk. What say my fellow Evertonians?

13 Jul 2026 15:04:13
Many factors, Toff. I'm sure there're a few irons in the fire. I guess we need to trim the squad and the wage bill as much as anything else. Get Patterson and McNeil gone for a start. More we recoup, more likely we are to get a premium right back. Suppose players like Doue are also holding out to see who comes in for them.

13 Jul 2026 15:11:14
I can't believe, given the fact we've needed a right back for six windows, that we have not got one already. It should have been our first signing. What a joke.

13 Jul 2026 15:18:18
Totally agree, Swinners, trouble is, teams probably realise how desperate we are for one and start loading the fee.
We cannot start another season with a makeshift RB otherwise we will soon be found out yet again.

13 Jul 2026 17:43:58
We need to bring in a rightnack consultant, I've heard we are interviewing end of August.

13 Jul 2026 19:39:51
Sounds to me like we have identified a number of RBs, Doue is our preference, but we believe we are being asked to pay over the odds - we are therefore trying to hold out for a lower free knowing there are other cheaper options still available. For me that sounds like sensible recruitment.

14 Jul 2026 08:04:50
You can't force clubs to sell you their players, and you can't have a pop at the club if they won't pay more than what they believe the player is worth. I mean, look at the Dibling transfer. People still moaning about that one and have written the poor lad off based on it.


Need to sit back and wait and see what happens. Football is a business now, and despite people thinking we can sign this player or that player, that is not how it works anymore.

13 Jul 2026 13:51:03.
I hope this is just paper talk. In my humble opinion this is the position should have been either recruited first or at least after we acquired Hackney. This position is stopping us from progressing as a balanced team. We can't keep looking to be a top eight team but playing a defender in the fullbacks positions.

What say my fellow?
Everton’s pursuit of a new right-back is more likely to be concluded closer to deadline day (Tuesday September 1) than the start of the season, according to journalist Paul Bradshaw, who reports the club are playing the long game in the hope of striking a cheaper deal for Guela Doue.

13 Jul 2026 13:00:17
Lucas Digne £10m release clause, go and get him back.

13 Jul 2026 15:12:28
How old is he? He was good for us, but is he that much better than Mykolenko!! The Club are not concerned about left back, besides, what do we do with Aznou?

13 Jul 2026 15:51:46
He is 32, soon to be 33.

Is he much better than Mykolenko? Well, he is playing in a WC for France (arguably the best team in the world) , and they are on course to lift the trophy.

He won the Europa League with Villa last year.

He has won leagues and cups in multiple European leagues.



Mykolenko, 1 assist last year. Digne, 7 and in 1000 less minutes of football.

Yes, I would say it is safe to say that he is better than Mykolenko.

Give me Baines over Mykolenko now, never mind Digne.

13 Jul 2026 18:39:22
Baines wasn't that good a lb, he was more a wb, and had Peanuts in front of him. Together they sewed up the left, I could have watched those two all day and night. What about Aznou.

13 Jul 2026 21:31:45
Possibly the boldest statement ever made on here to say Baines isn't that good of a LB.

Opinions, I'm sure, but one I have to completely disagree with. LB was one of the best left back the Premier League has seen.

13 Jul 2026 22:32:02
Digne is a much better fullback than Myko without a shadow of a doubt. I wouldn't bring him back, but he is a far superior player.

As for Baines not being a very good left back, really? The lad was awesome, and would have had plenty more caps if it wasn't for Ashley Cole being around at the same time. A combination of a lack of confidence in his own ability and shyness held him back in his first season, but he excelled once settled in.



I think Dibbling could be similar to Baines in that department, and I'm hoping he has bedded in properly now. A full pre-season should stand him in good stead. I've seen a few pics from training, and he is smiling a lot more than he has since he came. Hopefully that's a good sign.

13 Jul 2026 23:15:01
Not even going to reply to the Baines comment but yes, them two together were magnificent.

I can't comment on Aznou as we have seen so little in an Everton shirt. But I would play him in pre-season, and if he is better than Myko and Moyes still doesn't pick him, Moyes should get the sack.

I think Mykolenko is terrible though. I think he is stealing a living and should be nowhere near a PL team that has aspirations of competing for trophies or European positions.



Second those thoughts on Dibling BP. I don't think I have wanted a player to succeed at us quite like him. I remember my Dad & Brother slating Jimmy when he first came in, but I had watched him a lot at Forest, seen his IQ of the game and ability to be comfortable in most/all scenarios on a football pitch, hence why he finds it so easy to play multiple positions.

Hopefully he stays. Wouldn't be surprised if someone came in for him.

14 Jul 2026 12:33:54
Baines wasn't that good a left back. Do you really think that dms?
Baines was an outstanding left back, not a wing back. Unfortunately for him, but probably to our benefit, Baines played at the same time as Ashley Cole. Otherwise he would've had many more caps for England and may well have had his head turned for a team winning trophies.
As for opinions on Mykolenko or Digne.

Give me Digne every day of the week and twice on a Sunday over Mykolenko. I'm still waiting on someone telling me what they see in Mykolenko. He and the lack of a right back are the positions in our team that are the easiest to strengthen.
I don't know what's happening with Aznou, but if he's no better than Mykolenko then loan or sell him and get an improved left back.

13 Jul 2026 12:45:58
Hi everyone new on here. Any news on Grealish and the right back situation? I'd love us to sign Djed Spence but I can dream, but what a player, just what we need.

13 Jul 2026 14:45:00
Won't be any news now, until September 1st.

13 Jul 2026 08:54:51
Still see Gana Gueye is on the player photos. They have added in Hackney, so looks as though he possibly will be staying.

13 Jul 2026 11:38:24
Probably doesn't mean anything knowing Everton, use an old photo and Photoshop in Hackney, I can do that easily.

13 Jul 2026 13:37:53
The photo of Hackney is new. They have added into the first team player profile pics. Gana is still there, but not an Everton player technically.

12 Jul 2026 20:11:41
Quite like the new away kit, if the leaked images are real.

12 Jul 2026 22:55:18
The white one with a handful of pin stripes?

It's certainly better than the cream one of last year, the salmon monstrosity two years ago or the pink one the year before.

I quite liked the yellow one when we had Rodriguez. Not had a decent away kit in a few years. Looking forward to seeing what the third and goalkeeper kits look like.

13 Jul 2026 09:25:23
I didn't like it. Looked a bit cheap to me.

12 Jul 2026 20:07:59
What do my fellow Evertonians think about getting Grealish for 5-10 million if City would prefer to cash in now rather than him leave on a free good value or not? 🤔🤔

{Ed025's Note - good value i would say TB, but of course his wages would have to reflect that he is not Billy big time anymore mate..

12 Jul 2026 22:46:37
Not getting him for that. More probable that would be a loan fee.

12 Jul 2026 23:01:19
Think a lower wage with larger bonuses would be good for us, but that's probably not in Grealish's plans, given he's towards the end of his career and could be an injury liability. Love the guy's attitude, but it's a big ask for him to commit to us when there's big final cheques out there.

13 Jul 2026 04:10:09
Obviously, Jack is a very, very wealthy young man. He has won lots of major trophies, played for his country & is generally liked in the football world.
Does he want to stay & be a bit part player at City?
Does he want to go to Saudi or the US whilst still Premier League standard?
Maybe, just maybe, he now wants to be loved & appreciated by a club & set of supporters.

He seemed extremely happy last season, & so maybe he would happily take less to stay?

12 Jul 2026 22:54:28
I agree Ed, we are not in the position to offer stupid wages to any player but we certainly shouldn't be doing it for a player who is, if everyone is honest, beyond his peak.

That isn't to say I wouldn't sign him. I like Grealish and he definitely brings more eyes to Everton football wise, which can only be a good thing whilst he is with us.

I think he is a very intelligent footballer and his most impressive attributes are his first touch and his ability to win fouls. He has never been a pacey and powerful athlete and always relied on his brain and agility.

I did think that last season after his good start, he was worked out pretty quickly, through no fault of his own. The same on the opposite flanks. Teams know they can just double up on our wingers because our fullbacks offer sweet fa.

Grealish has had some lengthy injuries in the last few seasons and his now in his 30's. Whilst I appreciate that players are much fitter, healthier, generally better looked after in todays game, the body still regresses after a certain age and Jack doesn't typically live the cleanest lifestyles.

If we get him for that fee, it represents brilliant value, especially in this market. However, as Ed said correctly, it all depends on his wages.

I think if we can get him in for 150k a week max, we should bring him in. Anything more, I would look elsewhere.

It is no secret how much he enjoys the club, so if he really does, he will realise that his time at City is done and he won't be starting every week, ahead of the likes of Doku and Semenyo. He won't have to worry about that for us, as providing he keeps fit, Moyes will play him every week.

{Ed025's Note - i was thinking £100k max BN but maybe im being unrealistic, the fee should not be a big deal really mate but i agree with you that his injury record and lifestyle history still makes him a bit of a risk..

13 Jul 2026 09:27:53
Grealish is a signing I'd like, and it's proven from his loan. But the price will need to reflect his age and lifestyle. He's 31 and a party boy. Both of those will come with problems.
His quality, though, is not in question.

11 Jul 2026 19:34:48
Bryan King, our former scout, thinks we should go back in for Lukaku. With advice like that, I am glad he is no longer our scout. It's just my view; I am sure some of my fellow Evertonians on this forum would disagree, but he is finished as far as being a lead striker for a Premier League side with serious ambition of becoming a top eight side.

11 Jul 2026 22:10:52
Have met our scouts over the years, most very knowledgeable, but sometimes (I have said this to them) , they need to put the crib sheet down.

12 Jul 2026 11:05:50
Agree, instead of looking at stats, go and actually watch the guys play.

11 Jul 2026 16:01:54
Our stadium is looking amazing in the Eng v Fiji game.

12 Jul 2026 11:06:59
That's because it is amazing.

11 Jul 2026 13:46:36
Looks like we want Jacob Murphy from Newcastle. I can believe this particular rumour because he is 31 and fits Moyes mo for older experienced players, and he would possibly be cheap, probably around the 10 million mark, and he has played right back before. Apparently I have seen this on one of the Everton websites, and my pal is a barcodes supporter and stated this name is doing the rounds up there being linked with a move to our lot.

How do my fellow Evertonians feel about this one? It does not excite me, but I all honesty not all transfers do. Maybe he feels a gap in the squad, who knows. Thoughts 🤔 fellow blues.

11 Jul 2026 15:42:32
If he was the ain't fightback I wouldn't be impressed. If he was a squad player and we still got a right back, I'd be happy. He does chip in with some good goals.

11 Jul 2026 15:53:18
Goal return is worse than Barry and Betos. Assists are better. But no thanks.

11 Jul 2026 17:08:25
31..no thanks.

11 Jul 2026 19:01:54
Am I wrong in thinking he is a winger? Not a striker? Seeing comparisons to Barry and Beto who have scored more goals, but honestly I'm not sure that's relevant? Surely any right back we look at will have scored less than our strikers next season?

11 Jul 2026 23:36:11
You're right, cropper. Having a moment in this heat, mate. Still a no though. 🤣

12 Jul 2026 11:08:43
Just how many wingers do we need?