The NSNO Everton Forums

This season the values have certainly gone up another level again. I didn’t think it would be possible but to regularly quote and pay £100m of a player of CL standard and not even world class (I define this as top 3 in the world your position) is utterly ludicrous.

Anderson is good but £130m good? Tonali and Fernandes again see the same. Good players but bonkers valuations. PSG apparently want £145m for Barcola. A good winger but really?

It shows that the football business and clubs are now unstoppable and authorities are powerless to do anything about it. Once sovereign nations got involved, it gave them unlimited fire power, which not only means they can spend what they want, but also that it gives them unlimited legal resources to fight whatever ruling the regulators bring out. UEFA just don’t have the budgets to fight a multi year battle against the UAE or Qatar in court.

As for Illi, it is what it is and we have to adapt to where we sit in the unofficial financial football pyramid, which is alongside the second tier of clubs (Villa, Newcastle etc). We have to be smart about our dealings to make up for the gap in finances, but also need to ensure that our off the pitch activities continue to strengthen to narrow the revenue gap with the top clubs.

Romano has an awful habit of writing a lot without saying anything

Trowel wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:17 am Romano has an awful habit of writing a lot without saying anything

All FR does is write what he’s paid to write by clubs and agents. This no news post is just Ily’s agent keeping the story relevant and applying pressure.

We'll haggle and negotiate hard all window for an extra £5m, then not enough time to bring in a replacement

I find it hard to understand that Ndiaye wants to go to Saudi…He strikes me like an ambitous footballer. The way he trains to always improve. If he was honest about wanting CL football I cant see him wanting such a move.

For Everton on the other hand this is the only move we could accept. If he leaves I hope it is for Saudi and for around 100M - knowing our club all to well its probably gonna end up being Tottenham for 40M.

AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:50 am I wouldn't lose any respect tbh.

I think some players it's a bit of a crazy way to throw away your career, but when you look at the career path Ndaiye has taken he's probably already achieved far more than he expected to.

I also don't think he's good enough to play regularly for a top team, so his biggest opportunity for a big wage increase is by going to Saudi.

Some players I find it baffling they make this kind of move, but others not so much, and in this instance I understand it.

Same with Summerville, class player who probably could play at a higher level than he has been, but he's also had so many injuries in his short career that nothing is guaranteed in his future. Going to Saudi makes whether his career derails due to his body, or not, largely irrelevant.

Each to their own - but like I said (if you believe the chat) the noise has been that he wants CL clubs. He’ll be rich regardless. For me the purpose of playing sport is to win meaningful trophies. At his age and his ambition he should be looking at that. I know I would be. Same with people like Toney. Doucoure and Gana I get going to Saudi clubs at their age

Brownie wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:53 am Each to their own - but like I said (if you believe the chat) the noise has been that he wants CL clubs. He’ll be rich regardless. For me the purpose of playing sport is to win meaningful trophies. At his age and his ambition he should be looking at that. I know I would be. Same with people like Toney. Doucoure and Gana I get going to Saudi clubs at their age

I think he's only on something like £35k a week here, so we'll off but not rich compared to a lot of footballers.

If he goes to a champions league club to sit on the bench he may well earn £100k a week, but can get probably 3-4x that tax free in Saudi.

Personally I wouldn't go there if I were a footballer, but for some players who maybe aren't ever going to be able to command a starting place at a top club, and are on relatively low wages for a premier league player, I do understand the motivation.

Brownie wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:53 am Each to their own - but like I said (if you believe the chat) the noise has been that he wants CL clubs. He’ll be rich regardless. For me the purpose of playing sport is to win meaningful trophies. At his age and his ambition he should be looking at that. I know I would be. Same with people like Toney. Doucoure and Gana I get going to Saudi clubs at their age

This is exactly where I am. If you are sort of 33+, the likelihood of you improving or achieving something you never have previously is virtually gone and so I can see the appeal of a sack load of easy money. It's not somewhere I'd fancy living or playing but i do see it.

If you are in your mid 20s, I don't get it. You will already earn money to never need to work again in the Prem in no time and there are moves to France, Germany, Spain, Italy if you have itchy feet that get you as much money and still chances at the Champions League.

I think he's a terrific player and I will be gutted to see him leave but much as I would have hated seeing him at another PL club, seeing him chuck his career in the bin to play in an absolute farce is even worse to me.

I know plenty don't care what happens to anyone five minutes after they have left Everton and that's fair enough but I just think it's a massive waste.

I don't want him to go but nearly a bigger worry is how we would replace him. We were a proper team for the first half of last season with him, Grealish and KDH going forward.

I’m sure we have had a list of replacements lined up since he didn’t extend his contract earlier on it the year and we’ll be good to go as soon as he’s sold…

PoD1878 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:36 am I’m sure we have had a list of replacements lined up since he didn’t extend his contract earlier on it the year and we’ll be good to go as soon as he’s sold…

Hi… Jarrod?

We know you signed a new contract

But we’ve got £80m to throw at West Ham now...

Juanito wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:47 am Unpopular opinion but I would rather he’s our starter on the left and we don’t get Grealish, despite him being a miles better player, I worry Grealish will spend most of the season injured due to his lifestyle choices.

I don’t buy into this lifestyle choices thing with Grealish.

He’s the 6th most fouled player last season on 58.
Anderson was the most on 80, but Grealish played half the minutes and so got fouled every 28 mins compared with Anderson’s fouled every 42 mins.

He ranks above average in terms of reliability when compared to other PL wingers and most of his injuries are contact injuries, like the ruptured kidney from an elbow at Villa, deadlegs from tackles or the stress fracture that has just kept him out.

That’s very different to players like Doku or Rashford who repeatedly have time out with muscle injuries or hamstrings.

It’s like Pickford’s short arms. Media fabricated due to high profile and click-worthiness.

Being the focal point and so instrumental for some top teams, he’s come in for some really targeted treatment as well. Jack’s alright you know. He needs better protection from referees, but he’s alright.

AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:03 am I think he's only on something like £35k a week here, so we'll off but not rich compared to a lot of footballers.

If he goes to a champions league club to sit on the bench he may well earn £100k a week, but can get probably 3-4x that tax free in Saudi.

Personally I wouldn't go there if I were a footballer, but for some players who maybe aren't ever going to be able to command a starting place at a top club, and are on relatively low wages for a premier league player, I do understand the motivation.

I didn’t mean what he’s on with us. But £100k a week at a club where he will win things is life changing whichever way it’s spun.

Saudi really isn't as bad a place to live as it was even 5-6 years ago. I lived there on and off over the past few years and it's getting better for families every month.

Bahrain would have been a decent place for his family to be based but for the recent issues in that part of the world.

Either way a year or two there sets him and his extended family up for life and he is still young enough to come back to UK/Europe.

Anything north of £80m and it is a no brainer for us.

Brownie wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2026 10:22 am I didn’t mean what he’s on with us. But £100k a week at a club where he will win things is life changing whichever way it’s spun.

Yep £100k a week is insane money, but after tax that's what £50k - £60k a week (still mad money), and not playing all that often because you're not quite good enough to command a starting spot.

Then you get offered £300k a week tax free...

£3.1m a year after tax Vs £15.6m tax free.

Over 4 years that's a difference of £62.4m instead of £12.4m.

I absolutely understand the appeal.