This is the truth about those Gareth Barry exit rumours
Everton midfielder has been linked with a return to Aston Villa
By Phil Kirkbride
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Gareth Barry will not be leaving Everton to rejoin Aston Villa this summer.
The veteran midfielder has been strongly linked with a return to Villa Park to aid his former club's promotion push from the Championship. But the ECHO understands that Barry remains a firm part of Ronald Koeman's plans at Goodison ahead of the new season and is set to stay with the Blues.
The 36-year-old is only five games away from equalling Ryan Giggs' Premier League record of 632 appearances. Barry is no longer guaranteed a place in Koeman's starting XI but with Everton back in European competition this season he is expected to feature regularly. Earlier in the season, Koeman heaped huge praise on Barry saying: "He is one of the best players I have managed in my teams because the cleverness of him in football is really of a high quality. "If the team is compact and you don't need to run a lot in distance he can press and win tackles and he is aggressive and he was in the box today."

Everton 2016-17 season review - September: Rom's on fire, reality bites and Barry reaches 600 not out
Koeman's bright start continues but optimism fades along with the light as the nights draw in
By Alistair Kleebauer
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton built on a promising first month of the season by putting three goals past two North East clubs in September. But the month ended with disappointment in league and cup to give their new manager Ronald Koeman plenty to think about.
Rom's the One
The Blues' chief goalscorer Romelu Lukaku gave notice in the early autumn that this would be a special season for him, by scoring seven goals for club and country in September. Koeman sensed the Belgian striker would be charged up after scoring twice for his country against Cyprus on September 6.
He was vindicated by Lukaku's performance in Everton's first league match of the month six days later.
Rom had waited 1,139 minutes to find the net for his club but once one went in at Sunderland, two more duly arrived in a blistering 11-minute hat-trick.
Everton's dominance at the Stadium of Light told in the 60th minute when Idrissa Gueye found Lukaku with a cross to the back post, allowing the striker to head past Jordan Pickford in the Sunderland goal.
A second headed goal soon followed before Lukaku collected a through pass from Kevin Mirallas and then placed the ball past Pickford with a low shot. Koeman was thrilled after the game and said: "It is unbelievable how good he [Lukaku] can be. Strikers look to score goals and there was a little doubt in his mind when he didn't score for so long for Everton. "I told him the best answer is on the pitch and he showed his quality with the goals tonight. It was a great performance."
The result meant Everton enjoyed their best start to a league campaign since 1978/79 and were joint second with Chelsea. The team played with similar attacking verve in their next match, a home fixture against Middlesbrough. They fell behind to a goal which should not have stood when Boro forward Alvaro Negredo clattered Everton keeper Maarten Stekelenburg with a mid-air challenge.
Replays showed that Negredo had forced the keeper to drop the ball over the line but to the home players' shock, the goal stood. The sense of injustice fuelled the team and there were numerous stars in the eventual 3-1 win, but Lukaku played another key role. The Belgian added the third in added time, adding a slight touch to Yannick Bolasie's cross. Lukaku's final goal of the month came in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, a scoreline which showed that reality had set in on the golden start to Koeman's reign. But taken together, September's matches highlighted an unerring scoring instinct in Lukaku which would be replicated during much of the season.
The Wake-Up Call
The Blues were second in the table after the Boro win and were playing with renewed purpose and togetherness under Koeman. But a lack of squad depth and a tendency to collectively take the foot off the gas were revealed in the remainder of the month. After reaching the semi-finals of both cup competitions in the previous season, Everton could have been forgiven for hoping for a cup run under their new boss - a man well-acquainted with winning silverware in his playing career.
Plenty of team changes were made with Enner Valencia, Gerard Deulofeu, Aaron Lennon, Tom Cleverley and others coming into the team, but few impressed. A bigger concern for Everton was their next result - a 1-0 Premier League loss at Bournemouth. Junior Stanislas' 23rd minute goal proved enough to separate the sides with Everton disappointing, particularly in a below-par first half.
Some momentum was regained in September's final match with Lukaku opening against Palace with a fine free-kick. But Christian Benteke cancelled it out by rising above Coleman to score with his head.
600 not out for Barry
Everton midfielder Gareth Barry became only the third player to achieve 600 Premier League appearances in the win over Middlesbrough. The then 35-year-old showed he still had the fitness and the ability to compete at the highest level by scoring in the match.
He had been greeted raucously by the home support before the game.
Only Ryan Giggs (632 appearances) and Frank Lampard (609 appearances) had reached the same milestone and talk turned to whether Barry could overhaul Giggs' record.
On being asked if he could surpass the Welshman's total by the following May, he astutely pointed out that it would take some doing as he would need to play every game. In the end, he finished the season four games behind Giggs but will be confident of setting a new record next season.

Everton transfer rumours – Blues in for Bundesliga striker as Manchester United go big on Romelu Lukaku
A round-up of the latest gossip and speculation from around the web
By Ian Doyle
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
The tittle-tattle train, it be building momentum. Faster and faster it goes, as the transfer window homes into view. And there is a new name for Everton supporters to consider this morning. German news outlet Bild claim the Blues are among several clubs in the running for Werder Bremen striker Max Kruse.
The 29-year-old scored 15 goals in 23 Bundesliga games after missing the start of the season through injury. It's said the player has a clause in his contract which means he could leave for £10.5million.
And that, says the report, has sparked interest from Everton along with, you guessed it, West Ham United, not to mention West Bromwich Albion, Southampton and Stoke City.
Chelsea's interest we know about. They are seriously keen on the £100m Everton man.
But now Jose Mourinho, the man who let Lukaku go from the Stamford Bridge to the Blues, is said to be keen on a reunion at Manchester United. United don't know if Zlatan Ibrahimovic will sign on for another year, not least as the Swede is out until 2018 with a knee injury. And the Daily Mail say Mourinho will soon decide whether to chase Lukaku or Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata, another player the Portuguese has previously worked with.
Don Balon, the Spanish news outlet, has claimed Lionel Messi hold the key to Gerard Deulofeu's Everton future. They say Messi want Barcelona to activate the buy-back clause on Deulofeu – which expires at the end of this month – and then immediately sell the player to help fund a move for Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho. This somewhat overlooks the fact that under the terms of the buy-back clause, Barcelona can't sell Deulofeu for at least 12 months.
Small details, eh...

Everton's Sandro Ramirez hopes boosted as Atletico Madrid transfer ban upheld
Spanish side will not be able to register any new players until January 2018
By Phil Kirkbride
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton's hopes of landing Sandro Ramirez have been given a boost after Atletico Madrid's transfer ban was upheld. The Court of Arbitration for Sport have this morning ruled that the Spanish club cannot register players until January. Atleti appealed a ban restricting them on registering players for two windows and were hoping to see if lifted ahead of this summer so they could press ahead with plans to recruit names, including Sandro. But CAS has ruled that the ban must remain place for another six months. Diego Simeone's side had moved ahead in the race for Malaga striker Sandro but this morning's decision has given the Blues renewed hope. Ronald Koeman and director of football Steve Walsh went to watch the former Barcelona forward last month.
Sandro has a release clause of just over £5million.
The Malaga striker could still join Atleti but would so on the understanding that he could not play until January. Barcelona were under a similar ban during the summer of 2015 yet signed Arda Turan and Alex Vidal and handed them debuts half way through the season. Atletico have had the financial penalty imposed on them reduced by CAS but the ban remains in place.
As part of a strongly worded statement released on their official website, Madrid said: "Our sports planning for next season has contemplated at all times the two scenarios that could arise once CAS announced their decision. "From this moment on, the club will move forward in the negotiations necessary to formalise the operations to register players from the 1st of January, when we will be authorized by FIFA to register new licenses."

Everton youngster Ademola Lookman on the Blues chemistry driving Young Lions
The Blues have five players in England u-20's World Cup squad
By Greg O'Keeffe
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ademola Lookman has described the Everton chemistry driving England u-20s forward in their bid for World Cup glory. The Blues youngster, who joined from Charlton Athletic in January, scored both goals as the Young Lions reached the Quarter finals via a 2-1 win over Costa Rica.. Everton have five players in the England squad - and all have made contributions at the South Korea tournament so far.
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin teed up Lookman's second goal on Wednesday, and netted in the Young Lions' victory over Argentina in the opening game. Jonjoe Kenny created the forward's first goal against Costa Rica, as he did for Kieran Dowell's decisive strike against South Korea in England's final group game. Ademola Lookman (front C) is congratulated by teammates after scoring during their U-20 World Cup round of 16 football match between England and Costa Rica in Jeonju on May 31, 2017.
Dowell also created two of England's three goals against Argentina, while defender Callum Connolly has started two of the team's four matches so far. Lookman, who memorably scored on his Premier League debut in the 4-0 win over Manchester City last season, said: "In the last game [against South Korea], I hit the post twice so it was good to get two goals. But most importantly we won, so I'm happy.
"It was a great ball from Jonjoe and a great assist from Dom as well. We are Everton boys so we like to help each other. There's definitely a chemistry. We train a lot together so we understand each other.
England's forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin congratulates teammate Ademola Lookman after he scored
"This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world so to be a part of this is a dream come true. [As a team] we've been together for a long time and if we keep that togetherness and that belief, we can go all the way. "Things have happened quickly but the past six months have been a steep learning curve.
"There's been new teammates, a new environment. Given time, I'll get better as a player. Hopefully I can keep doing what I have here, which is scoring goals." England's next opponents are either Mexico or Senegal in the quarter-finals on Monday.

Revealed - How much Everton earned from the 2016-17 season
Premier League payments has been released
By Phil Kirkbride
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton pocketed almost £130m in Premier League payments this season as their slice of the top flight cash bonanza is revealed. Last season, the Blues finished 11th and earned £83m but at the end of Ronald Koeman's first campaign in charge the club have seen a near £50m spike in winnings.
Everton's seventh placed finish has seen them earn £27.1m, up from the £12.4m they banked 12 months ago. The Premier League's massive TV rights deals has seen the Goodison coffers swell by £23m from this time last year. Everton's equal share of the £5.136bn domestic deal, which came into play this season, saw them earn £35.3m - up from £21.9m last year- while the lucrative overseas television agreement has given the club over £39m this season, almost £10m than 12 months ago.
Koeman's side were shown live on TV the same number of times (18) as last term but earned £21.4m in Facility Fees this season, compared to £14.7m in the previous campaign. Everton's cut of the Premier League Central Commercial pot was £4.75m this year, up by £250,000 from the last set of figures.
League champions Chelsea earned the most this season, pocketing over £150m, with rock bottom Sunderland dropping into the Championship having cashed in excess of £93m.

Which leagues has Everton boss Ronald Koeman bought players from?
And what nationality of players has he recruited?
By Phil Kirkbride
1 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ronald Koeman has insisted that he will look for new signings beyond the reaches of the UK this summer. Every one of the Everton manager's buys so far in his Goodison reign have come from these shores but he has signed players from six different countries.
And Koeman said recently: "If it's someone from the Premier League that's good, he knows the competition, that's good, but can also be players from abroad. "If you are looking for some players in a position in a team you have a list, of course you have experience you know players better at the moment in the Premier than from outside, but if there is a player from abroad who makes the team better, then we sign that player."
So does his record with Southampton offer any insight into the extent he is willing to scour the market in the coming months with the Blues and which nationalities and leagues he will target?
Since arriving in the Premier League, Koeman has signed players from nine different leagues:
Premier League - 7 signings
Championship - 2
League One - 1
La Liga - 1
Eredivisie - 4
Primeira Liga (Portugal) - 1
Bundesliga - 1
Liga 1 (Romania) - 1
Scottish Premier League - 2
And the Dutchman has recruited players of 13 different nationalities:
English - 4
Dutch - 3
Senegalese - 2
Spanish - 2
Welsh - 1
Congolese - 1
French - 1
Serbian - 1
Italian - 1
Irish - 1
Romanian - 1
Portuguese - 1
Curaçaoan – 1

Everton 2016-17 season review - October: Maarten's penalty heroics
Stekelenburg saved the day - twice - at Manchester City but there was a lack of invention at Burnley
By Alistair Kleebauer
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
International commitments restricted Everton to only three games in October and on paper, the fixtures represented the spectrum of challenges Premier League teams experience.
The first, at Manchester City, would test Everton's ability to compete against the league's best and most well-resourced clubs. The second, an away trip to Burnley, would show whether the Blues could pick up points against relegation candidates in games they would start as favourites. The last fixture, the visit of West Ham to Goodison Park, would indicate whether Everton were now a cut above the mid-range of clubs who could as easily finish seventh as 16th. In the end, a mixed set of conclusions could be drawn from the team's performances, though the players retained the new-found toughness under Ronald Koeman which had appeared since the start of the season. There were also starring performances at both ends of the pitch for the Blues.
Maarten's unbeatable from the sport
Everton produced one of their most heroic and tireless defensive performances of the season at the Etihad. Phil Jagielka didn't shine conceding two penalties but alongside him Ashley Williams was resolute throughout and made more clearances than anyone else on the pitch. But the final score of 1-1 was thanks, to a large extent, to goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
He saved both City's penalties and made a brilliant save to tip a Kevin De Bruyne shot onto the post in a man-of-the-match performance. The Dutch keeper denied De Bruyne's penalty kick three minutes before half-time and after the break, in a rare moment of relief from City's pressure, Everton scored a wonderful counter-attacking goal. Romelu Lukaku made mincemeat of City defender Gael Clichy before blasting into the net and running in front of the wildly celebrating Everton fans. Jagielka then felled Aguero in the box but Stekelenburg produced an almost identical penalty save to his first.
His heroics and Everton's commitment and fighting spirit made it an away day to remember.
Lack of invention leads to Turf Moor slump
Where Everton had been cast as underdogs in their first game of the month, restricted to sitting back and disrupting their opponents, the tables were turned in their next fixture. The visit to Burnley's Turf Moor meant the onus was now on the Blues to take the game to the opposition and to find a way to break down a well-organised and miserly defence. The match stats show they followed the script with Everton enjoying 66% of the possession and having 20 shots at their hosts' goal. But the reality behind the figures was an uninspiring display lacking guile and invention up front.
As Echo reporter Phil Kirkbride pointed out in his match report, Everton couldn't consider themselves hard done by in the same way Man City could following the 1-1 draw. He said: "Manchester City will testify that sometimes fate and the outstanding performance of opposition transpire against you but Everton couldn't begin to think about applying the same logic to this. "This can't be spun as a hard luck tale. It was the same old story of the previous era and it cannot be allowed to creep into the new one. "The truth, masked by the excellent work that Koeman has done, the astute signings he made to strengthen the spine of the Everton team and the organisation with which they now play, is that they badly lack quality in the forward areas." After his star role at the Etihad, Stekelenburg didn't cover himself in glory for Burnley's opener, palming a deflected shot straight to Sam Vokes for a tap-in. Everton showed greater urgency after the break and Yannick Bolasie equalised with a low drive past Tom Heaton. Further pressure forced Burnley into some last-ditch defending but a poor afternoon took on a darker hue in the 90th minute. Scott Arfield reacted quickest to turn a rebound off the crossbar into the net for Burnley's second goal from only three shots. A promising start to the season under Koeman had definitely stalled with no wins in four games and familiar failings against ostensibly weaker opposition.
Rom can't help himself against Hammers
A home fixture against West Ham looked a presentable opportunity to get the season back on track, especially with Lukaku in the team. The Belgian striker had scored in his previous eight games against the Hammers and he made it nine by placing a header past keeper Adrian in the 50th minute.
The forward was set up by the quick thinking of teammate Bolasie, who pounced on a rebounded ball before picking it up and lofting it to Lukaku. It was the player's 50th goal for Everton in 113 games, making him the quickest player to reach a half-century since Bob Latchford in 1977.
Everton's opener also marked the fourth goal Bolasie had set up for the striker that season.
The partnership would surely have continued to flourish were it not for Bolasie's season-ending injury in December. Lukaku turned provider for Everton's second delivering the ball to the back post for a smart finish from Ross Barkley. Everton finally had a win from October.

Ultimate Champions Match to feature Liverpool and Everton legends
Ian Rush is hoping to lead the line during the game on a floating pitch in Cardiff
By Sam May
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
The game will take place on Cardiff Bay's floating pitch on Friday at 4pm, ahead Saturday's UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus at the National Stadium of Wales.
The 3G pitch will host various activities, including walking football, refugee teams from South Wales, a deaf football friendly international, learning disability and youth age groups matches.
Two teams which will be managed by AC Milan legend Ruud Gullit and Real Madrid icon Emilio Butragueno will include players that have graced the beautiful game.
Former Liverpool and Wales legend Ian Rush and Everton defender Marco Materazzi who had a short spell at Goodison Park and played the majority of his career at Inter Milan will turn out for the Gullit All-Stars. Butragueno All Stars will include former Reds goalkeeper David James, as well as midfield icons Luis Garcia and Steve McMannaman who made a total of 563 appearances between them on Merseyside.
The full teams are as follows...
Gullit All-Stars
Vitor Baia (GK), Cafu, Ciro Ferrara, Steffen Freund, Patrik Andersson, Dejan Stankovic, Youri Djorkaeff, Robert Pires, Marcel Desailly, Ian Rush, Ryan Giggs, Fabrizio Ravanelli, David Trezeguet, Gianluca Zambrotta, Eric Abidal, Marco Materazzi, Jeremy Lynch (F2 freestyler), Clint Capela, Joel Embiid
Butragueno All-Stars
David James (GK), Michel Salgado, Celestine Babayaro, Roberto Carlos, Gaizka Mendieta, Luís Figo, Predrag Mijatovic, Patrizia Panico, Davor Suker, Luis Garcia, Raí, Clarence Seedorf, Christian Karembeu, Steve McManaman, Deco, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Adidas Young Champions, Carmelo Anthony, Billy Wingrove (F2 freestyler), Juan Hernangomez

When does the summer transfer window open and how long is it open for?
It will be a huge summer for Everton and Liverpool
By Paul Philbin
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Liverpool and Everton fans are already looking at new signings this summer which prompts the question when does the summer transfer window open?. With both Everton and Liverpool looking forward to European football in the next campaign, there will be a lot of extra excitement about this transfer window. They will have to add strength in depth and also look to bring in a number of players that will fit straight into the first team. There will also be plenty of interest to see who walks out the door at Anfield and Goodison Park. The final weekend of the season for Liverpool, in particular, could have a big say on who their targets are next season. A victory would see them return to the Champions League and they will become even more of an attractive side to play for.
On the other side of the park, Everton, with Europa League football guaranteed, will be planning their attack on the top four. The rumour mill is already in overdrive and it is won't be stopping over the summer months.
When does the transfer window open?
The summer transfer window begins on Saturday, July 1 for English teams and Wales' three leading sides, three weeks later than the market opens for Scottish clubs.
When does the transfer window close?
The 2017 summer transfer window comes to an end at 11pm on Friday, September 1, just under three weeks after the start of the 2017-18 Premier League which is set to get underway on Saturday, August 12.
In a word, yes.
Free agents (unattached players) can be snapped up even after the transfer window shuts.
Romelu Lukaku during Everton's final home game of the season (Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
What is the record Premier League spend in the summer transfer window?
Premier League clubs shelled out a record £1.165bn in the 2016 summer window, smashing the previous record of £870m from a year earlier.
How can I follow the summer transfer window?
We'll be running numerous live blogs throughout the summer to keep you right up to date with all the latest transfer news and gossip from your club.

Straight fight for Everton's Romelu Lukaku between Manchester United and Chelsea
Transfer rumours - Mourinho switches his attention to Blues striker after cooling on Antoine Griezmann
By Chris Beesley
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Manchester United will rival Chelsea in a straight fight for Everton's £100million-rated striker Romelu Lukaku after cooling their interest in Antoine Griezmann say the Express.
The report reckons that the Red Devils could use former Blue Wayne Rooney in a player-plus-cash offer in order to try and push through a deal with Goodison chiefs.
Jose Mourinho's summer transfer priorities have changed following Zlatan Ibrahimovic's knee injury which could keep the veteran out of action until the New Year. The Portuguese boss originally wanted the small and speedy Griezmann to play off the Swede but with Ibrahimovic expected to be missing for the first half of next season he is now searching for a direct replacement instead.
With over a century of goals over the past five seasons, Blues ace Lukaku is believed to fit the bill and has reputedly now top of United's list but such a move would represent a remarkable turnaround from Mourinho. The United manager was highly critical of the Belgian's attitude while the pair were together at Stamford Bridge. On the field, Chelsea represents the only failure of Lukaku's career to date as he failed to score in any of his 15 outings for the club but they now appear to be Mourinho's main rivals for his signature with Antonio Conte supposedly keen to bring him back to London. Although Lukaku has not signed a new lucrative five-year contract offer with Everton, the Blues are keen to retain his services and insist only a world-record fee could even lead to them entertaining any kind of approaches for their most prized asset.

Everton transfers - Steve Walsh trying to "convince" Ronald Koeman
Director of football on the Blues' summer plans
By Phil Kirkbride
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Director of football Steve Walsh says he is attempting to "convince" Ronald Koeman about certain transfer targets. And the Blues transfer chief has reiterated that players are only pursued when he and Koeman are in agreement. Walsh has revealed that extensive planning for the summer window began once January came to a close and that targets have already been discussed at length.
Steve Walsh "We've got a large team of people working with me and I collate a lot of information from them," Walsh said. "My department is very well run, very organised and we make sure we get as much information about the player that we possibly can. If we like the player, I've got to try to convince Ronald that he's the player for us. "It could well be that Ronald has seen the player as well, so it's a collective decision at the end of the day." Steve Walsh (L) and Ronald Koeman in conversation during the Everton Annual General Meeting Everton signed two players in January to add to the four permanent recruits bought last summer. "Planning never stops," Walsh added. "From the day the window closes until the day it opens again, you are always looking at your possibilities. We are no different. "We've done a lot of work behind the scenes to get the correct information about the players. I have sat down with Ronald and gone through those. Obviously we discuss it all the time and we want to improve things, build on what we have got. That's the key message."

Donate your old Everton kit to help the world's poorest children
The Blues have partnered with KitAid for a very good cause
By Alistair Kleebauer
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton fans are being called on to donate their old Blues kit to people in some of the poorest countries in the world. With the season now over, it's a good opportunity for those planning on buying next season's shirt to donate their current kit to the KitAid cause. The charity recycles sporting gear, also including boots and trainers, to underprivileged adults and children. KitAid are partnered with Everton to collect old strips for some of the world's poorest children. Here Mo Besic lends a hand
It is officially partnered with Everton - its first official partnership with a Premier League club and official KitAid days have been held at Goodison Park this season. The charity is boxing up donations on Saturday and is looking for a boost from supporters. They're also looking for kit from amateur players in local leagues. KitAid are partnered with Everton to collect old strips for some of the world's poorest children. Everton Heritage Society have been working hard to collect them. Any old items can be dropped off on Saturday morning at St Luke's Church in Goodison Road to make the next shipment.
Everton's official retail partner, Fanatics, has shown the way by donating shirts which were returned to them by fans after players changed their numbers ahead of the 2016/17 season.
Since partnering with Everton, the charity has collected 5,000 pieces of kit which have been sent to Africa, eastern Europe and the Middle East.
KitAid are partnered with Everton to collect old strips for some of the world's poorest children.
Current player Muhamed Besic and former players Bryan Oviedo, Pat Van Den Hauwe, Graham Stuart and Ronny Goodlas have all taken time out to help the charity. Members of the Everton Heritage Society collect at St Luke's on every matchday and will do so again next season.
KitAid are partnered with Everton to collect old strips for some of the world's poorest children. Donations are taken at St Luke's on match days
Sunday league and junior side kits are also gratefully received.

Ex-Everton chief executive banned from football for three weeks
Keith Wynes, now CEO at Aston Villa, charged and fined by FA
By Phil Kirkbride
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has been banned from all football activity for three weeks.
The Aston Villa CEO has been slapped with a misconduct charge after he re-Tweeted a video which had an accompanying caption questioning if referees had 'disabilities'.
Wyness, who was at Goodison between 2004-2009, has also been fine £10,000 and ordered to complete an education course.
Everton Chief Executive Keith Wyness, Manager David Moyes & chairman Bill Kenwright pictured in 2006. Photo by Colin Lane An FA statement, in part, read: "He admitted an FA charge that a comment he re-tweeted accompanied with a video was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3(1). "Furthermore, the breach was "aggravated" as defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it included a reference to disability. "His suspension will run from date of the expiry of the period that he has to appeal the decision."

How Everton's rivals assessed the Blues' season, their squad and Ronald Koeman
We canvas opinion from around the Premier League
By Phil Kirkbride
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
We asked supporters from some of the top six clubs to give us their assessment on Everton's season.
The Blues finished seventh in Ronald Koeman's first campaign in charge and booked a return to the Europa League. Next term Koeman hopes to assemble a squad capable of mounting a top four challenge but how their rivals see Everton?
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Martin Cloake (Co-chair Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust)
Did the season go as you expected for your club?
Better. Apart from in Europe. It's been a fantastic couple of seasons for us.
Did Everton over or underachieve in your eyes?
I predicted a frustrating season for Everton and I think that's how it turned out. They probably ended up where most expected them to, but having thought they'd struggle I'd have to go with overachievement on what I predicted.
Who impressed your for Everton?
Lukaku is still the stand out, but his heart doesn't look in it.
Who failed to impress you for Everton?
I didn't go into the season expecting anyone in particular to be a superstar, I think the squad has a way to go, so no big failures really.
What did you think of Ronald Koeman?
I like him, for the way he approaches the game and the way he likes his teams to play.
Koeman's understated and smart, but he needs to put a bit of fire and nous into the team.
Whether that means there needs to be a change of approach at board level is an interesting question, but you just get the feeling Everton need that bit extra from somewhere.
Who does your club need to sign to improve this summer?
We're very happy with who we've got, and any potential new signings are looked at it terms of how they will affect the unit. Back-up for Danny Rose, enabling Ben Davies to move into the back three and Eric Dier back into midfield, is a key one, and I'd be very happy indeed with Ryan Sessegnon.
Some more depth in the out and out striking department and a wide right player would also be good, but the issue is signing quality that won't necessarily be a regular first choice.
MANCHESTER CITY
David Mooney (@BlueMoonPodcast)
Did the season go as you expected for your club?
I think it's fair to say it didn't!
Manchester City should have been in a title challenge for far longer than they were.
Of course, City's squad didn't perform together on too many occasions and a host of missed chances and weak defending... and goalkeeping... told the story.
A third placed finish is probably about right in terms of how well they performed overall - they weren't a patch on Chelsea or Tottenham consistently, though did have their moments at times.
Did Everton over or underachieve in your eyes?
Everton are in a funny position of having finishing in that void between mid-table and the top six.
They've got Europa League qualification through Manchester United's Europa League win, but they were never really that close to getting ahead of the Reds in the table.
Equally, they were never troubled by dropping any lower - so if they can keep hold of Romelu Lukaku and make some shrewd moves, they'll be in good shape for next season.
Who impressed you for Everton?
It's odd for Everton that Lukaku's record is being questioned so much.
He's been one of the biggest threats across the Premier League all season and one of the first picks for a Fantasy League team for his goals. His record in the big games isn't down to him missing chances, but the lack of creativity behind him. Tom Davies also looks to have a very bright future.
Who failed to impress you for Everton?
At Everton, Maarten Stekelenburg has been hit and miss this season. At times, he's pulled off brilliant saves - especially in that 1-1 draw at the Etihad - but he's also been good for a ruck, having been in and out of the team.
What did you think of Ronald Koeman?
Ronaldo Koeman was impressive at Southampton and has perhaps been a little underwhelming at Everton this season. That being said, I think he's got a good idea of what he wants his squad to do and with some backing could do very well at Goodison Park, especially working on a budget.
Who does your club need to sign to improve this summer?
City have already brought in Bernardo Silva and there should be a few more additions in the coming days. They're not messing about to solve the problems of last season - looking at full-backs and a goalkeeper as priority. Beyond that, defensive reinforcements are necessary.
LIVERPOOL
Joel Rabinowitz (Anfield HQ)
Did the season go as you expected for your club?
On the whole, yes. Right back at the start of the season, top four was the realistic objective and we've achieved that. Our form in the early months of the season raised expectations (prematurely, in hindsight) about a potential title challenge, which ultimately fell away due to a number of factors- most significantly losing the likes of Coutinho and Mane for prolonged periods due to injury and the AFCON at a crucial stage in the season. While we weren't able to replicate the scintillating free-flowing attacking football in the second half of the season, we recovered brilliantly from a dreadful start to 2017 as Klopp found a way to be pragmatic and get results without key players by grinding out some really hard-fought victories against difficult sides away from home. To finish the season with emphatic 4-0 and 3-0 victories against West Ham and Middlesbrough when the pressure was really on showed the mental strength of this Liverpool side to get themselves over the line. It's a slight disappointment we didn't manage to finish 3rd, but overall, given we had the lowest net spend of any top six side last summer, for Klopp to get us back into the top four in his first full season is a mark of considerable progress and should provide a platform for future success.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Joel Matip during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on April 1, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Did Everton over or underachieve in your eyes?
I think they finished exactly where you would expect given their squad. They're in a strange place at the moment- nowhere near breaking into the top six, but also considerably better than all the sides below them. It's difficult to see quite how they bridge that gap with all the sides above them having much stronger squads and more resources to improve.
Seventh place reflects pretty accurately how they performed throughout the season.
Who impressed you for Everton?
Romelu Lukaku, obviously. 25 goals is an excellent tally, especially considering he's not playing alongside any world class players.
He's pretty much the complete striker in terms of attributes- the next step for him is making an impact in the big games where has tended to fall short.
Otherwise, Idrissa Gueye has proved a very astute signing- similar, albeit not as good as N'Golo Kante, in terms of his energy and ball-winning ability in midfield.
Tom Davies' breakthrough has also been impressive to watch.
He looks like he has a future at this level.
Who failed to impress you for Everton?
Ross Barkley hasn't quite kicked on to the extent many thought he would.
There's clearly loads of ability there but he doesn't show it often enough, despite a few outstanding performances. Joel Robles has also been far from convincing - he deserves a mention for one of the worst goalkeeping performances I've seen in the derby at Anfield when he simply stood and watched Divock Origi shoot straight past him while inexplicably coming way off his line.
What did you think of Ronald Koeman?
In general, he's delivered as much as you could realistically expect for Everton.
His three-at-the-back experiment provided mixed success and November was a terrible month in terms of results. However, Gueye and Ashley Williams have been strong recruits, while he has also shown a willingness to give youth a chance in Davies, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Mason Holgate.
Building the team to play to Lukaku's strengths seems an obvious thing to do but he's managed that successfully and got the best out of the Belgian. 
They'll do well to keep hold of him for much longer.
Who does your club need to sign to improve this summer?
A top quality centre back, a left back, a dynamic central midfielder and at least one pacy winger.
A new striker would also be ideal although I suspect much of that will depend on whether Daniel Sturridge stays.
If he goes, we'll need a top class replacement.
Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita have been widely reported as the two main targets for Klopp- it'll be difficult, but if we can get them both in, they would be excellent additions to improve the starting XI.
Left-back is a tricky one- Benjamin Mendy of Monaco is a class act but has been strongly linked to Man City, while all the signs suggest Klopp will go for a younger prospect such as Ryan Sessegnon- although Spurs seem to be at the front of the queue there.
I think we could do with an established left-back- James Milner did a good job there but it's not something I want to see for another season- especially in the Champions League.
Elsewhere, I'd very much like to see us go for Mohamed Salah or Douglas Costa as wingers who provide both pace and goals, while I'm also very keen on Timo Werner from RB Leipzig as a prolific goal scorer.
In an ideal world, Kylian Mbappe would be my ideal signing. We can dream, can't we?
ARSENAL
Tom Marshall-Bailey (Football.London)
Did the season go as you expected for your club?
In a word, no.
Arsenal fans protested against the manager following a dreadful run of form in the early stages of 2017 which included a 10-2 aggregate thumping from Bayern Munich and various nadirs such as the 3-1 defeat to West Brom in which a plane demanding the manager leave was flew overhead.
The traditional springtime surge for a top-four place arrived too late on this occasion, with Liverpool getting over the line ahead of us in the race for Champions League football and despite an impressive win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final it has done little to quell the growing dissent in the fanbase.
Did Everton over or underachieve in your eyes?
Ronald Koeman can be happy with his debut season at Goodison Park and securing Europa League football was always the target for a side with the budget the Toffees have.
Everton's Ashley Williams (centre) scores his side's second goal of the game during the Premier League
He has brought the very best out of Romelu Lukaku, significantly improved a previously porous defence and got fans excited and on side once again.
Who impressed you for Everton?
Idrissa Gueye: Everton's defensive improvements have been built on the solid midfield foundation handed to them by Gana, whose form this season has been overlooked due to N'Golo Kante's own incredible consistency.
He has forged an exciting midfield partnership with Tom Davies and the protection he offers the backline has been key for Koeman ironing out the flaws in defence.
Who failed to impress you for Everton?
Ross Barkley: At this stage of his career, I expected a lot better from one of England's next big midfield hopes. What worries me the most about Barkley is that his decision-making still remains very suspect for someone operating in the No.10 role and should he leave and move to Tottenham this summer he will not displace Dele Alli or Christian Eriksen.
What did you think of Ronald Koeman?
Ronald Koeman deserves immense credit for the improvements he has made to a team going backwards under Roberto Martinez and this is just the first stage of his project.
It will be interesting to see how he juggles his resources with a Europa League campaign upcoming and while his desire to bring through the youth is admirable, the squad could do with some more experience so it a truer judgement on him should be made at the end of this transfer window.
Who does your club need to sign to improve this summer?
Given the success since moving to a 3-4-2-1 formation, Arsenal's need for reinforcements has changed somewhat. The priorities should be the elite striker and powerful midfield signings they have been coveting for five years now since the departure of Robin van Persie, while you can date back to Patrick Vieira's 2005 exit in the case of a midfielder. A back-up goalkeeper, central defender and wide player are other options to add to the imminent addition of Sead Kolasinac, but the priorities must be in the aforementioned positions, with my personal choices being Monaco's Fabinho and Lyon goal-getter Alexandre Lacazette.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Stephen Armstrong (United We Stand)
Did the season go as you expected for your club?
In the sense of winning stuff yeah.
United have a target of a trophy each season and anything outside of that is failure.
Forget this nonsense about second, third and fourth, winning trophies is what football is about and the day I believe United think differently is the day I stop going.
Coming second to a better man is still an achievement but ultimately you win nothing.
We aspired, whether people admit it or not, to be like Liverpool in the 80's.
Ferguson put them up on the perch and challenged United to get on it.
Phil Jagielka celebrates his goal with team mates at Old Trafford
It was about winning trophies and Liverpool did that better than everyone domestically and in Europe.
Friend of United We Stand, Peter Hooton, when once asked by our editor what was the main difference between us he said 'trophies'. Something he gets reminded about lots to this day. But he was absolutely right. You set out at the start of tournaments to win all of them. If you leave with one you've done OK and as a fan, you will have been left with moments that you can keep forever. No one ever says 'remember that comfortable 2-0 home win that guaranteed us second place'. It's about success and the moments that success occurs in. I buzzed so much over the League Cup Final winner late on and being able to see United win the final trophy we needed to be one of a few clubs to do everything there is to do was something that meant everything to me.
For those reasons it's been great.
As for the league campaign, that was a shambles really. Thing is I can't really put my finger on why. We played great in small parts, ok in others and then a few that are best forgotten. Ultimately United were the sixth best team in the league. If you can't get out of sixth, going unbeaten in 26 games, then sixth really is all you deserve. It wasn't good enough, and the team and manager know that. Jose Mourhino has largely got away with it by good cup runs and by not being Louis Van Gaal. The pressure clearly weighed on him in the autumn but he's through that now and has something to show for his efforts.
He will know that A- for cups and C+ for the league won't wash on next seasons end of term report.
Did Everton over or underachieve in your eyes?
I can never work Everton out.
Whenever you think they are in bother they go on a run and get themselves sorted.
Whenever you think maybe they're about to go on to the next level they cave in and the end product of that is a side that is anchored around seventh.
They scored more than United so that's no bad thing, letting 44 in wasn't bad and scoring 62 was maybe only eight shy of what's needed so there's not a lot wrong from the outside looking in.
Until Everton get away from Goodison they'll not be moving too far from where they are now.
I know it's been a while since they won anything but Everton is another team I grew up watching them win stuff.
In fact their '85 side was one of the best I have ever seen.
They should be getting further on in cups and winning something or they risk becoming one of the middle 12 in the Premier League that just rotate and do nothing other than exist.
Who impressed your for Everton?
Lukaku is obvious and 24 goals is some haul.
Couldn't believe the size of him when I saw him at Old Trafford and his pace is deceptive. He's built like a racehorse. Idrissa Gueye has had a great season in a league you normally have to adapt to so that takes some doing in what I think was only his second season. I've actually only just stopped laughing at the 4-0 win over City and was so impressed by Tom Davies. He looks a talent, but he absolutely needs to sort that hair out. There's no place in football for that.
Who failed to impress you for Liverpool/Everton?
I genuinely want to see Morgan Schneiderlein get his career back on track. Felt sorry for him at Old Trafford as he is so much better than that.
What did you think of Ronald Koeman?
Koeman chose Everton as a stepping stone for his career.
He'll probably do the same again in the not too distant future so I guess there's no point getting too attached to him past his current contract.
At least he seems open about that.
He's an up and coming coach who seems built of much sterner stuff than the previous two managers.
If you Google him and go on images I reckon about 80% of his pictures are of him in a really bad mood which I quite like.
He is an attractive manager to sign for because he wants to play in a creative way.
Everton Manager Ronald Koeman arrives for the Everton Football Club Players Awards Evening at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.
He too will be busy this summer as he will be keen to win something, of that I am certain.
Who does your club need to sign to improve this summer?
We might need a keeper but if getting in the Champions League keeps David De Gea then we are fine with him and the man with the world's biggest gloves as his back up.
I was asked to name Ajax's danger men when interviewed by someone ahead of the Europa League Final: I chose Chris Smalling as one of them so we need a world class centre half to go with Marcos Rojo and Eric Bailly who are already very good.
I'd keep Phil Jones just to show the academy players the dangers of heading the floor and running into moving objects at speed. A left-back that doesn't live on pizza and some back up on the right for Antonio Valencia will go down well. Midfield has enough artillery inside it if what is ahead of it learns to turn 30 shots on target into more than a 0-0 v Stoke. Not sure what Zlatan will do but I think he'll want another go at the Premier League and Champions League. He looked happy enough at full time in Sweden and not in a rush to get away. Obviously we'll get linked with everyone as United do but we do need a clear out of a lot of players who are shy of the very top level.
I'd bust the bank for a centre half and a proper goalscoring forward and just demand that the rest of the squad step up a gear because they are largely good enough.
Mourhino, like most managers, wants to not lose first and then start to think about how to win.
United lost just nine of 64 games last season so he has instilled that inside the squad.
He'll want to add whatever helps him to bring the second stage to life.

Everton announce season tickets sold out for next term
Blues confirm that "every available" season ticket snapped up
By Phil Kirkbride
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton have announced that "every available" season ticket for next term has been sold.
The Blues reached the maximum number of season ticket sales for Goodison this week.
All 19 of Everton's home league games were a sell out last season as Ronald Koeman's first campaign saw the side clock up 43 points at the Old Lady. In January, Everton announced that all season ticket prices would either be frozen or reduced. The club introduced a new pricing tier for young adult season ticket holders between the ages of 22 and 24 whilst also extending their Direct Debit payment scheme.
Earlier this week, the Blues confirmed that all hospitality lounges and executive boxes at Goodison had sold out for the upcoming season. Everton froze all hospitality prices for the second season running.

If Romelu Lukaku wants to leave Everton, he should sign for Chelsea - Thibaut Courtois
Chelsea goalkeeper Courtois wants to see Lukaku leave Everton for the Premier League champions
By Paul Gorst
2 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Thibaut Courtois has admitted that he would like to see Romelu Lukaku leave Everton for Chelsea this summer. The Belgium international striker plundered 25 goals for the Blues last season and has been linked with a switch away from Goodison Park after citing a desire to play in the Champions League back in March. Premier League champions Chelsea are one of the clubs linked with Lukaku, and his international teammate Courtois would love to see his compatriot join this summer.
Thibaut Courtois ahead of the game Speaking to Sky Sports, Courtois said: "Romelu is a great player so if he decides to go to Chelsea or Chelsea decide to sign him I would be happy to see him in the dressing room in July. "I guess if it's the right offer he might go. It's up to him to decide." Courtois is the latest Chelsea star to hint at a summer move for Lukaku after another Belgium international, Eden Hazard joked about the striker's potential arrival from Goodison Park last week.
"If I sign a contract, maybe there won't be enough money left to get Romelu!" said Hazard after the ECHO reported in April that the Blues asking price for Lukaku is £100m. Lukaku enjoyed a blistering campaign under Ronald Koeman last term, finishing behind only Harry Kane's tally of 29 in the Premier League top scorers' list. The powerful frontman's campaign saw him become the first Blues player since Bob Latchford in 1978 to score 25 goals in consecutive seasons in all competitions, and the first since Gary Lineker in 1986 to net over 20 league goals.

Kelechi Iheanacho, Manuel Lanzini, Kalidou Koulibaly - every player linked with a summer move to Everton
The rumour mill is already in overdrive - but just who has been touted with a move to Goodison?
By Paul Philbin
3 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Silly season has arrived and Everton are being linked with an awful lot of players.
The summer transfer window is yet to open but the rumour mill is already in overdrive - it never stops.
If every whisper was to believed then there would be a complete squad overhaul at Goodison Park this summer. That's not the case, thankfully. But just who has been rumoured? Harry Maguire, Michael Keane, Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez, Jordan Pickford and Cuco Martina are all definitely being discussed by Everton. But what of the rest? We take a look every player the Blues have been linked with since the January transfer window slammed shut.
Mauricio Lemos
Reports in Spain have had Everton tracking Las Palmas defender Mauricio Lemos.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blues were weighing up a big for Lemos who has impressed this season. The defender has been linked with Barcelona in the past.
Also in Spain, Everton have been linked with Real Madrid defender Diego Lllorente.
He spent last season on loan at Malaga.
The 23-year-old has made just two appearances for Real Madrid.
M'Baye Niang
The Blues have been linked with Niang, who was just completed a loan spell at Watford from AC Milan.
The forward admitted it was unlikely he would make his move to the Hornets permanent.
He scored twice in 11 appearances during the six-month loan deal.
Kelechi Iheanacho
The Nigerian striker is reportedly available for transfer from Man City, with West Ham having made the first move. Everton have also been rumoured as an interesting party, but there's a suggestion City will only do a deal if a buy-back clause is inserted into the player's contract.
Manuel LanziniEverton's Ross Barkley (left) and West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini battle for the ball during the Premier League match at London Stadium
A name that hasn't been heavily linked with Everton is Manuel Lanzini.
However, according to the Mirror, Koeman is wanting to bolster his attacking midfield options and Lanzini is a potential target. The West Ham playmaker has scored eight goals this season and stepped into the shoes of Dimitri Payet.
Anthony Knockaert
The Blues have been linked with a move for the Brighton winger after impressing during their promotion from the Championship. Knockaert was signed by Steve Walsh for Leicester before his move to Brighton. With Gerard Deulofeu and Aiden McGeady likely to leave, as well as Yannick Bolasie's injury, Koeman will most likely look to sign a new winger.
Juraj Kucka
Slovakia's Juraj Kucka
According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Everton are considering a move for AC Milan's Juraj Kucka.
The 30-year-old has scored three goals and provided two assists in 31 games this season, but could be sold as Milan revamp their side this summer.
It was just a rumour.
He has signed for Monaco.
Kalidou Koulibaly
The 25-year-old was a target for Koeman last summer, but Napoli wouldn't sanction a sale.
Reports in Italy suggested that Everton will be returning to try and bring him to Goodison this summer.
The Senegalese defender had been heavily linked with Chelsea in the past, with Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis admitting that the London club failed with a number of transfer bids last summer.
Jean-Michaël Seri
A French radio station reported that both Everton and Leicester were showing an interest in the Nice midfielder. Seri impressed as he guided Nice to the Champions League.
Leon Goretzka
Everton are one of a number of clubs reportedly interested in the Schalke midfielder.
According to reports in Italy, the Blues are battling with Tottenham for his signature.
Goretzka has just one year remaining on his deal with the German giants and they are unlikely to want to lose the player for nothing next summer. Juventus are also said to be in the race for his signature.
Ilija Nestorovski
Everton continue to be linked with Palermo striker Ilija Nestorovski.
Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo claim that the Blues are in the hunt for the 10-goal Croatian along with the likes of Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. £17m is reportedly the fee Palermo want to release the 27-year-old.
Sead Kolasinac
Everton were reportedly interested in Schalke left-back Sead Kolasinac.
The Bosnian full-back is out of contract in the summer and a whole host of names have been linked with a move. AC Milan have also been linked with the player, but Arsenal believe they have his signature.
Kieran Trippier
Everton are rumoured to be interested in Tottenham right-back this summer.
According to The Mirror, it seems Koeman is another impressed party - and they claim that he wants to bring Trippier to Goodison next season. The Blues will be looking for cover at right-back for next season after Seamus Coleman's horrific injury while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.
Willian Jose
Brazilian forward Willian Jose celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match Real Sociedad vs Valencia CF Back in April, Koeman was linked with a £27million move for Brazilian star Willian Jose. According to the Sunday Mirror, the Blues are scouting the 25-year-old with a view to strengthening their forward options in the summer.
Southampton, Watford and Newcastle are also said to be interested in the frontman.
Bobby Wood
Hamburg's US forward Bobby Shou Wood runs with the ball during German First division Bundesliga football match RB Leipzig vs Hamburger SV Everton are one of several clubs linked with the Hamburg striker. According to reports in Germany, has attracted interest from several top teams, including the Toffees and Premier League rivals Liverpool and West Ham.
Wood has a £10m release clause in his current contract with Hamburg.
Calum Chambers
The Arsenal defender had a successful loan spell at Middlesbrough despite being relegated - and if you are to believe the Sunday Mirror, Everton are showing an interest in Chambers.
Reports suggest that he is likely to leave the Emirates this summer for around £10million.
Marc Cucurella
The left-back could leave for just a nominal fee in the summer after his contract expires, with both the Toffees and Spurs linked. The 18-year-old defender is still wanted by Barcelona, though, and Mundo Deportivo reports the Catalan club are desperate to keep him beyond this season.
Michy Batshuayi
Reports suggest that Batshuayi could be used as bait for a deal to take Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge. The Belgium international has barely featured for the Stamford Bridge side this summer having arrived for £33million from Marseille.
Stefan de Vrij
The Daily Star reports Koeman is willing to do battle with Chelsea for the signature of the Lazio defender. He turned down a new contract in April and the £30m-rated star looks certain to leave Italy.
Chris Wood
Everton have been linked with Leeds United's Chris Wood.
The striker was influential in Leeds' season, who just missed out on the play-off spots.
According to Football Insider, this has piqued the interest of Blues scouts, who see the 25-year-old as a potential boost to their squad.
Vincent Aboubakar
Besiktas' Vincent Aboubakar celebrates after scoring a goal during their UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg football match between Besiktas JK and Olympiacos
The Daily Mail reported that Everton sent scouts to watch the Besiktas striker in the Europa League.
Ronald Koeman will be looking to bolster his striking options in the summer, especially with Romelu Lukaku currently refusing to sign a new deal with the club.
Crystal Palace have also been linked with the striker.
Ruben Semedo
Sporting Lisbon defender Ruben Semedo has been linked with a move to Goodison Park.
The Blues and Southampton are said to be considering a 22m euro move for the defender in the summer, according to reports on the continent.
Andre Gray
Burnley striker Andre Gray has been linked with a £12million move to Goodison Park.
Gray has also been linked with a move to West Brom.
Ryan Sessegnon
Ryan Sessegnon - Fulham FC V Leeds FC at Craven Cottage, Fulham 070317. photographer credit Darren Pepe. Reports in March suggest that Everton had joined the race for the Fulham youngster. The 16-year-old left-back as impressed with his energetic and mature performances last season.
Tottenham are the current favourites to sign him.
Italian media reported in March that Everton could make a summer move for Seko Fofana.
Italian publication Calciomercato report that Everton and West Ham are admirers of the French midfielder.
Naby Keita
The Mirror reported that Everton will battle a host of Premier League clubs for the signature of Naby Keita. Keita, a Guinea international, is also being courted by Bundesliga duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Liverpool are favourites, though.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal celebrates his side's first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal Back in February, our colleagues at the Daily Mirror linked Everton with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. They said that Ronald Koeman is a big admirer of the 23-year-old winger, who has just one year left on his contract at Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain's future has been in doubt for a number of months and a number of Premier League are reported to be interested in his services, including Liverpool.
Walace
Marciel of Corinthians fights for the ball with Walace of Gremio during the match between Corinthians and Gremio The Mirror also reported that Everton will compete with Leicester City for the signing of Hamburg midfielder Walace. The 21-year-old only signed for the Bundesliga outfit for around £8m from Gremio in the January window. But they are reportedly braced for a battle to keep the youngster, having had to battle to sign him in the winter.
Thomas Delaney
Everton tried to sign the Danish midfielder back in January after he impressed Ronald Koeman with his performances. Delaney spent the first half of the season on loan at Copenhagen before joining up with parent club Werder Bremen in January. Reports in Denmark suggest that Everton could go back in for him in the summer.
Elias Kachunga
Sky Bet Championship - Huddersfield Town (2) v Leeds United (1) - Elias Kachunga celebrates at the final whistle. According to the Mirror, Everton were interested in Huddersfield's German forward Elias Kachunga. The Blues are said to be impressed with the striker who helped Huddersfield to promotion to the Premier League. Kachunga, who has operated out wide most of the campaign, joined on loan from Bundesliga outfit Ingolstadt in the summer and Huddersfield have an option to buy for £1.5m.
Abel Hernandez
Just 142 days before the transfer window would open, Everton were linked with Abel Hernandez.
His agent said that Everton are offering to buy his client in the summer.
He said: "We brought three proposals from China, one higher than the other. At Hull City with we have only one year of the contract. They would not sell. For the player from an economic point of view would be a great leap in quality. "The Changchun Yatai wanted Abel strongly. But we have so many requests for June, including Everton and West Brom."

Everton 2016-17 season review - November, Bonfire Night fireworks and one bright spark
The Blues couldn't find a win during a chastening month - but there was an encouraging sign of better times to come
By Ian Doyle
3 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Remember, remember, the fifth of November.
Everton will have good reason to recall their most recent Bonfire Night, as it sparked an early nadir of Ronald Koeman's reign. Indeed, the month offered few chinks of light for the Blues, with international football and their early exit from the League Cup meaning only three games, none of which were won.And even before a ball had been kicked, there was a (mild) continuation of the war of words between Koeman and Martin O'Neill over the Republic of Ireland's use of James McCarthy.
Chastened at Chelsea
There were plenty of fireworks at Stamford Bridge when Koeman's men rocked up on Guy Fawkes' night.
The problem was they were all going off inside the Everton penalty area.
This was the evening Chelsea announced themselves as genuine title contenders, sweeping the visitors aside and inflicting the heaviest defeat thus far of the Koeman era.
It didn't get off to the best of starts for the Blues with Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso netting within 60 seconds of each other midway through the first half and Diego Costa scoring another before the break.
By then, Bryan Oviedo had departed injured – never to be seen again in an Everton shirt – as Koeman's decision to employ a three-man defence to counter Chelsea's 3-4-3 formation backfired spectacularly.
Everton didn't manage a single shot on target in the 90 minutes, with Hazard and Pedro adding further goals to complete a 5-0 rout.
The one positive for the Blues was an impressive cameo from the bench by Tom Davies, making only his third appearance of the season. That, though, was about it. "I expected more from my team," admitted Koeman. "It was a big difference in every aspect. "It was not about the system – the difference was the mentality to win the game. With five defenders we control it, after 2-0 it was over."
Gift for Gylfi That defeat meant it was only one win in seven when, after the international break, the Blues resumed at home to Swansea City. Phil Jagielka, who'd struggled at Chelsea and conceded two penalties the previous month at Manchester City, was again at fault as he pulled down Gylfi Sigurdsson in the first half. The Everton target despatched the spot kick and that appeared to be enough for Bob Bradley to earn his first win as Swans boss.
Enter Seamus Coleman, whose uncanny knack for a timely goal saw him loop home a header in the 89 minute to earn the Blues a draw their poor performance had scarcely deserved.
At least they had improved after the break, motivated by being jeered off at half-time by a fed-up Goodison crowd. "I agree with our fans when after half-time they whistled the team," said Koeman.
"They did not play how we can play football, we missed our aggression, we did not win second balls and we changed everything in the second half and that was at least how we need to play at home."
Sleepy on the South Coast
So to Southampton, and a first return to the South Coast for Koeman following his departure to Everton in the summer. All eyes were on the Dutchman as he took to his seat to a mixed reception from the home crowd. Including, it appeared, those of his own players, who despite having kicked off the game, fell behind after just 41 seconds through a Charlie Austin strike. With Everton being given the runaround by Southampton debutant Josh Sims, Koeman felt the heat during a tetchy post-match press conference when pressed on his use of youngsters at St Mary's – a criticism that was beginning to also be heard among Blues fans as the side lurched from one disappointing performance to the next.
Everton had their chances but that only one was on target – and even that was in the 93rd minute – spoke volumes. "Our start was really poor because even the kick-off was ours and we lost the ball too fast," said Koeman. "I can't complain about our second half but if you don't score, you can't win."
Wise words. Especially with the visit of Manchester United up next.

Manchester United enquire about Everton's Romelu Lukaku - transfer rumours
Europa League winners have reportedly contacted Blues chiefs over striker's availability
By Chris Beesley
3 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Manchester United have made initial enquiries about the possibility of signing Romelu Lukaku from Everton say the Independent. But given that the same report claims that Real Madrid are open to negotiations with the Europa League winners over the sale of Gareth Bale, could even the Red Devils fund the acquisitions of two such massive deals in one summer?
The Blues do not want to sell their most prized asset and have offered the prolific striker a lucrative new five-year contract at Goodison that would make him the highest-paid player in the club's history.
However, despite his agent Mino Raiola previously claiming that the deal was 99.99999999% done, Lukaku has refused to pen to paper.
With another two years remaining on his current deal though, the ECHO understands that Everton have slapped a £100million price tag on the player's head in an attempt to ward off potential suitors.
The Independent say that the Blues have told United that the price is £90million, which would still be more than the current world record £89.3million that they paid for Paul Pogba last summer.
However, with Real Madrid reportedly ready to call time on Gareth Bale's spell at the Bernabeu and open negotiations with United, an enormous chunk of Jose Mourinho's transfer budget could potentially be taken up on acquiring the Wales international who moved to the Spanish capital for a then-world record £86million in 2013. Spanish playmaker Isco has taken Bale's place in the side during his recent injuries while the club are also hoping to free up funds to land either Monaco's Kylian Mbappe or Chelsea's Eden Hazard.

Ronald Koeman's first Everton pre-season - Jablonec, Dresden and being "too nice"
We reflect on the manager's opening summer as Blues boss
BYPHIL KIRKBRIDE
3 JUN 2017
The second pre-season of Ronald Koeman's Everton reign is starting to take shape. It will begin in Tanzania, finish against Sevilla at Goodison, is expected to take in Holland whilst also sending them to wherever the Europa League qualifying draw dictates. The Blues boss inherited a pre-season that he felt started too late and included fixtures scheduled too close together.
Here we take a look back at the summer of 2016.
FK Jablonec 0-1 Everton (Galloway '60)
July 16, Schruns, Austria
(first-half): Robles, Holgate, Galloway, Baines, Besic, Gibson, Lennon, Mirallas, Davies, Dowell, Rodriguez.
(second-half): Stekelenburg, Oviedo, Garbutt, Galloway, Holgate, Jones, Grant, Cleverley, Deulofeu, Henen, Niasse.
The second week of the Koeman reign saw the Blues fly to Austria for a seven day training camp, culminating in a friendly game against Czech side FC Jablonec.
Supposedly behind-closed-doors, the game attracted a small crowd with a number of Evertonians even making the trip. Brendan Galloway's back post volley, from Mason Holgate's flick, won the game for Everton who used 20 different players, including Oumar Niasse who played in front of Koeman for the first, and only, time. Koeman, reflecting on his first game as manager, said: "Finished our training camp with a clean sheet! Well done boys. Great work ethic."
Barnsley 0-3 Everton (Mirallas '9, Deulofeu '60, Barkley '73)
July 23, Oakwell, Barnsley
Robles, Davies (Coleman 45), Galloway (Mori 45), Holgate (Pennington 75), Baines (Oviedo 60); Lennon, Gibson (Grant 60), Besic (McGeady 60), Mirallas (Cleverley 60), Galloway (Barkley 45), Deulofeu (Tarashaj 60).
A first game on British soil for Koeman as Everton boss saw a routine win over Barnsley.
Ross Barkley, playing in pre-season for the first time, bagged the third goal and drew praise from Koeman. "It was a great goal and it's a great quality if you can shoot with your right and then shoot like that with your left, too," he said. "I remember him scoring a goal like that last season, I think it was in midweek in a home match. I remember it because Erwin was watching and he scored like this. For Everton's first 'official' friendly of the summer, 2,106 fans made the trip.
MK Dons 1-3 Everton (Deulofeu '2, Barkley '19, Besic '85)
July 26. Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes
Stekelenburg, Coleman (Baines 61), Pennington (Holgate 61), Mori (Stones 61), Oviedo (Galloway 61), Tarashaj (McGeady 46), Cleverley (Besic 61), Davies (Gibson 61), Mirallas (Lennon 61), Barkley (Dowell 61), Deulofeu (Grant 80).
Over 3,000 fans travelled to Milton Keynes three days later as Koeman's winning star was extended.
Wantaway defender John Stones got a first run-out of the summer while Mo Besic came off the bench to score for the first time for the Blues. News of Everton's interest in Idrissa Gueye emerged before kick-off while in his post-match interview, Koeman hinted that Niasse and Kone would not feature in his plans.
Talking up Deulofeu's performance as the main striker, he said: "Yes, he's a very dangerous player in that position and if we don't have Lukaku, maybe he's the best option to replace Romelu in that position."
Dynamo Dresden 2-1 Everton (Deulofeu '40)
July 29, Stadion Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Stekelenburg, Coleman, Baines (c), Stones (Holgate 69), Funes Mori, Davies (Besic 46), Gibson, Lennon, Barkley (Dowell 69), Mirallas, Deulofeu.
Deulofeu's encouraging pre-season form continued but his fine free-kick was not enough to prevent Everton falling to defeat against the hosts.
DRESDEN, GERMANY - JULY 29: Head coach Ronald Koeman of FC Everton looks on during the Bundeswehr Karriere Cup Dresden 2016 match between Dynamo Dresden and FC Everton at DDV-Stadion on July 29, 2016 in Dresden, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Koeman insisted afterwards that he was "happy" but many of his mannerisms on the touchline suggested otherwise as they conceded a pair of soft goals on a warm night in East Germany. The Blues gather in the tunnel before the Dresden Cup match between Dynamo Dresden and Everton in July at the DDV-Stadion in Dresden,
Everton were still in with a shout of winning the Dresden Cup, despite the defeat, but Koeman's side knew they needed to beat Real Betis by a handsome margin the following day to stand any chance.
Everton 1-1 Real Bets (Betis win 4-3 on penalties)
July 30, Stadion Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Robles, Holgate, Oviedo, Pennington (Stones, 77) Galloway, Barry (Dowell, 60), Besic, McCarthy (Grant, 60), Cleverley, Kone (Lennon, 73), Lukaku (Davies, 60).
From finishing against Dresden, to kicking-off against Betis Everton had less than 14 hours. No wonder Koeman was far from enthused by the format.
And it forced him to field an entirely different starting XI which meant first run-outs for Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku, while Joel Robles was back in goal. The Spaniard was unconvincing as Everton conceded from a set-piece, Barry was excellent while Lukaku, wanting to leave for Chelsea, looked anything but interested. Everton eventually lost on penalties with Kieran Dowell and Conor Grant missing from the spot.
The Blues had yet to sign an out-field player by this point and this performance reinforced the urgent need for new faces. "Ronald and the chairman are very busy with that," Erwin Koeman said after the game.
Manchester United 0-0 Everton
August 3, Old Trafford, Manchester
Stekelenburg (Robles 45), Holgate (Lennon 65), Stones, Funes Mori, Coleman, McCarthy (Cleverley 65), Barkley (Gibson 65), Barry (Besic 65, Davies 67), Baines (Oviedo 65), Deulofeu (Mirallas 45), Lukaku (Kone 65)
Everton had secured the signing of Idrissa Gueye the day before Wayne Rooney's testimonial and afterwards it was confirmed they would return with a second bid for Ashley Williams - but it remained clear that Koeman required further reinforcements. And after an encouraging experiment using three at the back, it was the Blues' attack which was becoming a concern. "We're working hard to bring in good players," he said, in the Old Trafford tunnel.
"It's not respectful to talk about players who are not players of Everton, but we hope to bring some new players in as soon as possible." Koeman was particularly animated during a game which was overshadowed by a season-ending knee injury suffered by Mo Besic, just two minutes after he was introduced. Off the field, it was announced during the course of the game that Roberto Martinez was the new Belgium manager.
Everton 0-1 Espanyol
August 6, Goodison
Stekelenburg, Coleman, Stones (Holgate 63), Funes Mori (Jagielka 45), Baines, Gueye (Davies 71), Barry (McCarthy 63), Deulofeu (Lennon 63), Barkley, Mirallas, Lukaku
Captain Phil Jagielka would make a welcome return from injury, Idrissa Gueye made an impressive debut but it would be the last time John Stones was seen in an Everton shirt. Gueye conceded the penalty from which Espanyol scored the only goal of the game but his performance was otherwise outstanding in a team that looked off the pace. Everton won a spot-kick themselves after Deulofeu was fouled by Barkley's well-struck effort hit the post. Just 12,080 fans watched the game at Goodison with Lukaku limping off late on with a heel injury that would keep him out of the opening gamne of the season six days later. Koeman didn't hold back in his post-match comments, saying: "He is a different player and he can bring that to the team and that's the reason why we signed Idrissa for Everton because he is a different midfield player than most of them.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman interested in Andre Gray
Blues manager adds Burnley striker to list of potential summer targets as Sandro edges towards Atletico Madrid
BYPHIL KIRKBRIDE
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
The 25-year-old is on Everton's radar this summer as they look to bolster their attacking options. Everton have drawn up a list of targets which includes Malaga forward Sandro Ramirez and Koeman went with director of football Steve Walsh to watch the Spanish striker last month. Burnley's Andre Gray celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea. Adam Davy/PA Wire. However, the forward now appears set to join Atletico Madrid this summer with reports in Spain suggesting a deal has been agreed, despite the player not being able to register until January due to Atletico's transfer ban. And the Everton boss has also put forward Gray as a player who could bolster the Blues' attacking options. The Clarets centre-forward scored nine times in the league this season in a Burnley side that finished as the fourth lowest scorers. Everton's Dutch manager Ronald Koeman checks out the conditions ahead of the match between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor Gray only has 12 months left on his contract and was reportedly the subject of a £15m bid from West Ham United in January. Burnley's Andre Gray scores his sides second goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley. Tottenham Hotspur have regularly been credited with showing interest in the forward who plundered 25 goals in Burnley's Championship winning season.

Barcelona and Milan are convinced by Gerard Deulofeu, so why aren't Everton? The Spanish winger is at another crossroads in his career... but there's still a chance of Goodison revival
Ian Doyle
BYIAN DOYLE
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
There aren't many footballers who would be resistant to overtures from Barcelona. But then much of Gerard Deulofeu's career has defied convention. Now, once again, the Spanish winger stands at the crossroads. And, for the next few weeks at least, all Everton can do is wait patiently to discover the player's next step. Barcelona have until the end of the month to activate a buy-back clause they inserted in the deal that took Deulofeu to Goodison on a permanent basis two years ago. Activate it, and the 23-year-old moves back to Camp Nou for 12 million euros under the proviso they cannot sell him on for at least another 12 months. Barca's hierarchy have gone public on their intent to trigger the clause, although new coach Ernesto Valverde has yet to make a decision. Reports from Spain, though, indicate Deulofeu isn't so keen. It's easy to understand why. Having spent the last few months impressing on loan at AC Milan, the player has elbowed his way into the Spain national squad and scored in the 2-0 friendly win against France in March. With a World Cup now barely a year away, the last thing Deulofeu wants is it to be on the sidelines playing second fiddle to the MSN triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. Everton don't have quite as potent attacking options. Yet Deulofeu still could not convince Blues boss Ronald Koeman. The figures tell the story. Deulofeu has started just 10 Everton games since the beginning of 2016 and, over his entire Goodison career – first on loan for a season in 2013-14 and then having signed permanently in the summer of 2015 – the winger has only played the full 90 minutes on 11 occasions. Don't forget, Deulofeu was in the starting line-up for Koeman's first game in charge against Tottenham Hotspur in August, albeit as a makeshift striker. But he hasn't been seen in the Premier League since a poor performance in the defeat to Watford in December, although he impressed during a second-half cameo in the FA Cup loss to Leicester City the following month. And that's been the issue for Deulofeu at Everton. The talent is there, yes. But consistency has thus far evaded him, even if the 2015-16 campaign did bring four goals and an impressive 13 assists. So, if Barcelona's clause lapses, is there still hope of a Goodison resurrection? Deulofeu played more minutes in half a Serie A season with Milan than in the whole of the previous Premier League campaign, contributing four goals and three assists in 17 outings. Milan wanted him on a permanent deal but, no doubt mindful of Barcelona's position, have withdrawn interest for now. Of course, with Everton looking to strengthen their wings this summer, a player such as Deulofeu would be ideal, especially if he can build on the confidence gained during the past five months at the San Siro. Koeman's unsure, even if Barcelona and Milan are. But if the little Spaniard stays at Goodison, he'll know this will be his last chance.

Everton 2016-17 season review - December, injury, turning points and derby despair
The Blues began to see a change in fortunes but still suffered derby defeat
BYPHIL KIRKBRIDE
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton trailed to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's lob until the final minute when Enner Valencia was clumsily fouled by Marouane Fellaini. Leighton Baines drilled home the penalty in front of the Gwladys Street to secure a deserved point - whatever Jose Mourinho may have said. Valencia's introduction with just over 20 minutes left reinvigorated the Blues' attack but the point was bittersweet. Yannick Bolasie is treated by the Everton medical team after suffering the injury that has ended his season The on-loan striker came on for Yannick Bolasie who had suffered, what was later confirmed, as a season-ending knee injury. Everton's point kept them in eighth position. "The team is too passive and it's not proactive - it's reactive." Koeman's words after seeing his side lost 3-2 to a poor Watford side were blunt. He said plenty more in the Vicarage Road media room that day as well as his side served up their worst performance of his reign, up to that point. Romelu Lukaku had given them a lead but one the Blues failed to build on as they allowed themselves to be bullied out of the game. Lukaku scored a second late on but the rally was futile and left Koeman facing his most difficult period as boss - they'd won only once since the middle of September and Arsenal were next.
The turning point
If Koeman had been spiky in the build-up to this game then it fed into his players' performance. Goodison reacted to the team's most passionate, aggressive and full-blooded display in ages. It still took going behind to Alexis Sanchez's goal in the 20th minute to jolt them fully into action but the response was strong. First, Seamus Coleman equalised before Ashley Williams rose highest from a corner with four minutes remaining to send the Blues in front. Goodison erupted and Koeman would come to consider it a turning point in their season.
Derby despair
Everton's energy levels had fallen off a cliff, but they were hanging on. Clinging onto a point against Liverpool in the Goodison derby, in the final game before Christmas.But in a crushing twist, four minutes into time added on, Daniel Sturridge found room on the edge of the area to get off a shot, it came back off the post and Sadio Mane reacted quickest to tap home. Gutting. Boxing clever After a dour first 45 minutes at the home of the struggling Champions, Everton were clinical after the break. And the Blues went route one. First, Kevin Mirallas latched onto Joel Robles' punt upfield and fired home before Romelu Lukaku chased Ross Barkley's clearance into the channel before barging and slaloming his way to goal. Victory pushed the Blues up to seventh in the table. The end to a trying 12 months The trip to Hull City, and the performance which followed, provided a fitting end to a year which was largely forgettable. Everton conceded from a set-piece before an own goal brought them level. Struggling Hull went back in front before Ross Barkley nodded home Leighton Baines' cross with six minutes left. Everton's Ross Barkley celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game with Tom Davies (right) during the Premier League match at the KCOM Stadium, Hull. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was inches away from winning it at the end but it finished 2-2.

Everton transfers: The puzzle that ambitious Blues must solve this summer
Ronald Koeman faces the challenge of creating football alchemy
BYCHRIS BEESLEY
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Was it telling this week that while Manchester City were agreeing a world-record fee for a goalkeeper to land Benfica's Ederson, Everton were having an £8million bid for Jordan Pickford knocked back by relegated Sunderland? The Black Cats supposedly value Pickford at some £30million – just £5million less than City have splashed out on their Brazilian shot-stopper – but even if such a price tag seems inflated for a prospect of still raw potential who remains far of being the finished article, such an opening offer from Goodison chiefs seems unlikely to curry favour on Wearside if the Blues want to continue negotiations. If the figures are correct then they wouldn't be far off being a delayed 'swap deal' for former Everton fringe players Bryan Oviedo and Darron Gibson who decamped to the Stadium of Light back in January. The story was covered by the ECHO's Everton reporter Phil Kirkbride and while the prism of social media has a tendency to shaft darkness rather than light when it comes to knee-jerk reactions, there was plenty of indignation over the message that the offer, just over a quarter of the quoted price tag, could be sending out. Those outside the bubble may struggle to grasp the gravity of the concerns or dismiss them as the rantings of keyboard warriors but the anxiety among significant sections of the Blues support base remains genuine.
City slickers
Of course it is still very much the early days of summer – the curtain only came down on club action on Saturday night with the Champions League final and there are still the end-of-season internationals to come – but the aforementioned Manchester City at the top of football's financial food chain have already sprung into action. Ultimately, like Everton, City finished empty-handed this season in the silverware stakes with new boss Pep Guardiola enduring the worst season of his coaching career by his own stellar standards. But even now they've started attempting to rectify the faults of recent months with a major overhaul of their squad ahead of the forthcoming campaign. The deal for Ederson will follow a £43million swoop for Bernardo Silva that has already been completed while City also head the queue of suitors for the Portuguese playmaker's Monaco team-mate, left-back Benjamin Mendy. Standards remain so high at the Etihad that experienced top performers such as Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Jesus Navas and Willy Caballero have all been shown the door to make way for fresh blood.
Time is of the essence
While Everton remain several years behind City in terms of their own project, the Blues hierarchy are promising to deliver. Back in April, chief executive Robert Elstone declared: "It's a really important big summer for us and the club will continue to make big investments, the squad will continue to grow and improve and it will be a very busy and exciting summer for Everton fans."
So is patience the key? Once the likes of City do their key business then the domino effect of deals for the rest of Europe's major clubs can fall into place. But many Evertonians fear that their club don't possess the luxury of being able to sit tight this summer. The Blues will be making their earliest ever return to action with competitive Europa League football coming their way before the end of July. With just 41 fixtures played, 2016/17 was the shortest season for Everton in over 100 years (since 1913/14) in terms of games but providing that those summer continental qualifiers can be safely negotiated then the regular dual demands of Thursday-Sunday fare at home and abroad awaits in the autumn and hopefully beyond.
The trick of football alchemy
Goodison fans love a hero to worship and the most idolised of Blues favourites Alex Young passed away earlier this year. He was of course known as "The Golden Vision" to his adoring Everton public but while he represented the magnificence of a bygone football era, the club's current challenge is to try and turn base metal into gold without the key ingredient of being in the Champions League. Given that the riddle has always been that you need the best players to get into the Champions League and that the best players won't come to you unless you're in the Champions League, just how do the Blues pull off the trick of football alchemy? A year into his Manchester City tenure, Sheikh Mansour was spending big on Carlos Tevez (£47million from neighbours Manchester United); Emmanuel Adebayor (£25million from Arsenal); Joleon Lescott (£22million from Everton); Roque Santa Cruz (£17.5million from Blackburn Rovers); Kolo Toure (£16million from Arsenal) and Gareth Barry (£12million from Aston Villa). And all this was after they had finished 10th in the Premier League table – five places below the Blues that year and behind the likes of Aston Villa, Fulham and West Ham United.
A tough route to the top
Money – and a clear sense of drive and ambition – swayed targets to take the plunge at the Etihad but eight years later Everton's path to the top seems far less straight forward and it's not just Financial Fair Play that is blocking their route. If the Blues are to break into the Premier League's top four, they need not one or two but THREE of the clubs who finished above them this season to falter next term. Manchester United's Europa League victory means that five of those six clubs can now offer prospective new signings Champions League football while the other, FA Cup winners Arsenal, can fall back on a track record of dining at the European game's top table for the previous 19 seasons. Everton, in turn, must use all of Ronald Koeman and Steve Walsh's scouting nous plus Farhad Moshiri's thick wallet to somehow attract recruits of a significantly higher calibre than they have already got.
Having your head turned
A look at Koeman's signings from his first year would suggest that all of the incomings were always safely attainable. With the clock ticking on his own career at the top, Wales captain Ashley Williams sensed the way the wind was blowing at Swansea and was attracted by Everton's ambitions as was Yannick Bolasie from Crystal Palace. Idrissa Gueye was grateful to be given a second chance in the Premier League after suffering relegation with Aston Villa in his debut season in England. Maarten Stekelenburg was in limbo at Fulham and had worked previously with compatriot Koeman. He came to fill an expected understudy role and ended up sharing the number one responsibilities with Joel Robles . Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ademola Lookman were both kids moving up from the lower divisions while even the most high-profile acquisition Morgan Schneiderlin was another player who Koeman had managed in the past. The French international had been frozen out at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho and made a transfer that ensured he didn't have to move house and only dropped one place down the Premier League table yet became a first team regular.

New Everton stadium: Dan Meis' existing award-winning riverside design
BYCHRIS BEESLEY
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
After 125 years at Goodison Park and a series of attempts to build a new stadium going back a generation, including the aborted move to another riverfront location at Kings Dock, Evertonians are understandably excited by the prospect of the dream of playing at a modern home by the banks of the royal blue Mersey finally coming to fruition. Renowned stadium architect Dan Meis is being consulted by the club to design their project at Bramley Moore Dock and the American has enthusiastically embraced both the challenge and Blues fans alike. But just what kind of pedigree does the Colorado-native – now based out Venice, California, and New York City – possess? What do those Stateside who use his facilities actually think of his designs? In a special three-part series of case studies, the ECHO's Chris Beesley speaks to leading US sports writers to find out.
Part One
Name: Paul Brown Stadium
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Capacity: 65,515
Team: Cincinnati Bengals (American Football)
Opened: August 19, 2000 (broke ground April 25, 1998)
Construction cost: $455million (approximately £353million)
River of dreams
Dan Meis, the man tasked with dreaming up Everton's new stadium has hailed Bramley Moore Dock as "one of the greatest sites I have seen in my entire career" but this won't be the US architect's first riverside project. While Meis is currently working on potential plans for Goodison Park's replacement on the banks of the royal blue Mersey, he produced Paul Brown Stadium by the Ohio River for the Cincinnati Bengals American football team back in 2000. Named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown, Meis' Cincinnati creation was the first NFL stadium to win an AIA (American Institute of Architects) design award.
It was the only football stadium to make a list of America's favourite 150 buildings and structures according to a Harris Interactive survey which included skyscrapers, museums, churches, hotels, bridges and national memorials. Ranked 101st on the list, the only other sport stadia included were iconic baseball parks Wrigley Field, Chicago, (31) and New York's Yankee Stadium (84). Jim Owczarski, a Bengals beat writer for The Cincinnati Enquirer, said: "I came here having previously covered the Green Bay Packers and I think it fits well with the Ohio River because it was built as an anchor stadium along with the Cincinnati Reds ballpark. "They were built on opposite ends of the riverfront and the city was supposed to develop in between it. "There's a great view of the river from north to south and there's an opening at the top of the stadium that allows you to see the Ohio River and there are some really beautiful bridges that connect the states of Ohio and Kentucky and you can see those too if you're in the luxury box level but even if you've got a cheaper seat you're rewarded by a view. "I think it's aged well and doesn't look out of place in 2017 – it still fits – and that's what you want as an architect. You don't want to be there 15 years later with it looking strange. "From an exterior perspective it looks good and has got glass panelling that allow a lot of light in."
An exterior view of Paul Brown Stadium
Meis' major projects to date have epitomised a new trend in American sport throughout the 21st century for purpose-built arenas rather than the much-maligned one-size-fits-all approach a generation or so earlier. Owczarski said: "Visually speaking Paul Brown is an interesting-looking stadium to me. I'm from Chicago originally and it reminds me of the new Soldier Field the way he topped it off. "Growing up in the Mid West in the 1980s I became very familiar with what they call 'cookie cutter stadiums' which are giant circular multi-purpose venues that are not very exciting at all. "That's what Cincinnati had originally when the Bengals and Reds shared a home at Riverfront Stadium. "Architecturally and visually it's held up for the Bengals since they moved to a home of their own.
Everton football club major investor Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright and Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson at Bramley Moore Dock on the waterfront for plans to provide Everton with a new stadium.
Meis among stadium delegation
"I think the team could do a bit more to make it look better but that's the club's decision. "I haven't gone from Paul Brown Stadium to anywhere else in the NFL and felt we're going to have to start writing any new stadium stories any time in the next few years."
Recreating the Goodison Bear Pit
Given that their very own 'Grand Old Lady' can famously produced 'Bear Pit' atmosphere when Evertonians are rocking, Blues are eager to learn how Meis could reproduce such conditions in a modern stadium. The architect seems well aware of such requirements and has already Tweeted: "steep intimate seating directly adjacent to the pitch can be done without columns while pointing out that "columns or not, Goodison is one of the premier experiences in sports!" Only this weekend he declared on Twitter that his brief was: "about designing the most intimidating stadium in football, on one of world's greatest sites."
NFL venues tend to be more open than their Premier League counterparts but Owczarski reckons Meis has done a good job when it comes to generating noise in an arena that has been dubbed 'The Jungle.' He said: "It does lend itself for a good atmosphere. I've never been up to the very top but at least in the lower bowl and the mezzanine level the sight lines are very good, especially for NFL level.
Which features should stadium have?
"It is loud. Last year the Bengals weren't a good team but the season before they were and there were sell-out crowds and play-off games and the sound holds well. If there are enough people there and they're excited, you can hear it.
"The lower bowl is quite intimate. It's a hard trick to try and pull off in NFL football given the size of the field. "When the crowd is loud it does trap the noise and make it feel like it's on top of you."

It's Everton v Everton for Blues Young Lions
Goodison quartet eye semi-final spot with England at the Under-20s World Cup
By Chris Beesley
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
It's Everton versus Everton as England bid to reach the semi-finals of the Under-20s World Cup in South Korea with their last eight showdown against Mexico. The Young Lions' charge has been led by their Goodison Park contingent with Ademola Lookman bagging a brace in their 2-1 win over Costa Rica in the second round. Before that, Kieran Dowell netted the all-important goal to give England the 1-0 win over the hosts they needed to top the group with the cross coming from man-of-the-match Jonjoe Kenny while Dominic Calvert-Lewin got the ball rolling by netting the opener in a 3-0 success against Argentina in the first game of the tournament. However, the Blues quartet are now poised to face Mexican midfielder Francisco Venegas – who currently plays for the 'other' Everton from the gambling resort of Vina del Mar in Chile. Venegas, 18, is one of four prospects from his parent club of Pachuca – one of the oldest teams in the Americas having been founded by Cornish miners in 1901 – currently being loaned out to the Ruleteros (roulette players) along with fellow midfielder Ivan Ochoa plus forwards Steven Almeida and Nahum Gomez. Having played three of their four matches to date in the southern city of Jeonju – they faced South Korea in Suwon where the final will be played – England are in between this time as they travel to the tournament's smallest venue, the 25,814 capacity Cheonan Stadium.
Should they progress they will return to Jeonju for a semi-final showdown against the winners of the Italy v Zambia quarter-final with the Africans shocking Germany 4-3 after extra time in the previous round. The other last four match will be an all-South American affair with Uruguay facing Venezuela.
This is the 21st edition of the biennial Under-20s World Cup and England have reached the semi-finals just once before in Australia in 1981 where they suffered a shock 2-1 exit to minnows Qatar.

Everton transfer target Gylfi Sigurdsson tipped for Swansea exit
Former Iceland team-mate reckons European football could tempt midfielder
By Chris Beesley
4 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton target Gylfi Sigurdsson could be tempted to leave Swansea City this summer if a bigger club offering European football comes in for him reckons his former Iceland team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Sigurdsson's future has been the subject of fierce scrutiny after a season in which he was one of the most effective performers in the Premier League. The 27-year-old scored nine goals and had 13 assists as he helped the Welsh club avoid dropping out of the top flight.
Swansea are determined to hold on to their prize asset, but Everton and his former side Tottenham have both been strongly linked with a move. Leicester City could also see him as an ideal replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who has reportedly declared his wish to leave the Foxes this summer although they could not offer him continental competition next season.
Gudjohnsen said: "Gylfi has had a really good season.
"He's obviously been one of the most important players in keeping Swansea in the Premier League.
"He's got tremendous quality, but he can still improve on certain things whether he stays or go.
"But he's come to an age where he might want to try his luck at a bigger club or even European football.
"It's all down to him. If he's happy where he is, he should stay."
Both Blues boss Ronald Koeman and director of football Steve Walsh are big admirers of Sigurdsson who the Dutchman described as "a really good player" before his side's trip to the Liberty Stadium.
There were reports last month that Swansea had agreed a £25million transfer fee with Everton for Sigurdsson but they were quickly dismissed by his club who are believed to value their most prized asset at £40million. Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins revealed in February that Sigurdsson - who signed a new four-year contract 10 months ago - was the subject of "substantial offers" during the last transfer window. And owner Steve Kaplan last month expressed Swansea's desire to keep Sigurdsson, saying: "We all know how important Gylfi is, just as he knows how much he's valued and loved here.
"There's been interest in him before - there were some pretty big enquiries about him last summer and in the January window - but we didn't want to sell him then and we don't want to sell him now."
Sigurdsson said at his club's end-of-season awards night that he is happy at Swansea and would only leave the Liberty Stadium if they wanted to sell him. "I signed a new contract in the summer and I've got three years left," Sigurdsson said last month. "So it's down to the club if they want to sell me. But I was very happy when I was on loan here and then again in the last three years. "I'm not trying to leave, I'm not desperate to go or anything."

New Everton stadium: The brick house that Dan Meis built
A special look at the reaction to Blues architect's previous major works ahead of Bramley Moore Dock
By Chris Beesley
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Continuing our look at Everton stadium architect Dan Meis' previous works, the ECHO examines what leading US sports writers think about his existing projects ahead of his design for Bramley Moore Dock.
Here's the second of Chris Beesley's three case studies.
Part Two
Name: Miller Park
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Capacity: 41,900
Team: Milwaukee Brewers (Baseball)
Opened: April 6, 2001 (broke ground November 9, 1996)
Construction cost: $400million (approximately £311million)
Bricking it
It's usually a wise move to build your house out of bricks – just ask the Three Little Pigs – but are Everton going down that route with their new stadium? There has been much speculation that the Blues future home at Bramley Moore Dock could feature a brick exterior – it would certainly match the surrounding architecture with nearby Stanley Dock one of the largest brick buildings in the world – and eager fans have been searching for potential clues as they hang off Dan Meis' every word.
Tobacco Warehouse, Stanley Dock.
On his most recent visit to Liverpool last month for the club's end of season awards 'The Dixies', the US architect visited the world-famous Cavern Club (well the replica that now attracts tourists to Mathew Street) and Tweeted: "PS... I left a sketch on one of the bricks" which some supporters took as a hint regarding the building material for the Blues new home. Whether or not Everton take the plunge for brick, it's a look that Meis has gone in for before with Miller Park, the home of Major League baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers.
Tom Haudricourt is Brewers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and explains the look that Meis produced for the baseball team's Miller Park.
He said: "They did a brick exterior that first of all matched the local architecture but also when you look at the ballpark from the outside from behind home plate it looks a little bit like the old Ebbets Field where the Brooklyn Dodgers used to play so they tried to give it something of an old-time feel.
"It has a brick clock tower at the front – a sort of miniature Big Ben if you will.
"It's very large scale though because to put a retractable roof on a stadium it has to be a big place.
"They had the challenge of building it right next door to the old stadium and not disturb things while games were still being played there and the walls almost touched. "Any ballpark that you put a roof on though is going to look modern because old stadiums didn't have roofs but they did the best they could and it's actually an attractive facility."
A big cover up
Yes, you read that correctly – just like with the aforementioned Little Pigs, this brick house has a roof – a retractable one. Although it's likely to get a bit chilly by the Mersey in winter, don't expect Everton to follow suit but as Haudricourt explains, the option to switch between indoors and outdoors was seen as a must in Milwaukee. He said: "It can be very cold and wet, particularly early and late on in the season.
"The previous facility, Milwaukee County Stadium, was an open-air multi-purpose stadium built in the 1950s. "We played some chilling baseball games in that stadium when it was brutally cold and it held attendances down quite often.
"To make the new ballpark, Miller Park, profitable they needed some good attendance figures.
"If you look at a map where Milwaukee is situated, it's 90 miles north of Chicago. So to the south you have the Chicago markets [there are two Major League baseball clubs in the city – the Cubs and White Sox] and you're not going to draw fans from there. To the east is Lake Michigan so geographically you're penned in by a great body of water and then to the north and west there are a lot of rural areas and farmland." Haudricourt added: "The Brewers have always been dependent on fans coming across the state, sometimes getting on buses for a few hours to get to the ballpark, and the last thing they wanted to do is come if they thought the weather was going to be bad. They didn't want to come all that way and sit in miserable conditions or have the game rained out.
"To his credit, the Brewers' former owner Bud Selig, who later became Commissioner of Baseball, was not willing to entertain any thoughts of building a ballpark without a retractable roof.
"They wanted a retractable roof rather than a permanent roof because the summers are quite nice here. "A lot of people come to Wisconsin for the summer. If you come from a southern state that is hot and sticky, here it's mild and comfortable."
Turning up the heat
Here's the big question though...
Anyone who has ever lived with a partner who sticks the central heating on in June will want to know – who decides when to cover up? Haudricourt explains: "The baseball season begins in April and prior to this year there had been 200 home games in that month at Miller Park since it opened in 2001 and the roof had only been opened 22 times. "To be honest we've become kind of wimpish. We used to beg for any day over 50 degrees (10 Celsius) early in the year and we were happy as long as it was dry but now if it's not over 60 (16 Celsius) they will not keep the roof open. "We have become a creatures of comfort. There's not really a heating or cooling system per se within the ballpark but they can warm it up or cool it down to some extent with a hot air/cold air flow."
Milwaukee's roof has a unique shape but that isn't without its problems though.
Haudricourt said: "This was the first roof of its kind where it is designed like this in a fan shape. It opens from the middle and three panels go to one side and two panels to the other side from a pivot by home plate. "There are also outdoor panels that open on the walls that create even more open space on a nice day and you can get a breeze in there.
"If you look at most of the stadium roofs that I know of in North America, the panels stack on top of each other in a linear fashion – they all go in the same direction – and when you have stacking panels the edges sort of overlap each other when they close but in this radial roof they come side to side and do not overlap and have rubber gaskets on the areas that come together to try and keep the rain out.
"However, in heavy winds and storms it has been known to leak in certain places. Compared to what's going on outside in these conditions it's a minor inconvenience – but not if you have a seat under one of the leaks."
Building tragedy
The issues of being dripped upon from above were also put into perspective by a tragedy that took place during the building of the stadium. Haudricourt said: "There was a tragedy during the building. A crane collapsed and it killed three workers and destroyed a lot of the stadium that had already been built and pushed back the opening by a year. "Unfortunately our memories of the actual construction of the ballpark are very clouded by that terrible incident. Exterior of Miller Park showing the clock tower and the memorial sculpture entitled 'Teamwork' depicting William DeGrave, Jerome Starr and Jeffrey Wischer who were killed during construction of the stadium Exterior of Miller Park showing the clock tower and the memorial sculpture entitled 'Teamwork' depicting William DeGrave, Jerome Starr and
"It was a devastating accident for the community and they have statues for the iron workers who were killed outside of the ballpark. "Something good grew out of it. It's been a very well-received stadium, attendances have been tremendous. "Probably every sports writer has a bias towards their own stadium but I think one of the better ones we go to is our own stadium."
Packing them in
Meis' design though as consistently proved a winner with the Wisconsin public who continue to turn out in good numbers to the ballpark he designed. Haudricourt said: "Milwaukee is the smallest market out of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball in terms of radio, television and population but the Brewers consistently rate in the middle of the pack for attendance.
"When they've had good teams they've drawn as many as 3 million fans (aggregate over an 81-home game season), which is a tremendous attendance.
"The last few years they've not been as good and most recently they drew 2.3 million but by comparison, the Cleveland Indians – who are also in the Upper Mid-West but don't have a roof – went to the World Series last season but didn't even draw 2 million.
"We're 16 years in now and it's still a very nice ballpark and people love coming to it."

Everton 2016-17 season review - January, City smashed and Palace stormed
Blues bounce back from FA Cup exit to record some big wins
By Chris Beesley
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Saints march in but limp out
The New Year started brightly for Everton as enjoyed a 3-0 victory over Southampton but they had to work hard for the three points with the deadlock not being broken at Goodison Park until 17 minutes from full-time. Facing his former club, Ronald Koeman handed a first start to Dominic Calvert-Lewin but he lost the youngster to an ankle injury after just 12 minutes. The Saints put up stubborn resistance but having enduring the shortest rest period of all Premier League clubs over the festive period and facing their third game in six days, they collapsed late on after substitute Enner Valencia fired the Blues ahead.
The Ecuadorian international then won the penalty that doubled Everton's lead as he was fouled by Maya Yoshia on 81 minutes with Leighton Baines slotting home the resultant spot-kick.
Romelu Lukaku completed the rout a minute from the end when he smashed in from close range after a Tom Davies pass.
Look who's signing
Before the Blues returned to action they completed the signing of Charlton wonderkid Ademola Lookman. Arriving in a £7.5million deal that could rise to £11million, the Londoner said: "It feels great to be an Everton player. As soon as I heard about Everton's interest I knew this would be the right place for me. "Everton has a big history and I was also attracted by the manager.
"When you look at what he did at Southampton, and what he does with young players in terms of developing them, that was a big attraction. "It was great playing in the Championship last season and for the last six months in League One but I feel like I'm ready to make the step up to the Premier League."
Foxes put Blues out of cup hunt
Lookman was paraded at Goodison Park before the FA Cup third round clash against Leicester City but his new side bowed out of the competition at the first hurdle. Lukaku put the Blues ahead on 63 minutes when he turned in a cross from Gerard Deulofeu – playing his final game before joining AC Milan on loan – but Foxes substitute Ahmed Musa turned the tie on its head with a quickfire double on 66 and 71 minutes to put the Premier League champions through.
Davies dazzles against City
With the chances of silverware gone for another season, Everton could have gone into their shells after such a setback but having dipped back into the transfer market to land Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin for £24million, they produced arguably their most spectacular display of the campaign. Big-spending Manchester City came to Goodison on January 15 but Pep Guardiola's side were sent packing with their tails between their legs after a 4-0 spanking.
Belgian duo Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas put the Blues in command with goals either side of the break on 34 and 47 minutes respectively but late on it was Koeman's youngsters who stole the show.
New boy Schneiderlin came on for his debut in the 65th minute but it was his midfield partner Tom Davies who grabbed the headlines with a spectacular maiden strike in senior football with his mazy dribble followed by an audacious chipped finish.
Then Lookman emerged off the bench for his Premier League bow in the 89th minute and after just four minutes on the pitch he fired past the hapless Claudio Bravo for Everton's fourth goal.
The Blues pulled off the big win despite having less than 30% possession and Koeman said: "We scored at the right time in the first half and then to score straight after half-time made it very difficult for them.
"I think it is a big compliment to Everton today - the organisation defensively. It makes the final result and the way we played perfect."
Seamus storms the Palace
On the pitch, the Blues closed the month with what proved to be their last away victory of the season.
Their trip to Sam Allardyce's Crystal Palace looked to be grinding to a goalless stalemate before Seamus Coleman popped up with an 87th minute winner at Selhurst Park.
There would be no more incomings to Goodison before the transfer window slammed shut but on January 30 both Bryan Oviedo and Darron Gibson were reunited with David Moyes as the pair joined Sunderland in a double deal.

Everton transfer rumours - Injury could scupper move for Baba Rahman
The latest Everton transfer gossip from around the web
By Kristian Walsh
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton have been linked with a move for Chelsea full back Baba Rahman - but fresh claims suggest a potential deal could fall through because of the Ghanaian's injury issues.
The 22-year-old spent last season on loan with Schalke, with suggestions he could be heading to Goodison on a temporary deal next season. His 2016/17 campaign was cut short after suffering a serious knee injury on international duty in January, and Ghana Soccernet now claim the Blues are on the verge of pulling out of a deal, after Rahman's return date was pushed back until after the start of pre-season training. Rahman joined Chelsea from Augsburg for £14million in 2015.
He made 23 appearances for the club before being allowed to join Schalke last summer.
He made 21 appearances across all competitions for the Bundesliga side before sustaining his season-ending injury.

Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu to consider Blues future after international duty
Deulofeu set to return after AC Milan loan
By Phil Kirkbride
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Gerard Deulofeu insists he will start thinking about his Everton future next week.
The 23-year-old was sent on loan to AC Milan in the second-half of the season and Barcelona are said to be interested in activating a buy-back clause. Deulofeu is preparing for international duty with Spain who face Colombia on Wednesday and Macedonia, in a World Cup qualifier, on Sunday.
Barca have the option to re-sign the winger for €12m this summer but he says his focus is only on Spain - for this week at least. "Maybe sometimes I've thought too much in the future," Deulofeu said.
"I'm living a very good moment in football and in the personal field, I'm calm.
"I have to think about the national team right now and then I have to choose the best option.
"It will be a busy summer in my case but I'm calm and everything will work out for sure.
"I'm going through a good football and personal moment.
"Let me enjoy it, my future will be decided."
Ronald Koeman (R) gives Gerard Deulofeu instructions during training
As part of any potential buy-back, Barcelona cannot sell Deulofeu for 12 months and Everton would get first refusal. Should the Blues then pass up the chance to sign him then they would still receive a sell-on fee if Deulofeu leaves the Nou Camp.

Everton defender Ashley Williams feared he was too old for another European chance
Blues centre-half relishing Europa League return
By Phil Kirkbride
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ashley Williams feared he wouldn't get another shot at European football.
But the 32-year-old defender is thrilled to be heading into the Europa League this summer with Everton.
Williams last played in the competition during the 2013-14 season when Swansea City reached the last 32. The Swans came through two rounds of qualifying before negotiating a group that included Valencia. In the knockout stages, Williams's side faced a Napoli side that boasted the attacking threats of Gonzalo Higuain and Lorenzo Insigne. Swansea drew 0-0 at the Liberty Stadium in the first leg before losing 3-1 in Naples. Williams is now relishing another crack at European competition.
Ashley Williams arrives before the Premier League match between Swansea City and Everton at the Liberty Stadium on May 6, 2017 in Swansea
He said: "I enjoyed it last time," he added.
"I'm definitely looking forward to it next season.
"I didn't know if I'd get to play in Europe again, being 32, but I'm happy we've achieved it and excited to be part of it next season with Everton."
Ashley Williams of Everton and Fernando Llorente of Swansea City tangle during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Everton
Everton kick-off their Europa League campaign with the first leg of their third qualifying round tie on Thursday, July 27. The draw takes place on July 14.

Everton defender Mason Holgate and target Jordan Pickford named in England squad
Under-21s preparing for Euros later this month
By Phil Kirkbride
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton defender Mason Holgate and transfer target Jordan Pickford have been named in the England under-21 squad for the European Championships. The tournament takes place in Poland between June 16-30 with the Three Lions in Group A. Mason Holgate of Everton claps the fans after the Premier League match between Swansea City and Everton at the Liberty Stadium England face Sweden on Friday before facing Slovakia a week today and then taking on the hosts on June 22. Tom Davies would have been considered for Aidy Boothroyd's 23-man squad - as well as the u-19s squad for the Euros in July - but both the Blues and England agreed he needed a rest. Holgate is the sole Everton representative in the u-21s sqaud but summer transfer target Pickford has also been named.
Full squad - Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Manchester City), Jonathan Mitchell (Derby County), Jordan Pickford (Sunderland).
Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Kortney Hause (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rob Holding (Arsenal), Mason Holgate (Everton), Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Alfie Mawson (Swansea City), Jack Stephens (Southampton), Matt Targett (Southampton).
Midfielders: Lewis Baker (Chelsea), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Will Hughes (Derby County), John Swift (Reading), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea), Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Jacob Murphy (Norwich City), Nathan Redmond (Southampton), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham).

Everton youngsters help England book World Cup semi-finals spot
Four Blues feature in 1-0 win over Mexico
By Phil Kirkbride
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
A clutch of young Everton players helped England under-20s reach the World Cup semi-finals.
England saw off Mexico 1-0 in today's last eight tie in Cheonan, South Korea.
New Liverpool signing Dominic Solanke broke the deadlock two minutes after the break.
England were reduced to 10 men in the second-half when Tottenham Hotspurs' Josh Onomah was shown a second yellow card. Jonjoe Kenny, Ademola Lookman and Kieran Dowell all started the game with Dominic Calvert-Lewin coming off the bench late on.
Ademola Lookman of England takes a shot against Juan Aguayo of Mexico during the U20 World Cup Quarter Final And the Everton striker had two good opportunities to make it 2-0 but shot straight at the Mexico goalkeeper before over-running the ball when bearing down on goal.
Despite some nervy moments, Paul Simpson's side held on for a win that books their place in Thursday's semi-finals against Italy (12pm).

Everton hoping to land Josh Bowler from Queens Park Rangers
Blues eyeing teenager winger as part of Academy signings this summer
By Phil Kirkbride
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton are hopeful of landing teenager Josh Bowler this summer.
The Blues want to add the 18-year-old from Queens Park Rangers to their under-23s squad for next season. Bowler signed professional terms at Loftus Road in February and made his senior debut on the final day of the season against Norwich City. Everton are intent of bolstering their Premier League 2 title-winning side and QPR winger Bowler is on their wishlist.
Everton are thought to have two offers, the first of which was £1.5m, knocked back by QPR but remain determined to land the former Fulham player. Director of football Steve Walsh is leading the Blues' recruitment drive this summer as they look to sign some of the best emerging talent in 16-18 age group.

Everton pay tribute to Cheick Tiote after former Newcastle star dies at 30
The former Magpies star collapsed during a training session with his club Beijing Enterprises Group in China
By Paul Gorst
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton Football Club have paid tribute to former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote after he passed away on Monday. The former Magpies star collapsed during a training session with his club Beijing Enterprises Group in China. He was subsequently rushed to hospital before his death was announced by his agent, Emanuele Palladino. A statement from Everton read: "Rest in peace, Cheick Tiote. Our condolences are with his family and friends." Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, who coached Tiote at St James' Park, expressed his sadness at the sudden loss of the former Ivory Coast international. Benitez said: "It is with great sadness that I have this afternoon learned of Cheick's death.
"In the all the time that I have known him, he was a true professional, dedicated and above all, a great man. Chieck Tiote passed away on Monday after collapsing in Beijing "Our hearts go out to his family and friends at such a sad time." Palladino's short statement read: "It is with deep sadness that I confirm that my client Cheick Tiote sadly passed away earlier today after collapsing in training with his club Beijing Enterprises. "We cannot say any more at the moment and we request that his family's privacy be respected at this difficult time." "We ask for all your prayers." The 30-year-old spent seven years at Newcastle prior to the move to China earlier this year.

How Everton and Liverpool can help save grassroots football
Michael Ball with a special column on a subject close to his heart
By Michael Ball
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Recently I was told that I am the only Formby lad to have ever played in the Premier League.
I was told I should be proud.
I'm not. I'm embarrassed.
Because that I remain the only player from my local community to have progressed to the top flight is indicative of the trouble grassroots football in this country finds itself in. It's not just in Formby, it's all over the country, up and down England and in each and every corner. The beautiful game, our national pastime, is no longer a working class sport, it's a middle class one where kids are being priced out of playing. When I was growing up, we played from morning to night, there were pitches for us to play on but with council cuts biting and fees on the rise, this is an increasingly rare sight.
Football teams went on strike in protest over the planned pitch fees increases by Sefton council at Buckley Hill playing fields in Netherton in 2012 Instead, kids are being asked to find £5 just to train for an hour on the 3G pitches, asked to find money that maybe their parents just don't have.
So, instead they stay in. The future footballers of this country, the next generation, the talent are indoors watching the telly when they want to be outside playing footy with their mates.
How can this be when the money coming into football in England is at unprecedented levels?
It's time for the clubs to act and I want Everton and Liverpool to lead the way, committing to ensuring that grassroots football doesn't wither away and die but remains as vibrant, resourced and pivotal to the game in his country as it was when I was a kid. My nephew had to stop playing recently with his junior side because the manager, who did it on a volunteer basis, got a new job which meant he had to give it up. This sort of stuff would happen when I was a kid, so how can junior football not be in a place where this is still happening? Where volunteers, who give up more time than you can imagine, are being relied upon so much? Clubs and teams should not be folding in this day and age, in fact they should be stronger than ever before with the money in the game. But they're not. And the concern is that the money isn't filtering down. When I moved to Holland in my playing days, PSV insisted that as a slice of the transfer fee went back to the club where I started. I told them Everton. They didn't mean the Blues. They meant Formby Junior Sports Club. It was only a fraction of the fee but it will have made a major difference to my old club. And so I'm asking: why can't this be introduced here in England?
The Dutch have a totally different mentality to this than us; they have top class facilities available for kids for free. The amount of money flowing through our game is incredible yet grassroots footy, the place where Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and the rest of the best players we produce, have emerged from, sometimes looks flat broke. These lads played on the pitches for free, kicked the ball around in the street without fear of being told they weren't allowed; it formed them, let them hone their skills, it made them into the players they went onto become. As I say: I want Everton and Liverpool to take the lead in this and if they do, the rest of the country will follow. We're seeing more and more, top flight clubs paying opposing academies compensation money for players, but what about the place where they really started? They simply cannot be allowed to be forgotten. Grassroots football is too important.

Are Bayern Munich set to enter the race for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku?
Reports this evening suggest Bundesliga giants have joined Manchester United and Chelsea in the hunt
By Neil Jones
5 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Does Romelu Lukaku have himself a new suitor?
Reports on Monday evening suggest he just might, with Bayern Munich the latest club to show an interest in the Everton striker. The Manchester Evening News claim that Bayern have joined Manchester United and Chelsea in the race for the Belgian, with Carlo Ancelotti said to be a 'long term admirer' of the 24-year-old. The MEN's report states that Lukaku's father, Roger, is particularly keen on a move to Germany, stating that his situation at Everton ' will soon be fixed'.
Lukaku has so far refused to sign a contract extension at Goodison, and is believed to want to leave in search of Champions League football. Everton, though, are adamant that they will not sell for less than £100m. United are understood to be keen, having missed out on the signing of Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann. A new No.9 is top of Jose Mourinho's summer shopping list, while Chelsea were linked heavily last summer. Everton, for what it's worth, remain tight-lipped over the future of Lukaku and Ross Barkley, who is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract next month. Lukaku was in action for Belgium on Monday evening, playing 45 minutes as they took on Czech Republic in a friendly in Brussels.

New Everton stadium: Will Dan Meis recognise club's history in his design?
A special look at the reaction to Blues architect's previous major works ahead of Bramley Moore Dock
By Chris Beesley
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Completing our look at Everton stadium architect Dan Meis' previous works, the ECHO examines what leading US sports writers think about his existing projects ahead of his design for Bramley Moore Dock.
Here's the final installment of Chris Beesley's three case studies.
Part Three
Name: Lincoln Financial Field
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 69,176
Team: Philadelphia Eagles (American Football)
Opened: August 3, 2003 (broke ground May 7, 2001)
Construction cost: $512million (approximately £397million)
Nods to the past
Given that their club enjoys a football heritage second to none in the game, Evertonians are wondering just what kind of nods to the past might be included in their new home at Bramley Moore Dock.
Could there be some kind of Prince Rupert's Tower featured, reproductions of Archibald Leitch's trademark criss-crossed steel balustrades or even some kind of revival of the old Littlewoods clocks?
A frequent visitor to Merseyside in recent months and a convert to all things Blue, architect Dan Meis has made it his business to embrace the Evertonian psyche. However, Les Bowen who covers the Philadelphia Eagles for Philadelphia Daily News believes that more could have been done with Meis' 2003 creation Lincoln Financial Field to embrace the City of Brotherly Love's sense of history although he suspects the lack of homely features could well be down to the client's individual preferences and a general trend in the NFL (National Football League).
He said: "Not so much in British terms but Philadelphia with its cobbled streets is America's most historical city and the baseball stadium has a red brick and ivy exterior which gives you more of a sense of history and place and you don't see that in the football stadium at all.
An exterior view of Lincoln Financial Field
"The Linc is much more sleek and modern with glass which I think kind of reflects the taste of the owner (Jeffrey Lurie from Boston) a little bit. He's not from Philadelphia and he's not really a traditionalist kind of guy." Bowen added: "There are very few NFL stadiums that leave you with any sort of sense of place. Seattle [CenturyLink Field] maybe does because it's a very distinctive design. "The one in Pittsburgh [Heinz Field] benefits from being right on the river with the city right behind it with a very picturesque setting but if you divorced it from that setting it wouldn't be nearly as memorable.
"Baseball stadiums are built much more quirky with little features, Philadelphia's [Citizen Bank Park] as a 'Liberty Bell' which rings when the Phillies hit a home run. "You just don't have that kind of stuff with football. You have giant screens and luxury boxes, that's what seems to be important in the NFL and it works pretty well."
Creating a sense of history
Since Farhad Moshiri became majority shareholder at Everton, Goodison Park has enjoyed a major facelift – even though plans were afoot from the start of the Iranian's tenure to relocate – and the ground has been decorated with images of Blues icons of the past both on its interior and exterior.
Similar furnishings now adorn Lincoln Financial Field but they also came as later additions to Meis' original design.
Bowen said: "The stadium is not beloved or anything like that. It doesn't have a lot of character or features that you would automatically identify with Philadelphia.
"In my opinion it's a little sterile but very functional and there are no massive problems with it.
"People enjoy watching games there and it's well laid out and it's a good stadium.
Everton FC mural tribute to former manager Howard Kendall on Gwladys Street at Goodison Park. Photo by Colin Lane
"In the NFL you only play eight home games a year. It's baseball stadiums that seem to have the real character of the place and people talk about them more because they're in them more.
"It's a nice stadium. When it opened in 2003 it was considered as being very state of the art and the design is modern and sleek. "It has nothing to do with the architect but they've added a lot of murals of old-time Eagles players in recent years to try and give it more of a connection to the tradition and history of the place and make it less generic."
Does size matter and is bigger better?
A major factor among supporters for Everton's new stadium concerns size.
Before the advent of all-seater stadia following Hillsborough, Goodison Park was still the fourth largest ground in England with a capacity of 50,151.
Once Tottenham's new stadium is built, Goodison will only be the 12th largest club ground in England, operating at the very bottom of its historical parameters and not adequately big enough for a club who have been the eighth-best supported team in the country for the past four years.
The ECHO understands that Everton have provisionally been looking at plans for a 50,000 stadium at Bramley Moore Dock but there could be some scope to expand - Meis himself eluded to a figure of 60,000 in a Twitter exchange with Evertonians only this weekend.
In contrast, in Philadelphia, Eagles chiefs tried to limit the size of their development even though their potential fanbase was larger. Bowen said: "When the stadium was first developed, they wanted to keep it on a human scale. The Eagles are a very popular team and they have a huge waiting list for season tickets. "They could have built a stadium with 100,000 seats and fill it but they didn't want that kind of atmosphere when you're so far away from the action and they kept it on a limited size.
"They've since added a few extra bits in the corners where they didn't have seats originally but they wanted an intimate viewing experience for the spectators and I think he [Meis] delivered that very well. Nobody says anything like 'oh my God, you can't see from the 40 row.'"
Keeping it clean
When the Eagles pre-opened the stadium in the summer of 2003, for a 'shakedown cruise' fan event, the big complaint was that there were no water fountains and this was seen at the time as part of ownership's lack of the common touch. Water fountains were hastily added before the official opening for the 2003 season but these days Lincoln Financial Field enjoys the title of being the NFL's 'greenest' stadium when it comes to harnessing clean energy.
Bowen said: "The Eagles' owner Jeffrey Lurie is very much into that kind of stuff. They've got wind turbines on the end zone and solar panels in the parking lot, creating a car port.
"It is a green facility and the stadium is about a quarter-of-a-mile from the training area on an adjoining street and they've done a lot of the same measures there as well."
A place of your own
Thanks to an interest-free loan from club director Dr James Baxter in 1892, Everton have owned Goodison Park since it opened 125 years ago.
Bramley Moore Dock is expected to be funded through a long-term lease with Liverpool City Council with the Blues taking up sole ownership once the full amount is paid off, after a period of around 40 years. Although the partnership here promises to produce a world-class venue, Bowen explains that many American sports teams like the Eagles struggled with municipal arenas in the past.
He said: "The Eagles were founded in 1933 and this is the first stadium they've ever had to themselves. It was a big deal to them in that respect.
"Their previous home, Veterans Stadium was one of those multi-purpose stadiums. The idea in the late 1960s-early 70s many of the owners thought it was a great idea to get the baseball teams and football teams share a stadium.
"It was seen as a modern concept that you could move the different teams in and out and have the same bowl configuration for both but within about 10 years everyone decided that was awful and it didn't really accentuate either viewing experience.
"If it was a really good football stadium it wasn't a good baseball stadium and if it was a good baseball stadium then it probably wasn't a very good football stadium.
"The stadium that preceded Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Riverfront Stadium, was just about exactly like Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Except from the team colours, you'd think you were in the same stadium. "Everybody wants their own stadium now and they want the money. Those old venues were municipal stadiums and they were often owned by the city and the teams paid rent where as now they want the revenues from controlling the stadiums themselves."

Everton could welcome Gerard Deulofeu back for pre-season
Ronald Koeman leaves door open for Spanish winger
By David Prentice
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Gerard Deulofeu may not have played his last match for Everton .
The Spanish winger last featured for the Blues in an FA Cup tie against Leicester in January, before being allowed to join AC Milan on loan for the rest of the season.
Barcelona have yet to decide whether to exercise a 12m Euro option – but if they decide against resigning the player Koeman hasn't ruled out a Goodison return.
"Deulofeu has a contract with Everton. Unless something happens he will stay," he said.
"He needed some playing time and that was the reason we loaned him to Milan.
"If nothing changes I expect him to be at pre-season training. If something does change, then we will talk about it." Everton report back for pre-season training on July 3, although Deulofeu is currently on international duty with the senior Spain sqquad ahead of the forthcoming games against Colombia and Macedonia, before linking up with the Under-21 squad to play in the European under-21 Championships. As a result he would be given an extended break depending on how far Spain's youngsters progress in the competition.

Romelu Lukaku's mind is made up over Everton future
More words but no new clues on where the striker will be playing next season
By David Prentice
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Romelu Lukaku has told journalists his future is decided and he is already talking to the club he wants to play with next season. But the Belgian striker gave no further clues as to whether Everton , Manchester United, Chelsea - or now Bayern Munich, were his preferred destination. Lukaku played the first 45-minutes of Belgium's 2-1 friendly victory over Czech Republic last night. Afterwards he told reporters : "The most important thing is I want to win trophies. "We are now talking to THE club. As for the rest ... I'm looking ahead. "What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League once. Or better, a few times. That would be the most beautiful thing. "That's important for my progress as a player. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that. Lukaku finished second in the race for last season's Premier League Golden Boot behind Harry Kane, scoring 25 goals. Lukaku dedicated Belgium's win last night to Cheick Tiote, who died on Monday at the age of 30 after collapsing during a training session in China. The pair got to know each other at the Anderlecht Academy when Tiote was breaking into the first team. "He was there the first year I arrived and I saw him frequently," Lukaku said. "This is such a shock. He was a really nice guy, a great guy and a leader as well. Every time I saw him after that and played him in the Premier League, he remembered me as a small kid. "It's devastating for the players of the Ivory Coast and his family and friends. All our thoughts are with them." Next up for Lukaku and Belgium is a World Cup Qualifier in Estonia on Friday.

Everton transfer rumours - Simeone interest, PSV Eindhoven full back linked
A round-up of the latest Everton transfer gossip from around the web
By Kristian Walsh
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Diego Simeone could be heading to Goodison next season - to watch his son, Giovanni Simeone.
That's if reports in Italy are to be believed, who say Everton are ready to rival Fiorentina for the signature of the Genoa striker. La Viola chiefs have identified the 21-year-old as a primary summer target and look set to follow up their interest with a €20m bid. But Corriere dello Sport also believes the Blues are monitoring developments with interest.
He's scored 12 goals in his debut season in Serie A.
Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven right back Santiago Arias has been linked with a move.
According to the Star, the Blues are one of a host of Premier League clubs interested in the Colombian, who is rated at around £12million. Liverpool, Swansea, West Ham and Tottenham have also been named as interested parties. Arias himself has spoken about where he wants to move to next.
"I have a contract until 2019 with PSV, but I am ready for the next step," he said.
"In the summer I hope there is clarity as soon as possible. My agent knows I want to go to Germany, England or Spain and is working on that. "But it is important that there is a sufficient prospect of playing time. If there is nothing, I'll stay here. I've already played over a hundred appearances for PSV.
"That's not crazy, right?" Not in the summer transfer window it isn't, Santiago. Nothing is crazy.

Manchester United target Romelu Lukaku confirms talks over his future
Manchester United Jose Mourinho is prioritising the signing of a new number nine, with Romelu Lukaku under consideration
By James Robson
6 JUN 2017 Manchester Evening News
Romelu Lukaku has confirmed negotiations over his future are underway, with the Manchester United target adamant he wants Champions League football. The Belgian striker's agent Mino Raiola is in the process of concluding talks with Everton's hierarchy, with Jose Mourinho among a host of suitors this summer. United have made signing a new number nine a priority following knee ligament injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Lukaku, Andrea Belotti and Alvaro Morata all fit the profile of the striker Mourinho wants to lead his line next season. But he faces a battle with Chelsea over Everton's leading scorer, who is believed to favour a move to Stamford Bridge. Speaking while on international duty with Belgium, the 24-year-old said: "I know what's going on, but I let my agent finish things.
"In the end I do take the decision. I want to improve and enhance myself.
"We are in talks with the club. I want to play in the Champions League, and try to win the Premier League a few times.
"I'll take the decision."
Antoine Griezmann had been United's priority signing - but Atletico Madrid's transfer ban has postponed the Frenchman's proposed move to Old Trafford until January at the earliest.
United, meanwhile, claim Ibrahimovic's injury has forced them to refocus their targets, with Mourinho determined to recruit a more orthodox centre forward. Everton's valuation of Lukaku is upwards of £80m The Goodison Park club could yet hold out for a world record fee in excess of the £89m United paid for Paul Pogba last summer. Raiola was also the mastermind behind that move - and the super agent has strong links with Woodward after also negotiating deals for Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. His involvement could yet sway Lukaku's thinking and convince him to reject the chance of a return to Chelsea in favour of Old Trafford.

Boost for Chelsea as Romelu Lukaku confirms talks under way over Everton exit
By simon johnson
Tuesday 6 June 2017 London Evening News
Chelsea target Romelu Lukaku has dropped another major hint that he is about to leave Everton.
Lukaku is Chelsea's first-choice target to strengthen their forward line this summer after cooling their interest in Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata. The Belgium international started just one League game for Chelsea in three years before joining Everton for £28m in 2014. He has now scored 87 goals for the Merseyside club, which includes a season-long loan spell in 2013-14, says he is ready to move on and is in talks with Everton over his next destination. He told Belgium newspaper HNL: "I know what's happening, but I can't tell you anything more. The most important thing is I want to win trophies.
"We are talking to the club. What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and to try and win the Premier League once - or better, a few times. That would be the most beautiful thing.
"That's important for my progress as a player. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that." Chelsea face competition from Manchester United, however it is believed they currently prefer buying Morata over Lukaku. Everton, who turned down Chelsea's approach for Lukaku last summer are demanding as much as £100m for the forward.
Chelsea believe they can get him less for that, especially as he has just two years left on his contract and has rejected the club's offer of an extension. Lukaku's agent Mino Raiola was busy dealing with Manchester United last summer, organising the transfers of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. When asked if that connection could play a part in his future, Lukaku significantly replied: "I'm the player, I will take the decisions." Standard Sport first revealed in April 2016 that the 24-year-old favoured a return to Stamford Bridge because he has 'unfinished business' there.

Romelu Lukaku to snub Manchester United in favour of Chelsea return
Lukaku is a huge Chelsea fan and someone who sees Didier Drogba as an idol to try and emulate, and the Belgian is determined to move back to Stamford Bridge this summer
By Miguel Delaney Chief Football Writer
Tuesday 6 June 2017 Independent
Romelu Lukaku has made up his mind to go to Chelsea, and is set to turn down Manchester United for a return to Stamford Bridge that will cost upward of £80m. The 24-year-old on Tuesday gave a number of clues to his future while on international duty with Belgium, stating that he "knows what's happening", and significant progress has already been made on a move to the new champions. The Independent understands that United made an enquiry last week and, while they were not given a firm "no", the Old Trafford club were told that a deal with Chelsea is very close.
Hazard could miss start of Chelsea title defence after fractured ankle
With Lukaku said to currently be on wages of £80,000 a week, that figure is likely to be doubled in a move back to London, although the Stamford Bridge hierarchy will hope to pay less than Everton's asking price of £100m. There is a belief that can be brought down to £80m, although the Goodison Park club are in an exceptionally strong negotiating position since their recent takeover. Sources also say that Everton would actually prefer to do a deal with Manchester United because they are interested in players coming the other way, especially Sergio Romero and Chris Smalling.
Where next for Romelu Lukaku?
When pressed on how his agent Mino Raiola "likes to do business with United", Lukaku responded: "I"m the player, I will take the decisions." Several sources close to Everton, United and Chelsea feel that Lukaku is now almost certain to go back to Stamford Bridge, having gone on loan to Goodison Park in 2013 before signing a permanent deal in 2014. A huge Chelsea fan and someone who sees Didier Drogba as an idol to try and emulate, he was asked about his future on Monday.
"I know what's happening, but I can't tell you anything more," Lukaku said. "I know what's happening. I know what's happening, but I will leave the talks to my agent."
"The most important thing is: I want to win trophies. We are now talking to the club. As for the rest… I'm looking ahead. What I would like most to play in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League once. Or better: a few times. That would be the most beautiful thing.
"That's important for my progress as a player. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that." "We'll see what happens."

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku says staying at Blues is 'not an option' this summer
Blues board may disagree with striker who has been talking about his desired departure again
By Greg O'Keeffe
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Romelu Lukaku insists he has no intention of staying at Everton this summer, as he reiterated his desire to move on. The Blues striker has given several interviews this morning while on international duty with Belgium, sparking a fresh round of speculation on which club he wants to join. Bayern Munich had emerged as another possible suitor for the 24-year-old, who has a £100m price-tag on his head, but he revealed that he wants to remain in the Premier league. He said: "To stay at Everton is not really an option for next season. I remain calm, serene compared to what is being said.
"A return to Chelsea? No comment. There is nothing concrete with a club at the moment, my agent is busy talking." "I will not make big statements about my future I know where I want to play; in a club which is playing in the Champions League and can win titles in England. "I think England is a league that suits me well because I already know the style of play." After last night's 2-1 win over Czech Republic he also spoke about his future. "We are now talking to THE club. As for the rest ... I'm looking ahead," he said to reporters. "What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League once. Or better, a few times. That would be the most beautiful thing. "That's important for my progress as a player. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that."

Ajax fear Everton target Davy Klaasen and others will leave after coach quits
Peter Bosz has joined Borussia Dortmund
By Phil Kirkbride
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ajax fear the departure of coach Peter Bosz could be the first of several high profile departures this summer - including Everton target Davy Klaassen. The 53-year-old, who lead the Dutch club to the Europa League final this season, has been appointed as the new boss of Borussia Dortmund.
Bosz replaced Frank de Boer at the end of last season but has accepted an offer to replace Thomas Tuchel. And though Klaassen insists his future will not be determined by Bosz's departure, Ajax are worried his exit could be the first of many as Europe's top clubs hover. "I have mixed feelings about this move," said Ajax managing director Edwin van der Sar. "When we brought Peter to Ajax last summer it was not the intention that the partnership would end after one year. "We have had a great season, especially in the Europa League. As with our players, the coach also attracts the attention of clubs from Europe's top leagues." Klaassen is quoted as saying: "It's not that my fate depends on whether or not the trainer will be left. "That's not how it works." "Of course, his departure would be a great loss for us," he added. "Last season he has put something down with us and it's a shame if it's being broken down now."

Ronald Koeman's Everton squad revamp to be boosted by summer exits
Blues boss set to wield the axe on players on the periphery
By Phil Kirkbride
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ronald Koeman's Everton rebuild is set to be boosted by a raft of departures this summer.
Koeman will continue a cull of his squad to help free up transfer funds and money for wages.
Everton are set to hand the Dutchman the licence to spend record amounts in the upcoming window as he plots an assault on the top four next season. And Koeman's revamp of the Blues' squad will be helped by a ruthless break with the past. Everton are expected to reveal their retained and released list this week which will confirm Arouna Kone has left the club. Koeman is allowing the out of contract striker to leave but knows his exit frees up around £40,000 a week on the wage bill. Tom Cleverley's move to Watford has been agreed and will be ratified on July 1 with Everton set to pocket in the region of £8m. The Blues will make a healthy profit on a player they signed for nothing in the summer of 2015 but who was believed to be earning around £55,000 a week. Oumar Niasse, understood to be paid similar to Cleverley, remains up for sale this summer with Everton knowing they face making a loss on the striker they signed for £13.5m in January 2016.
Hull City were offered the chance to sign Niasse permanently for £10m but have reportedly turned down the opportunity. Aiden McGeady, thought to be among the higher earners at Goodison, is expected to seal a permanent move to Preston North End with Everton in line to pocket £2m from the Championship club. Koeman, this week, said he expects Gerard Deulofeu to report for pre-season training on July 3 but has offered no reassurances over the winger's long-term Everton future.
Barcelona have the option to buy the 23-year-old for €12m this summer.
Likewise, the Blues boss has been non-committal on the future of midfielder James McCarthy, who has been dogged by injury problems during Koeman's first season in charge. Everton would demand in excess of £15m should they chose to sell the 26-year-old.
Ross Barkley's future remains no closer to being resolved, either.
Koeman said Everton would sell Barkley if he refused to sign a new deal but the manager's end of season deadline has passed without a clear resolution to the matter.

The player agents who could prove instrumental to Everton's summer transfers
We list some of the key movers and shakers Blues could work with in the market
By Greg O'Keeffe
6 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
They are the brokers who can make a transfer succeed or fail - and in the modern game they're more influential than ever. So who are the player agents likely to be key to Ronald Koeman and Steve Walsh's plans at Everton this summer? Who will Farhad Moshiri have on speed-dial?
We take a look at some of the main men guiding the careers of Everton's latest targets.
Mino Raiola (UUNIQQ SRL)
Perhaps he needs no introduction. The Italian is one of the better know representatives in the game, handling the careers of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan among many others.
He took over as Romelu Lukaku's agent in 2015, after the striker left fellow Belgian Christophe Hentoray.
Perhaps in a sign of things to come Raiola, 49, said Lukaku would not have joined the Blues for £28m the previous summer if he had been representing him then.
Acclaimed by Forbes as: 'A one man show, Mino Raiola is one of the most powerful agents in the soccer industry', and has form for taking top players to Manchester United. Raiola took a more conciliatory stance with the Blues board last summer as Lukaku decided to stay at Goodison, and strongly hinted that his protegee would sign a new deal in December. That seems to be the last thing on Lukaku's mind now, though, and today he hinted that Raiola is already in negotiations aimed at securing him the move he craves.
Paul Martin (Wasserman Media Group)
US-based Wasserman is one of the most powerful sports agencies in the world. Their ever-expanding empire saw them buy the SFX management firm in 2006, ensuring their influence crossed over even more from NFL to football. Past Blues clients have included Tim Cahill, Landon Donovan and Jack Rodwell.
Paul Martin is one of their top executives and guides the career of Ross Barkley .
Martin, who also represents John Stones, is low-profile but highly influential in the game.
Soren Lerby (Essel Sports Management)
Former Denmark international Lerby, 59, is based in the Netherlands and represents Ajax captain Davy Klaassen.
A former Ajax player himself, Lerby has reportedly said Blues-target Klaassen will leave the Amsterdam Arena this summer.
Jamie Moralee (New Era Global Sports)
Moralee, 44, is another ex player with a long list of former clubs, including Crystal Palace, Watford and Milwall.
He represents Everton centre back Ashley Williams and their No 1 target in that position this summer - Michael Keane.
Ginés Carvajal
Carvajal looks after Malaga's in-demand forward Sandro Ramirez, who counts Koeman and Walsh among his many admirers.
Sandro Ramirez celebrates a goal against Athletic Bilbao
The Everton manager was pictured at Malaga's Rosaleda stadium with Carvajal watching Sandro last month.
David Manasseh (Stellar Group)
One of the founders of the powerful Stellar Group alongside Jonathan Barnett, Manasseh represents Everton's main attacking target Gylfi Sigurdsson, who they hope to prise away from Swansea.
Stellar are the agents behind some of the biggest transfers in football history including Gareth Bale's then world record transfer to Real Madrid.

Romelu Lukaku rules out Everton stay and 'has agreement with new club'
• Belgium forward says 'I know where I want to play … my agent is now talking'
• Lukaku was Premier League's second-top scorer with 25 goals last season
By Dominic Fifield
Tuesday 6 June 2017 Guardian
Romelu Lukaku says remaining at Everton next season "is not really an option" and suggested his agent has reached an agreement over personal terms with a rival club, believed to be Chelsea, as he seeks to make his mark with a team in the Champions League.
The striker, who began Belgium's friendly victory over Czech Republic on Monday in the run-up to a World Cup qualifier in Estonia on Friday, cast his future into doubt at Goodison Park in March when he confirmed he had rejected a lucrative new contract. He has now stated his intention is to leave this summer though Everton will seek £100m for the services for a player who is contracted for a further two years, a world record fee Chelsea will be reluctant to pay for a forward they sold for £28m in 2014.
Yet, while he has also attracted tentative interest from Manchester United and Bayern Munich, Lukaku's heart is set on a return to Stamford Bridge with the onus now effectively on the Premier League champions to negotiate a deal with his current club. "Staying at Everton is not really an option for next season," the striker said. "I am staying calm about everything. There is nothing concrete with another club at the moment, but my agent is busy discussing things. I'm not going to make big declarations on my future, but I know where I want to play: in a club who are competing in the Champions League and can win titles in England. Staying in England is best for me. I know the competition, and I've almost reached 100 goals in the league, which is a milestone I want to achieve. "The Premier League is a dream for me, but I also want to win the Champions League, the FA Cup and other prizes. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve, and I know where I want to do that. "My agent is now talking to a club. I know where I want to go, so I'll just stay patient. I know meetings have been arranged, so I'm just waiting for a call. We are now in discussions with the club. We'll see what happens." Lukaku conducted a number of interviews on Monday night and Tuesday, including one in English to Sky Sports in which he added: "My agent knows what's going to happen and I know as well. I'm staying calm and we have an agreement with the club as well. "We have a direction where we want to go. I'm just going to rest for a few days and then just prepare for next season. I want to put the time in on my holiday to take everything to another level and be better than I was last year." It remains to be seen whether compromise can be reached between Chelsea and Everton over a fee or, indeed, if the Premier League champions still prioritise Lukaku's purchase if Diego Costa is to remain at the club next season.
The Spain forward is resisting the chance to move to the Chinese Super League, where Tianjin Quanjian were initially prepared to pay £76m for his services, with his preference very much a return to Atlético Madrid instead. However the Spanish club are currently operating under an incoming transfer ban and will not be able to sign players until January 2018.

Everton increase 'Brand Value' ranking among world clubs
Blues climb to 13th but remain lower for 'Brand Strength'
By Chris Beesley
7 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton have climbed three places to be ranked 13th in the world for "Brand Value" but remain 20th globally for "Brand Strength" according to a new report. The value of the Blues brand is calculated as being £269million – an increase of 43% of last year's figure of £189million. The 11th annual Brand Finance report, entitled "Football 50 2017", ranks Real Madrid - fresh from their latest Champions League triumph - as the most powerful brand in football. But the Spanish giants still lag behind Manchester United in terms of value because of the Old Trafford club's success in commercialising their brand. Brand Finance believe three clubs are both worth more than £1billion after significant rises in value this year. They value United at £1.35bn, up more than 70% on last year, with Real and Barcelona also breaking through the £1bn barrier. Apart from the six clubs who finished above them in the Premier League table, the only clubs in world football deemed to have a more valuable brand than Everton are the aforementioned La Liga pair; German duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund; French side Paris St Germain and Italian double winners plus Champions League finalists Juventus.
Ivo Bozukov, Director of Global Strategy for SportPesa with Everton chief executive Robert Elstone
However, when it comes to brand strength, the Blues are also behind a further four Serie A sides; AC Milan, Inter, Roma and Napoli; Spain's Atletico Madrid; Dutch club Ajax plus Germany's Schalke.
Manchester City dropped from fourth to sixth in value due to the strong performances of Chelsea and Bayern Munich but Brand Finance believes the blip will be temporary.
The report states: "With one of the most highly regarded managers in world football, a growing list of international stars, a large stadium capacity and a growing reputation around the world, Brand Finance sees Manchester City commercial revenues significantly increasing in the next five years."
David Haigh, chief executive of Brand Finance. said: "It is becoming increasingly important for clubs, no matter what their size, to recognise the value of their brands. Enduring fan loyalty, ever-increasing income from broadcasting rights and the deep pockets of owners can mean that brand is overlooked as an opportunity to maximise revenue by some major clubs. "However, with the vast sponsorship deals agreed over the past couple of seasons such as Manchester United's £52 million-a-year deal with Chevrolet, it is clear that harnessing your brand in the correct way can be hugely beneficial in terms of generating added revenue that can be invested into playing staff or infrastructure." Everton last month confirmed SportPesa as their new sponsors – ending a 13-year presence of Thai brewing company Chang on their shirts but although the Blues acknowledged that the five-year deal with the African betting firm was a club record, they did not disclose the value. On the field the Blues recorded a seventh place finish in the Premier League after back-to-back bottom half positions of 11th while earlier this year they revealed details of a proposed new stadium by the River Mersey waterfront at Bramley Moore Dock.
The top 25 most valuable world football clubs (Brand Finance, last year in brackets)
Everton have climbed above German club Schalke for Brand Value
1 (1) Manchester United FC £1.354bn 71% (£793m)
2 (2) Real Madrid £1.109bn 43% (£778m)
3 (3) FC Barcelona £1.108m 65% (£672m)
4 (8) Chelsea FC £975m 86% (£525m)
5 (5) FC Bayern Munich £955m 63% (£587m)
6 (4) Manchester City £798m 30% (£613m)
7 (7) Paris Saint-Germain £790m 47% (£536m)
8 (6) Arsenal £736m 27% (£581m)
9 (9) Liverpool FC £710m 40% (£507m)
10 (10) Tottenham Hotspur £544m 82% (£299m)
11 (11) Borussia Dortmund £406m 61% (£251m)
12 (13) Juventus £384m 98% (£194m)
13 (16) Everton £269m 43% (£189m)
14 (14) Schalke £265m 39% (£191m)
15 (12) Bayer Leverkusen £259m 32% (£197m)
16 (18) Atletico Madrid £254m 41% (£180m)
17 (17) West Ham United £237m 28% (£185m)
18 (22) AC Milan £224m 60% (£140m)
19 (20) Southampton £219m 45% (£151m)
20 (19) Leicester City £201m 25% (£160m)
21 (15) Wolfsburg £200m 5% (£190m)
22 (33) Newcastle United £193m 121% (£87m)
23 (21) Stoke City £178m 23% (£144m)
24 (26) Swansea City £177m 49% (£119m)
25 (23) West Bromwich Albion £173m 39% (£125m)
The 25 most powerful football brands (Brand Finance)
1 (2) Real Madrid
2 (1) FC Barcelona
3 (3) FC Bayern Munich
4 (4) Manchester United
5 (6) Juventus
6 (7) Liverpool
7 (5) Arsenal
8 (9) Chelsea
9 (8) Manchester City
10 (11) Paris Saint-Germain
11 (12) AC Milan
12 (10) Borussia Dortmund
13 (16) Atletico Madrid
14 (14) Internazionale
15 (15) Tottenham Hotspur
16 (18) Roma
17 (13) Ajax
18 (17) Napoli
19 (19) Schalke
20 (20) Everton
21 (22) Newcastle United
22 (21) Sevilla
23 (25) Bayer Leverkusen
24 (23) Olympique Lyonnais
25 (28) Olympique Marseille

Can Jose Mourinho convince Romelu Lukaku to reject Chelsea for Manchester United?
Manchester United target Romelu Lukaku has confirmed he will leave Everton this summer - but Chelsea are favourites to land him
By James Robson
7 JUN 2017 Manchester Evening News
Jose Mourinho may yet have to cut his holiday short if Manchester United are to convince Romelu Lukaku to reject a move to Chelsea. Mourinho insists he will play no part in transfer negotiations after being left 'fed up and tired of football' as a result of an exhausting debut campaign at Old Trafford.
But perhaps only his intervention can talk Lukaku out of a return to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are favourites to land the Everton striker, who has confirmed his intention to leave Goodison Park this summer. Sources close to the 24-year-old claim a return to West London remains his burning desire. And coupled with the intentions of Antonio Conte and Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo to bring him 'home' - United were at a disadvantage from the get-go.
Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward's relationship with Lukaku's agent Mino Raiola provides some sort of encouragement - after the pair brokered deals for Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan last summer. But Lukaku has already made it clear he will make the final decision on his future. So could Mourinho yet work his magic? And if he does, it wouldn't be without irony given his part in Lukaku's departure from Chelsea in 2014. Mourinho was the man who sold the Belgian international and thus ended his dream of leading the line at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho was the man who bought Diego Costa and installed him as the figurehead of Chelsea's title-winners the very next season. Now he may have to be the only man capable of convincing Lukaku, United is the club where he can achieve his ambitions of winning the Champions League - rather than his boyhood idols Chelsea. Jurgen Klopp has been credited with swinging the race for Virgil van Dijk in the favour of Liverpool - and it may take the personal touch for United to edge Chelsea when it comes to Lukaku. For all of his brooding displays in front of the camera, Mourinho remains one of the most charismatic figures in the game. It's why his personal fortune has been so boosted by marketing partnerships - why he is both reviled and revered by fans.
His connection with his players has been pivotal to his success - the camaraderie he engendered with the Chelsea team that was so loved by a teenage Lukaku, one of the most enduring stories of the Premier League era. He would need to sell that dream to a player who dreams of wearing blue, not red.
He would need to convince Lukaku that he is building another dynasty at United, with Conte's Chelsea just one of the victims of his next period of rule.
But Chelsea remain in pole position - and have the advantage of being able to tug on the heartstrings of a player who never wanted to leave in the first place. Mourinho, who has already had to redraw his transfer plans with top target Antoine Griezmann staying at Atletico Madrid, identified Lukaku as the right profile to lead United's line along with other candidates Alvaro Morata and Andrea Belotti.
In that sense, he will know just how much of an asset he could prove for Chelsea - which may yet convince him to cut his holiday short.

Everton transfer rumours - Lazio winger linked with Goodison move
A round-up of the latest Everton transfer gossip from around the web
By Kristian Walsh
7 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Everton are still waiting to tie up their first deal of the summer, with reports in Italy claiming it could be Lazio winger Keita Balde Diao. The former Barcelona youth product had an excellent Serie A campaign as the Italian side finished fifth, scoring 16 goals and providing three assists. That, according to Tuttomercatoweb, has alerted the Blues to his availability, with Ronald Koeman said to be a big fan of the 22-year-old. The Senegalese star has also been linked with moves to Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Inter Milan - but the Italian media are talking up his chances of heading to Goodison.
The story suggests contact has already been made with the Rome club over his availability, with Keita expected to move on after a storming campaign.

Everton's productivity compared with main rivals as Ronald Koeman eyes attacking reinforcements
We look at the stats Koeman wants to improve on next season
By Phil Kirkbride
7 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Ronald Koeman could have used the term cutting edge.
Or creativity. Or firepower, guile, invention or end product.
Instead, the Everton manager has used the "productivity". And he's used it a lot.
Especially towards the end of the season when Koeman began to explain the areas of the team that needed improving the most. "A clear objective will be to bring in players who will have more productivity," he said after the final day defeat to Arsenal.
Everton's lack of cutting edge - or any of the above - was painfully evident as they struggled to break down a side with only 10 men. So how much catching up to do have the Blues to do in the attacking third? Here we look at key statistics provided by the Premier League to compare and rank Everton against the six sides who finished above them this term.
Everton (7th in the table)
Goals: 62 (6th)
Shots: 502 (8th)
Shots on target: 191
Shooting accuracy: 38%
Crosses: 767
Crossing accuracy: 22%
Big chances created: 52
Leading scorers: Lukaku (25), Barkley (5), Coleman (4)
Leading assist makers: Barkley (8), Lukaku (6), Mirallas (6)
Chelsea (1st)
Goals: 85 (2nd)
Shots: 580 (5th)
Shots on target: 204
Shooting accuracy: 35%
Crosses: 688
Crossing accuracy: 19%
Big chances created: 48
Leading scorers: Costa (20), Hazard (16), Pedro (9)
Leading assist makers: Fabregas (12), Pedro (9), Costa (7)
Tottenham Hotspur (2nd)
Goals: 86 (1st)
Shots: 669 (1st)
Shots on target: 257
Shooting accuracy: 38%
Crosses: 761
Crossing accuracy: 20%
Big chances created: 53
Leading scorers: Kane (29), Alli (18), Son (14)
Leading assist makers: Eriksen (15), Alli (7), Kane (7)
Manchester City (3rd)
Goals: 80 (3rd)
Shots: 633 (3rd)
Shots on target: 216
Shooting accuracy: 34%
Crosses: 801
Crossing accuracy: 24%
Big chances created: 77
Leading scorers: Aguero (20), Jesus (7), Sterling (7)
Leading assist makers: De Bruyne (18), Silva (7), Sterling (7)
Liverpool (4th)
Goals: 78 (4th)
Shots: 640 (2nd)
Shots on target: 236
Shooting accuracy: 37%
Crosses: 812
Ross Barkley is put under pressure from Sadio Mane
Crossing accuracy: 22%
Big chances created: 52
Leading scorers: Coutinho (13), Mane (13), Firmino (11)
Leading assist makers: Wijnaldum (9), Firmino (7), Coutinho (7)
Arsenal (5th)
Goals: 77 (5th)
Shots: 566 (6th)
Shots on target: 201
Shooting accuracy: 36%
Crosses: 697
Crossing accuracy: 22%
Big chances created: 55
Leading scorers: Sanchez (24), Giroud (12), Walcott (10)
Leading assist makers: Sanchez (10), Ozil (9), Oxlade-Chamberlain (7)
Manchester United (6th)
Goals: 54 (8th)
Shots: 591 (4th)
Shots on target: 201
Shooting accuracy: 36%
Crosses: 848
Crossing accuracy: 24%
Big chances created: 62
Leading scorers: Ibrahimovic (17), Mata (6), Pogba (5)
Leading assist makers: Herrera (6), Martial (6), Ibrahimovic (5)
Conclusion
Koeman's correct.
Though some of Everton's attacking stats match-up with the sides above them, they finished the campaign having scored 24 goals less than Spurs - almost the equivalent of another Lukaku.
Jose Mourinho and Ronald Koeman
Manchester United had a similar problem and Jose Mourinho seems intent on rectifying it in the summer transfer market. Both he and Koeman have largely sorted out troubled defences, but will both know one of the top flight's main truisms' the more you score, the higher you finish.

Everton's transfer strategy may need Steve Walsh to look into his past
Blues director of football has a track record away from bargain basement
By Phil Kirkbride
7 JUN 2017 Liverpool Echo
Steve Walsh made his name as the bargain-hunting head of recruitment who helped build Leicester City's Premier League title success. But it may be his track record as a talent spotter for wealthy owners, and one of the world's most demanding managers, that holds the key to Everton's immediate future.
Ronald Koeman is a man in a hurry while Farhad Moshiri says there is a "window of opportunity" and so as the Blues' first ever director of football, Walsh's priority is finding the proven players for here and now. And though the King Power was witness to an against-the-odds flourishing of unappreciated talents and rejects reborn, many brought to the club because of Walsh's eye for talent at knocked down prices, Koeman wants to assemble a squad of cast iron guarantees. He wants players in their prime and those he knows will produce over the next two seasons.
Walsh will have been given a very similar brief when one of the leading scouts at Chelsea during the dawn of the Roman Abramovich era and the arrival of Jose Mourinho. The former PE teacher's acumen for being able to pluck rough diamonds from France, to see top flight potential in Football League youngsters or ability to revitalise the careers of players left on the wayside, is a major reason why Everton bought him from Leicester.
All those qualities remain vital to the Blues' long-term planning (Walsh is leading a recruitment drive at Academy level after all) because though wealthier than ever before they are not Chelsea-rich.
Yet Koeman will be asking - maybe even demanding - that Walsh shops not in the bargain section but in the same aisles that brought Chelsea Didier Drogba and Michael Essien under this watch as European scout. He spoke last week about his working relationship with Koeman, one that has understandably had early teething problems. Walsh has held meetings with the Everton boss about summer targets, they even watched Sandro Ramirez together, and said: "My department is very well run, very organised and we make sure we get as much information about the player that we possibly can. If we like the player, I've got to try to convince Ronald that he's the player for us. "It could well be that Ronald has seen the player as well, so it's a collective decision at the end of the day." But maybe this summer is more about Koeman convincing Walsh that it's time to pursue the known quantities in the transfer market, not the unknown ones. It is believed they are both fully behind the pursuit of Gylfi Sigurdsson, for example, but it was only in January that Walsh was pushing for Ishak Belfodil before Koeman pulled the plug. Walsh persuaded Koeman that at £7.2m Idrissa Gueye would be a perfect fit at Everton but the manager publicly challenged the director of football, and the board, to show their ambition and reach a deal over Morgan Schneiderlin, over times as expensive. And it's at that Schneiderlin end of the market, where Koeman will be looking to do most of his business this summer. Walsh has been there before. It's time to go back again.