Toffees Mailbag: Sandro timeline, Ross Barkley decision and more

These Toffees don’t mess

Ambition to match our past

We’re just warming up

I felt like I needed to jump right into this week’s haiku to truly explain how I am feeling about our beloved Toffees.

When Jordan Pickford and Davy Klaassen signed up before the July 1st window even opened, it was evident that the Toffees meant business.

Then the never-ending rumors of a Sandro signing started and will presumably end this week with the Spaniard in Blue. (More on that later)

Finally, with Everton seemingly willing to do everything they can to pry Gylfi Sigurddsson free from Swansea, (something I agree with whole-heartedly, see below), Toffees supporters are dreaming.

Toffe suppoerts find themselves perusing the transfer market rumors with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm, and enjoying the seemingly ENDLESS stream of impressive possible additions that now actually seem within our grasps.

I tried to break the ice earlier this week when the internet lit up over Lukaku’s latest Instagram post:

I think Rom read my article, because he came out this morning with this little video:

Sorry Rom, there is no stopping the twitter-mentum once it gets started!

The transfer season is hot, and it hasn’t even kicked off yet.

Settle in for the long haul of rumors, speculations, and misleads.

Let us not frown though!

There is plenty to get into this weekand some great questions to answer, so let’s kick things off with our weekly Barkley 8 Ball.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Is there any truth to the rumor that Ross is going to sign a new 5-year deal with the Toffees?

Let’s ask the ball!!

Sorry.....I’m a bit annoyed with this whole thing.

Has Barkley overplayed his hand?

Is Everton going to overvalue him and see him walk on a free next summer?

Will someone finally tell Ross his perm is absurd?

Seriously, at this point even I will believe anything when it comes to Ross’ future.

He could end up being the next Duncan Ferguson-esque club legend or go sign up with West Ham and drift off into anonymity.

So I left it up to you!

Pick the answer you want and move on....frankly it’s all a bit exhausting.

As my Grandfather would say:

MAKE A DECISION: IN OR OUT!!!!

So what will it be Ross?

Are you in? Or are you out?

While he thinks about that, let’s get to your questions!

---

Funny story

First, by all reports we had it all wrapped up:

Then, things started to drag on a little bit, with explanations coming fast and furious.

The first was the possibility of a release clause after one year:

Then the Malaga man wanted to wait until after the U-21 European Championships:

Then, Real Madrid apparently heard Steve Walsh was interested, so they started sniffing around:

That seemed like a stretch but still made Toffees fans nervous, so everyone felt better when this popped up yesterday morning:

So I wrote this:

It’s satire people....seriously...

Then last night wrapped up with this little nugget:

And finally, TODAY, this was put on the twitter:

Now, after all is said and done, I still think he will end up an Everton player, but that could also just be my blind optimism.

So....to answer your question J......

---

I just love this tweet and what it represents:

Also, in the midst of all of the Sandro kerfuffle, Everton made a VERY nice pickup when they swooped in under Arsenal’s nose and picked up Henry Onyekuru from Eupen in Belgium.

Who you ask?

Well, he simply led the Belgian league (his first in the top flight) with 24 goals in 41 matches.

Right after we signed him we shipped him off to Anderlecht so he couls spend another season getting his feet underneath him while playing on a better side in tougher competitions.

He is also passes the YouTube test with FLYING colors...enjoy.....

---

This one comes down to the question of how many center backs Koeman wants to sign this window.

If the answer is only one, then I would guess that Uruguayan Mauricio Lemos, currently of Las Palmas in La Liga, sits (far) behind Burnley’s Michael Keane on Koeman’s wishlist.

So that means Lemos ends up on Everton two ways:

1. Everton are successful in their pursuit of Keane but ultimately decide to try and pick up two players at that position.

2. Or Everton are only after one CB but fail in their pursuit of Keane and readjust their sights on Lemos.

Personally, I would love to see two new CBs brought in this window, and after watching Lemos I wouldn’t be totally against him being one of them, more specifically, the SECOND one.

I would be uncomfortable, however, if the Toffees head into their first Europa League qualifier with Lemos supposedly representing the core of a new defense.

He is a solid player, but Everton desperately need a proven young defender to pair with Williams, Jagielka, Funes Mori, or......GULP......Pennington.

While I have certainly been excited by the VERY early moves being made, I would be lying if I said I won’t be nervous until Keane (or someone of his ilk) is sitting at the table with this man:

With all that being said, I would put the chances of Lemos ending up in an Everton kit at 35% because

---

Ummm.....

One Niasse-sized Lukaku.........

Thanks for the question @eddieamack...keep them coming.

---

1. Leighton Baines
2. Mikel Arteta
3. Wayne Rooney
4. David Unsworth
5. Romelu Lukaku

Duncan Ferguson and James Beattie also garnered some consideration but between technical ability from the spot and ice in their veins I would have a pretty good shot at the $10 million bucks!

(Let me know in the comments section below if you disagree with my selections!!)

---

This question gives me the heebeejeebies (sound it out).

The early additions of Pickford and Klaassen were heartening, but until we sign up a few more players I will be nervous.

In the lineup below I only ‘added’ Keane and Sandro and ‘subtracted’ Rom (see Rom-O-Meter) and here is how I VERY ROUGHLY see things currently shaking out:

Without any depth up top, Koeman is going to have to depend upon his midfield depth (and strength) to get early results.

There are arguments to be made about formations, but for now I am focused more on personnel.

Now, you may ask where Ross Barkley is and assumed I overlooked him when mentioning players I omitted who are currently on the roster, but regardless of whether or not he is an Everton player come late July, I don’t see the English mid-forward-ielder in the starting lineup.

Klaassen brings more grit AND better production in the final third, as well as having much better spatial awareness.

He is capable of floating wide without cutting off his outside backs, and work as a central pivot without clogging up lanes for Davies and Gueye to run and pass through by dribbling aimlessly in circles.

This lineup will probably (HOPEFULLY) change as Everton continue to pick up new signings, but as it stands now that’s how I see it.

Not bad, but not a team that can achieve the goals Koeman is surely to have in his second year with the squad.

---

If you have questions for the next week’s mailbag please find us on twitter @RBmersey and @foleysthoughts!!

You can also leave questions in the comments sections below!