news-engine

-sm.jpg>) Everton’s summer search for a long-term successor to Seamus Coleman at right-back hit a snag this week following reports that negotiations with Celtic for Canadian international Alistair Johnston have stalled, leaving the transfer on the verge of collapse. David Moyes was reported to have personally contacted Celtic manager Martin O’Neill to express Everton's intent to sign the 27-year-old full-back. Johnston apparently signaled his desire to make the move to the Premier League. However, negotiations between the two clubs have encountered a major problem in terms of valuation: Celtic are holding firm for a fee in excess of £15M. Everton's initial approach structured a package around £12M up front plus add-ons, which Parkhead chiefs rejected, and it appears in true TFG negotiating style, the Everton contingent have turned on their heels and walked away. Celtic face a crucial Uefa Champions League play-off tie against Austrian side LASK in late August. Martin O'Neill and the Celtic hierarchy are extremely reluctant to part with key starters before securing group-stage football and the substantial financial windfall that comes with it. With Celtic refusing to budge on price or timing, Everton representatives have started exploring contingency options rather than being held to ransom. Guéla Doué (Strasbourg) and Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig) have both emerged as primary alternatives being monitored by Everton's elite recruitment team. Sources suggest Everton's interest in Johnston was genuine — Moyes's direct manager-to-manager call confirms that Everton viewed the Canadian right-back as a concrete option. However, unless Celtic lower their demands late in the window or Everton decide to meet the £15M price tag after selling fringe players, Moyes and the recruitment team will likely shift focus to Doué or Baku in the coming days. Reader Comments (74) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () 1 Posted 05/08/2026 at 21:39:35 Nothing is straightforward with our recruitment team! 2 Posted 05/08/2026 at 21:49:31 We've no idea if he is the first choice or 5th/6th on the list. 3 Posted 06/08/2026 at 15:36:30 Moyes desperately needs a new full-back. Aznou must finally be used properly and regularly and not as a bit-part player. The same applies to Armstrong, Dibling and Alcaraz, otherwise we will end up with a repeat of last season's finish and 50,000 frustrated, not to say, angry fans! 4 Posted 06/08/2026 at 15:47:27 Surely there has to be a dot between the 1 and the 4??? Nonsense, absolute nonsense! At that price, I'd put Merlin there and tell Celtic to do one. 5 Posted 06/08/2026 at 16:00:31 6 Posted 06/08/2026 at 16:41:05 In my opinion, he is a decent right-back and nothing more. Certainly nowhere near bloody £14M!!! Ridiculous! You have to understand that Celtic and Rangers buy players for nowt but want top dollar selling them on. They have this old-fashioned idea that they can get anyone for nothing because they're Celtic and Rangers. Look at their net spend. Sorry but not for me, I'm afraid. 7 Posted 06/08/2026 at 17:20:50 I see where West Ham signed the Brighton full-back, so is Wan-Bissaka available, for me the best choice by far for £15M-£20M. We're 3 years trying to buy a full-back? Our owners, by the way, have no problem spending big at Roma. 8 Posted 06/08/2026 at 17:30:25 I seem to remember Roma have acquired 2 right backs that we were linked with while our elite recruitment team have sat on their arses and assumed they can just go and get targets. It also doesn't help that the media are calling Everton a second-rate Premier League club and advising players to swerve EFC. Someone needs to address that too. 9 Posted 06/08/2026 at 17:55:55 You can probably filter out a couple of dozen because they play at bigger clubs than us and/or in the Champions League. Some of the remaining 180 may not be good enough but surely among the 100 plus that remain, we can find one good enough and interested in playing in the best, highest-paid league in the world? 10 Posted 06/08/2026 at 18:09:56 Everton were probably thinking he could do a job, fill the gap for around £8-10M... then if they are looking for £14-15M... move on. It's like Norgaard: he's not one for the long term, he's there to fill a gap. If you're paying £15M, you can get better than Johnston in my view. 11 Posted 06/08/2026 at 18:15:58 Come on, Champions League or 13th in the Premier League with no European football? I think Roma are after a different level of players to us, or can attract a different level of player. I don't think Dan Friedkin is picking what right-back is going where! 12 Posted 06/08/2026 at 19:36:46 Is he so bad, Moyes won't play him? I must admit it's got me somewhat puzzled as I didn't see a bad player when I have watched him. Either play him or sell him, what's the point of keeping him here and having him rot on the bench? 13 Posted 06/08/2026 at 20:18:51 I saw a bit of our unwanted full-back when he was at Ibrox and was very impressed. When we signed him, I was extremely happy and thought it was a great long-term deal. Something has happened along the way. I haven't a clue, don't think any if us have. He's not quoted by anyone so maybe best for both parties to move on. A shame really because I thought he was without doubt our future right-back. 14 Posted 06/08/2026 at 20:23:16 Might hold thing up anyway? 15 Posted 06/08/2026 at 20:54:46 If we fail to do that, leadership has no excuses and should be derided for at least the next 10 months. 16 Posted 06/08/2026 at 21:24:07 17 Posted 06/08/2026 at 21:46:21 Stop putting all your eggs in one basket! Why didn't we go for Sanchez as we were after him last season? Less than £10M for a Spanish international, 22 years old! Goes to Bournemouth -- a properly run club! 18 Posted 06/08/2026 at 21:48:12 19 Posted 06/08/2026 at 21:52:30 (Same thing Dan Friedkin did with Mosh when he was negotiating to buy Everton. Walked away for a couple of months and got a better deal.) I love that Everton aren't rolling over for seller's prices, especially on decent-but-not-superstar players like Johnston. One Dibling overpay is enough. If we miss out on a good right back over £2-3m, that will certainly be grounds for all the rage we can muster, but I don't see that happening. We will get a right back. If it takes a couple more weeks, even up to the last day, so be it. Raymond #12, as I've mentioned before, none of his managers wanted to play him. Lampard, Dyche and Moyes all took good long looks at Patterson on the pitch... and returned him to the bench. Along the way he lost out to not just O'Brien and Ashley Young but nonentities like Holgate and Godfrey. We will likely never know what went wrong, but all three of his managers saw it the same. 20 Posted 06/08/2026 at 22:07:28 21 Posted 06/08/2026 at 22:18:27 22 Posted 06/08/2026 at 22:29:50 No point maupay over spilt milk! 23 Posted 06/08/2026 at 23:37:45 24 Posted 06/08/2026 at 23:46:25 We're talking 2/3 million in differing valuations...12 to 15 for example. Not players in the 2/3 million bracket mate. 25 Posted 06/08/2026 at 23:50:22 26 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:03:26 As he’s ordinary at best. We should park up and seek better. 27 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:05:01 We have spent three years replacing Coleman. You rarely see transfer policy managed like this. However admitting that frustration it feels equally frustrating because the infamous transfer committee of such repute I cant name any of them, may still be on the verge of pulling off a £75m fee for a player we paid £15 for just a few minutes ago..,,,, It’s all so bloody Everton. Moyes pulling off a small miracle keeping us in the league is the very very notable exception but nothing seems to change and hope is all we ever start a season with and most of all know itd fruitless and pray to be proved wrong. Transfer mgt at our club is the main cause of soul destroying activity from an already stagnating approach that I guess will keep us up but more 14 or 13 place finishes are on the way. Harsh ? Please show me how but I say again how else does it feel to you ? The rest of the top ten are again improving and huge amounts of money are being spent. We have the filthy rich owners don’t we ? But now play second fiddle to Roma. The Patterson saga and buys like Dibling, Barry, counter the good time of profit from a couple of big sales? Sigh, again, how does it feel to you ? I’d respect the well argued optimistic feel and have no issue bringing mocked if it all comes good. I told you so would be amazing and incredibly welcome in 12m time but in The meantime I will be off to see us start the season soon hoping Johnson arrives or an unknown does on his place and that lad up front from Turkey. It’s still all about hope but at least the cheese and mushroom pie is showing consistency we hoped for and I bloody love it all tho god knows why ! 28 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:22:12 29 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:29:44 Johnston is not Riquelme. Just move on to next if we can't get him. 30 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:55:47 OK, so Saint Daniel walked away from the table and walked back - a real risk, by the way - to buy us at a very agreeable price. Erm, you can't do this all the time, not least when it comes to transfers. If we keep on doing this we will lose players and our reputation for wheeling and dealing like this will spread like the oil to get those cars started home and abroad. This negotiating erm 'strategy' for a club like us is not sustainable, especially when the fee is 'just' 15 million. We do not look like smart negotiators/recruiters in this particular deaL (and if we continue like this we will become a known entity). This back and forth might work in Toyota-land but there is no guarantee that it will do so in the cut and thrust of the transfer market. I believe that we got away on one with HH, but that does not at all mean that this is the route that we should always follow. Pragmatic? Possibly in some case. Pragmatic? Might it work on the last day of the window or the few before when we traditionally 'pounce'? Other clubs know our situation and strategy and that gives them leverage. This make a low-bid stuff will not work when there is competition for the player in question. It is making for an already underwhelming window in which two new players have been signed (one of whom, we were told yesterday, was not actually recruited by Cox and co.). Our crack recruitment team have 24 days to pull something out of a hat. It looks like they have royally screwed up in the case of a not first- but second-rate right-back. They now have three-and-a-half weeks to get us a striker (two would be ideal), right-back and left-back (others and I feel like this also, want someone else out on the left - I hope to Sheedy that it is not Grealish). I don't at this point see much innovation and creativity over the next few weeks. I expect loans and this budget bargaining and the more it continues the more we will be from any sort of progress on the pitch. Selling is important too, not least if we have to raise funds. Not much action there up to now. This is Cox territory. I have no idea how involved we have been so far. I have no idea which players - if any - Cox and co. feel ought to be moved on. But I hope that they are on the phones pitching erm 'enticing' stuff about - for me - Beto, Barry, and McNeil. But as of now, it seems that Tim is the only one attracting attention and that from teams actually beneath us. But, as always, I end up with let's hope and let's wait and see and I would love it, just love it, if my hunches are proved wrong. 31 Posted 06/08/2026 at 00:58:10 I just can't stop chuckling at this latest bout of Moyesturbation. 32 Posted 06/08/2026 at 01:12:54 Fortunately, we may have resolved the CDM issue with Norgaard. So, at least it is down to one position where we are cobbling together something. Still though, our strength will have to come from an internal chemistry between the midfielders. We won't be able to buy our way to the top. Our most gifted players need a period of settling into positions, generating familiar runs and ball distribution. If Rohl is the only position wanderer, maybe alright. If we end up with another unexpected injury like Dewsbury-Hall's v Chelsea, we could lose substantial time and waste some asset valuations scrapping to find our way through it. 33 Posted 07/08/2026 at 01:31:51 The new ownership has been in situ for 20 months, the CEO 14, the recruiting execs 13 and 11 and 10. This is their first summer window together. I will judge them from this moment. History starts now. We will assuredly screw up again -- lots of transfers fail, just ask the RS who spent $500 million last summer and went from 84 points to 60 -- but hopefully these new people will have a higher batting average and wiser priorities than their predecessors. 34 Posted 07/08/2026 at 01:40:12 35 Posted 07/08/2026 at 03:02:03 I saw what you did there. The signing of a proper right back would in my opinion be a catalyst for exponential improvement in this squad. I think we should up our budget and go for a known entity. I am thinking Spence or Wan Bissaka. I really like Spence but at 20M quid I would probably go for Wan Bissaka. I think we might see a different Tyler Dibling with one of those two behind him. Also at 12M quid I think Jacob Murphy, even at 31 would be good business for us. Sort that right flank out and I reckon we would get much more out of Beto and Barry. 36 Posted 07/08/2026 at 03:03:49 37 Posted 07/08/2026 at 03:08:17 38 Posted 07/08/2026 at 04:16:28 The fact that we haven't signed him yet shows the club sees him that way - a Championship level backup who no other PL club has an interest in. The one non-negotiable for the recruitment team was to sign a right back this summer. They had 12 months to prepare and they have struggled since Doué turned us down. The fact that PSG are interested in him shows that he was probably never a realistic target at this stage of his career. I am sure we will bring in a right-back before 1st September, however he will likely be low down on our short-list. Regardless, O'Brien will start against Crystal Palace with Rohl as main cover. Of course, it would have been easier to attract players if we had qualified for Europe. 1 win in the last 8 games cost us dearly, as did the failure to back the manager in the January transfer window despite us having 44 million headroom to spend on players under PSR rules. What is most annoying about the window, is that it is making me feel sorry for Moyes. 39 Posted 07/08/2026 at 05:11:55 40 Posted 07/08/2026 at 05:26:39 41 Posted 07/08/2026 at 05:32:07 Clubs wanting to hang onto players we are interested in will simply start to ask ridiculous sums for their players, knowing full well we will walk away. Leaving us with available players no one wants, or is interested in. We are on course to become the ultimate bottom feeders. Leaving a position of dire need until after the season has already kicked off wouldn't put our so called elite recruitment team in a good light. 42 Posted 07/08/2026 at 06:17:57 I never saw Patterson in the flesh as that season was covid so no crowds, however, as all the matches were live on the telly saw most if not all his games. You have to remember he had Tavenier to displace at right-back, which then was an impossible task, so only got in when Tavenier had injuries. 43 Posted 07/08/2026 at 06:25:34 Tosun was a January rush job. Maupay came in just before the window closed. Nobody wants to duplicate mistakes like that. By the way, one of our dumbest moves ever, dumping Antonee Robinson for pocket change, appears likely to bring us in a bit of repayment. If Utd buy him from Fulham as expected, we get a sell-on fee of around £1.5m. 44 Posted 07/08/2026 at 07:01:59 We could have the top 5 richest people in the world, with their combined wealth, as owners and we’d still not be able to splash the cash! We are restricted by our revenue as a club! As a business! Nothing to do with our owner’s wealth. Additionally, we nearly went out of existence due to splashing the cash! We’re still recovering from that period of utter stupidity! We are cutting our cloth appropriately, whilst the owner’s are steadily working to increase our revenue - and thus, our future buying power! Yes, we need a full back. We also cannot overspend 45 Posted 07/08/2026 at 07:50:36 The lad came in and did nothing wrong at all in our most impressive run of form with away wins at Villa and Forest. Then, lo and behold, yard dog O'Brien is fit and put back in to a position he doesn't excel at! Please make it make sense. 46 Posted 07/08/2026 at 08:05:15 In fact, I would hope they have compiled a list of 5/6 right backs they think would meet the requirements. For me, a right back should have been the first signing through the door. I do rate O'Brian but want to see him in his natural position. I also fully agree about Robinson, I thought it was a mistake to let him go in the first place. Winston @ 44, what are you suggesting then, we don't bother with a right back due to lack of funds? You have absolutely no idea what amount we can, or cannot, spend, nor do I. But the fact remains we are short of a very important part of our defence, with only 2 weeks to go prior to kick off. Therefore, if we need to sell before we buy, wouldn't you concede that our crack recruitment team should be putting out feelers to anyone interested in the likes of McNeil etc? 47 Posted 07/08/2026 at 08:44:28 I’m not advocating not signing a right back, that’s pure hyperbole on your part. I’m suggesting we don’t have the budget to just overpay, without serious issues arising such as sanctions. I’m suggesting the club are haggling over fees because we have to! I’m suggesting we can’t just go spend whatever the fans want. I’m also suggesting the club’s recruitment team have identified players but let’s face it, no silverware or European football in years, we’re just not that attractive a proposition…unless we overpay (see above) 48 Posted 07/08/2026 at 08:53:32 4 years younger than Young the younger, when we got him.😉 49 Posted 07/08/2026 at 08:55:23 50 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:01:07 But the timing of a signing depends also on the player wanting to come, the other club wanting to sell, the agent agreeing the terms, and how many other clubs are in with offers for the player. Doue, probably the best for us, is reported to have at least six other suitors, including PSG, Chelsea and both Milan clubs. He won't be in any hurry to make a choice. So "first through the door" doesn't necessarily mean the best. Personally I want us to get the very best we can, and I don't care whether he arrives tomorrow or at 5 to midnight as the window is closing. If we get it done, I'll be pleased. 51 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:03:00 I too despair at seeing O'brien played out of position. But " yard dog "...really ? 52 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:04:07 But let's face it,this isn't purely a TFG problem, it's a problem we have had for far to long. As I suggested in a previous post, maybe we should have been looking to bring in a right back as our first purchase? It isn't like the recruitment team were taken by surprise is it? 53 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:06:58 If they are working their way through a list, and Johnston was at the top of that list, we’re in trouble. 54 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:38:32 They have just shelled out 40m for a keeper, surely we bring in more profit than them? What am I missing here with regards these new spending rules. I'm at a loss with how they work. 55 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:53:32 But do you really think Dyche was going to turn it around? 1 point off relegation, 2 goals scored in 10 games with no shots on goal in the other 8 games. By all accounts Dyche threw the towel in rather than be forever crucified as the manager that relegated Everton. It would have needed a small miracle, oh hang on! 56 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:57:14 Words fail me! 57 Posted 07/08/2026 at 09:58:41 You remind me of that Talking Heads song "Stop Talking Sense" -- you know TWers don't appreciate it. 58 Posted 07/08/2026 at 10:01:13 But none of it does with this club, mate. 59 Posted 07/08/2026 at 10:01:23 Our very first target last summer was a right-back, so I'm sure they know we still need one. 60 Posted 07/08/2026 at 10:05:32 It's a long time since I heard it but I just brought back their '77 vinyl album from England (which it's not on). Just need a Hi-Fi system to play it on now. 61 Posted 07/08/2026 at 10:15:59 Read up on how Robinson finally left Everton: he wasn't dumped at all... he had the option to stay with Everton when other clubs wanted him. We let him know through Brands that we wanted him to stay but he decided to leave, which he was entitled to do. 62 Posted 07/08/2026 at 10:21:54 It might be a case of where you put your money, they may have thought, if they got him for £10-12M, there's money to put elsewhere, and now think put the money on a better option. I'll judge when the window "slams" shut. Let's hope they are not hanging out of the window at the time!! 63 Posted 07/08/2026 at 11:03:17 For whatever reason, Scottish football has dropped a couple of levels over the years. I cannot see this guy being any better than Patterson and sadly I don't rate him, he cannot defend, is poor in the air. Although getting on, Walker or Trippier would have done a job for Everton. 64 Posted 07/08/2026 at 11:03:43 We may never be able to sign our 'ideal' player but, if SCR rules are constraining, then our recruitment team needs to find solutions. If with the Norgaard signing, we have reached our spend limit, then why don't we sell the likes of Iroegbunam, McNeil, Alcaraz, Patterson -- who are surplus to requirements -- and with those funds, go out and buy a couple of high-value players -- a right-back and a right winger -- for example? Or put all that money on the one position that we are desperate for -- ie, right-back? And don't forget that there is always the loan market to fill up positions that we are unable to afford right now -- like we did last season with Grealish and Rohl. 65 Posted 07/08/2026 at 11:10:24 Premier League: 2025-26 Appearances: 22 Starts: 17 Minutes Played: 1,492 Goals:1 Assists: 0 Yellow Cards: 5 Yeah, that goal would have got us into Europe for sure. 66 Posted 07/08/2026 at 11:12:25 One problem: you need buyers! 67 Posted 07/08/2026 at 11:40:03 Transfers, I'd imagine, are a matter of timing. Hackney and Norgaard were available, willing to come, within budget (after negotiations), and it looks like there wasn't a queue of competition for their signature. I'm in complete agreement and share everyone's frustration about a lack of a right-back. Seeing O'Brien there last season drove me mad. I'm not trying to make excuses. Just stating that the club is likely trying to identify right-backs who are willing to come to a club who have won nothing for years and have no European football, who are available for sale, within budget for both fee and wages, and who will be of a sufficient level to merit a place in the starting line-up. We could go all out, throw £40M at a right-back, go outside the new rules and, with our history, take a 6-point deduction for our troubles. Like Jeff says above, I'd imagine we'd be happy to sell certain players to improve our budgets… but it's down to other clubs wanting them and then the players wanting to make the move. In an ideal world, we'd sell all the players we don't want... but as we've seen, some of them are pretty shit! 68 Posted 07/08/2026 at 12:15:17 So many managers since then and so many failures. To cap it all, they bring Moyes back after all his failings at Man Utd, Sunderland and Sociedad. Yet another Summer of apparent inactivity and apathy by the ownership will convince us that getting into the top echelons of the Premier League table will be very difficult. There is a nucleus of good talent at the club but failure to address the obvious weaknesses up front is unacceptable. I, like everyone else, would love to see Beto and/or Barry become regular goal scorers but it seems obvious we have seen the best of them... which is mediocre mostly. 69 Posted 07/08/2026 at 12:34:57 Jake O'Brien will have got a huge amount of development playing out of position for a whole season rather than sitting on the bench. His overall ball control, fitness and distribution has improved dramatically, even if he won't ever become a right-back. Overall what did we lose as a team playing Jake instead of Nathan Patterson? Probably very little, Patterson's best season for us was in 2022-23 where he started 14 times, notching up zero assists. Now looking ahead to this season, I can see we are overstocked in the central midfield, with Garner, Norgaard, Iroegbunam, Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz and Hackney all fighting for places. And for all Rohl's qualities, he probably doesn't get in the side ahead of Dewsbury-Hall, Garner and Norgaard or Hackney. This makes me think Moyes may instead use the open right-back position to accommodate the development of Rohl, rather than throwing transfer budget at overpriced players like Alastair Johnston. For me personally, I don't want to see Moyes buying any more players as he won't be here beyond his contract. Our next manager will need a pretty heavy rebuild, so will need as much cash as we can get! 70 Posted 07/08/2026 at 13:45:38 "I have to say, I get the praise for it, but I have to praise the recruitment team at the time. They spotted him in Ireland, brought him over and forced me into doing it." Seems Moyes is having to come clean about signings he has spent years taking the credit for. Perhaps he didn't want to be called out again. Turns out he had seen about as much of Seamus as he had seen of John Stones. He does not seem to sign full backs. We all know about him having to have his arm twisted up his back to sign Baines. 71 Posted 07/08/2026 at 14:18:12 72 Posted 07/08/2026 at 14:28:40 24 March 2017: Coleman suffers awful leg fracture in Wales clash I think there were a few who stood in for him until he recovered to come back with that great performance in January 2018 against the then Champions, mighty Leicester City. 73 Posted 07/08/2026 at 14:52:55 74 Posted 07/08/2026 at 14:52:55 Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW