It’s the principle – if a club like West Brom steal Everton’s primary transfer target, what does it say about The Toffees’ ambitions?
On reflection, Everton fans could probably accept missing out on Moussa Sissoko and Lucas Perez in the summer, and not because their impact on either side of North London had bordered upon the minimal until very recently.
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal had the luxury of putting Champions League football on the table after all, while The Toffees could only offer the hope that, one day soon, they would too earn a place among the continent’s elite.
As it stands, however, there’s still some way to go before Everton can harbour any realistic aims of gate-crashing the top six, let alone the top four. Nonetheless, if they are to start making steps in the right direction, they can no longer be excused for failing to lure their primary targets to Goodison Park.
Especially with Steve Walsh, the much-vaunted scout credited with attracting Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy to Leicester City, specifically chosen as the club’s new director of football.
However, if Walsh had come under question by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri for failing to replicate his influence at a club with a bigger reputation and bigger resources, imagine the dissatisfaction if Everton are beaten to the signature of Morgan Schneiderlin by West Bromwich Albion.
According to The Mirror, The Baggies new Chinese owners will allow Tony Pulis to break the club’s transfer record in order to snare the French international midfielder from Old Trafford in January even though United are keen to recoup as much of their £24 million outlay as possible.
There’s little doubt that Everton, who splurged a similar sum on Yannick Bolasie, could match West Brom’s offer but failing to match their ambition would reflect very badly on a team with genuine hopes of bridging the gap between the elite and the ‘best of the rest’.
Arsenal and Tottenham may be able to blow Everton out of the water in the transfer market; that much is tolerable.
But the prospect of West Brom, a side who have not played a single competitive European fixture since the 1981 UEFA Cup, snaring Schneiderlin from under Everton noses will not be. The ramifications could be damaging indeed for Walsh in particular.
It must be remembered too, that manager Ronald Koeman and talisman Romelu Lukaku pledged their future to the Merseyside club due to their desire to improve and the promised ambition.
But missing out on Schneiderlin would make The Toffees’ hopes of reaching the big time would look like nothing more than a pipe dream and may well convince some of their most valuable assets that Goodison Park is not the place to further a career.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
