Everton’s Fellaini worry

Saturday, 17/09/2011

by Michael Smith, a Shoot Everton blogger

‘Thank the football Gods for the transfer window’ is a phrase I bet you never thought you’d hear from an Evertonian, right? Yet, despite Everton’s truly bitter experiences with the transfer window lately, which most recently saw Mikel Arteta snatched away from us, the transfer window could still prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Barely a fortnight after the transfer window finally closed, Evertonians are already being told to brace themselves for losing more players when the window re-opens. With the club struggling to find two pennies to rub together, there has, all too predictably, been nothing like the foresight afforded to the potential of bringing much needed players in.  

Marouane Fellaini, whose commitment to the club can only be described as lukewarm at best, is still dragging his feet over signing a luxury new contract at the club. Unfortunately, Fellaini has failed to reciprocate the fans love for him and now seems the most likely to depart in January. David Moyes’ admission that the club and the bushy haired Belgian are still some way apart in negotiations and could go their separate ways has not surprised many Evertonians. 

Crucially, however, his potential departure will be subject to a stay of execution until at least January, giving manager David Moyes time to second guess how much he could earn from the potential sale and to plot reinvestment. Cynics however, will question whether David Moyes would see the proceeds of any such transfer anyway.

But were we still living in the pre-transfer window existence, the interested parties (allegedly ranging from Arsenal to Chelsea to Real Madrid) would be able to snatch Fellaini away from us at any time of the season. This would benefit nobody except the bank, where David Moyes’ transfer funds are being swiftly rerouted. The twice a season transfer window nightmare would become a continuous reality. 

By surviving the summer transfer market interest in Fellaini, the club have given the manager and chairman time to persuade him to stay. It is no secret that the manager is desperately keen to keep the club’s record signing, and is wary of Mikel Arteta’s departure snowballing into a mini exodus.

David Moyes has worked hard over the years to put a competitive squad together and he must now work equally as hard to stop it disintegrating over just a few transfer windows.

Still, it could be worse, without the transfer window we could be losing a player a fortnight at this rate.

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