LUFCTALK

Fabian Delph has joined Everton from Man City.

He should now play every week, but I would imagine that's his England career over.

Good deal for Everton and Delph, £10m and three year contract. Useful player Delph in the same way as Milner is for Liverpool. Can play across positions, has a good attitude and I imagine he’ll get some good game time. A bit wasted at Man City.

What a waste of talent. 4 years at city and made just shy of 60 appearances.

Muttzzer wrote:What a waste of talent. 4 years at city and made just shy of 60 appearances.

I agree, maybe a bit of a lesson there for young players whos agents are after the big money move. I know its not exactly the case here. The only person who knows if those four years were good is the player himself. Maybe hes sitting looking at his bank balance and thinking they were or maybe he is thinking of a wasted career. Its all down to the players personality.

Squad game at the top, I don't think you can say he's wasted talent.

What's he ever done in football other than won a few things and played for his country? And his sale from Leeds enabled the club to pay for the Pavilion

And why would the move stunt his England career?

Another Northern Soul wrote:And why would the move stunt his England career?

Because he won't be playing CL football.

The hierarchy of clubs definitely influences who's picked for England squads, and yet further, the actual team.
There's no way the likes of Smalling, Jones and Wes Brown would've won as many caps playing for a club outside the top four.
Phil Neville - another versatile player - made the same move in 2005 and his England career tailed off to nothing over the next eighteen months.

I'm not saying Delph isn't any good - I think he's an ideal squad member at a tournament because he's used to being on the bench and can play all over the park - but I'm sure he'll be less likely to be in the frame now he's left the spotlight of the Champions League.

Fab Delph without doubt my favourite all time youngster. I was privileged to be at The Withdean when he scored that solo goal. Did a tour of Thorp Arch once & met him & a lovely young man he was as well.

Byram has had a tougher time since his Elland Road exit in 2016, when he joined West Ham. After struggling to hold down a place in the Hammers side he joined Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal last year, but only made six Championship appearances.

He is now hoping for a fresh start at Carrow Road, after signing a four-year deal following a reported £750,000 move.

“I heard about the interest a week or two ago," he told Norwich's website. "Obviously, I wasn’t in the plans for West Ham going forward and I needed a new challenge to go out and push on after last season.

“I had a nasty injury last year and it was nice to finish the season with a couple of games and then this feels like a new chapter, a fresh start.

“It’s one I’m really excited about and I can’t wait to get started. The Premier League is a massive step up from the Championship and I’m sure everyone who got the Club to where it’s at now, I’m sure they’re all excited now."

Despite his injury problems, Leeds fans believe that the Canaries have got a bargain in the 25-year-old as they reacted to the former Thorp Arch academy pair's move.

£10m is an absolute steal for a player I still rate at the top end of the 'mid-range' PL players.