Is it Aug 31st yet? - Everton looking to fend off poaching for its players

Everton is skint, broke, only pocket lent in their pockets.  Everyone knows it and everyone includes other clubs.  The board and chairman are under fire by proud but frustrated fans who have watched the debt grow while being a sell-to-buy club.  While trying to sell Everton appears unable to sell the players they are looking to sell but are getting offers for the players it wants to keep.

Other clubs do not seem to rate the Everton players at the the same price as Everton does.  Which would explain why only Vaughan has been moved this transfer market and not others.  Everyone knows Everton wanted to move players to fund a few incoming players this offseason.  Yet there has been little to no activity.  This either because Everton overvalues the players it wants to sell or no one wants the players they want to sell. 

The players Everton wanted to sell have had holdups over transfer fees.  Leicester who has spent much more money than Everton this transfer period (though it is easy to beat Everton when they only got a reserves player - on loan at that with Dier) but did not pony up for the Yak.  Fenerbahce wouldn't pay over £2.5-3 million for Yobo with Everton holding out for £5-6 million.  Now with a scandal in Turkey involving Fenerbahce no deal will be reached (even when Kenwright said it would be done).

With Everton unable to move Yakubu or Yobo, now it seems clubs are trying to poach players from Everton.  Earlier this summer Everton rejected a Norwich £3-4 million bid for Leon Osman.  And their have been rumors all summer that Everton would sell Rodwell to ManU or Tottenham Hotspurs for around £15 million (though it seems no one thinks he's worth that much).

Now, it seems even more players are being sought out by other clubs.  Newcastle looking to get Beckford (no mention of any amount).  Another La Liga team looking to move Arteta back to Spain (seems to be a yearly occurence).  And of course Arsenal looking up the ante with a 15 million bid for Jags.

Everton cannot get a loan deal for Citeh bench player Adam Johnson.  And Everton was unable to afford a deal for Charles N'Zogbia who eventually went to Villa.  Even Distin is now asking for a few deals to help the squad.

Everton will continue to fight off other teams for its players until the transfer period closes.  Everton's financial inability keeps making it difficult to add any proven players to their squad.  With such limited activity fans can only hope to hang on to the teams key players.  If Everton start this season like the last few, it could be a long season with more clubs looking to poach Everton's talent.  It is a bit depressing but IMWT.