22 Jun 2026 20:34:59.
A few people have been asking about Guela Doue, so here’s a clearer picture of what he actually is as a player and whether the £40m being quoted makes any sense.
Doue is a 23‑year‑old right‑back at Strasbourg who has really kicked on this season. He’s a powerful, athletic full‑back who loves carrying the ball forward and is one of the better ball‑carrying RBs in Ligue 1. Physically he already looks like someone who could handle the Premier League — strong in duels, quick over short distances, and aggressive without being reckless.
On the ball he’s very direct. He doesn’t overcomplicate things, but he’s effective: he drives forward, links play well enough, and his final ball has improved massively, which is why he’s sitting on six assists this season. He’s tidy, purposeful and gets the ball into dangerous areas. Defensively he’s front‑foot, likes to engage early, and generally wins his battles. The only real issues are that he can overcommit at times and he’s still learning how to deal with wide overloads, but that’s normal for a young full‑back.
He’s also tactically flexible. He can play as a traditional RB, a wing‑back, or even as the right‑sided centre‑back in a back three because of his physicality and defensive instincts. That versatility is a big part of his appeal.
As for the £40m price tag, that’s where things get unrealistic. He’s a very good prospect and he would absolutely improve us, but £40m is Champions League‑club money, not the kind of fee a rebuilding side like us should be throwing around. His true value is probably somewhere in the £20–25m range, maybe £30m if a bidding war starts. At £40m you’re paying for what he might become rather than what he is right now.
In short, Doue is a strong, modern full‑back with a high ceiling and a profile that suits the Premier League, but the quoted fee is inflated and doesn’t reflect where he is in his development. He’d improve us, no question, but not at that price.
22 Jun 2026 21:26:04
Great info, mate. The prices are ridiculous these days for most deals. Look at what Boro are asking for a player with only 1 year left on his contract, especially since he has no Premier League experience.
22 Jun 2026 22:17:53
We've got a rep for paying over top dollar. I'm not surprised if we get the mick taken with prices anymore. Just wish we had some decent silverware to justify it.
22 Jun 2026 22:19:47
Yeah mate, exactly this. The whole market's gone daft. Hackney's a tidy player, but Boro asking that kind of money for someone with one year left on his contract and no Premier League experience just shows where things are at. Championship clubs know Premier League sides are desperate, so they stick a premium on anyone who can pass a ball five yards.
It's the same with Doue. Good player, loads of potential, but the numbers being thrown around aren't based on what he is right now, they're based on what he might become in a couple of years.
Until this bubble bursts, we're going to keep seeing players with potential and with one good season under their belt being quoted at Champions League prices. Doesn't mean they're bad players, just that the fees are completely detached from reality.
23 Jun 2026 00:43:22
Puts us in a no win situation. If the selling club sticks to their guns, or if some other club is willing to pay over the odds, we lose out.
My belief is that, where we find ourselves at present, we will have to pay over the odds, maybe not the 40M, but more than the player is worth.
If we do that, then we have to be very certain that, firstly, he will be used rather than spending a season on the bench, and, secondly, he will make us better as a team.
23 Jun 2026 04:55:54
The problem is we've overpaid in the past on who didn't move the needle, Beto £30m, Barry £25m, Dibling £40m, so now when we do need to stretch a bit, everyone's rightly nervous about us getting burned again.
If we're going above a player's real value to try and pull off a coup, then it has to be someone who's a nailed on starter from day one. No more spending big on players who end up as rotation options or stuck adapting for half a season.
And if we do push the boat out, Moyes has to actually use them and not have him sat behind someone just because they're one of his favourites.
The market's gone mad, but that doesn't mean we have to get dragged into every mad price and start a bidding war with ourselves. Pick the right ones, walk away from the daft ones, that's the only way we stop repeating the same mistakes.
23 Jun 2026 06:54:54
There is no way Everton will pay 40million for a right back.
23 Jun 2026 07:42:19
Reality is everything has gone up to ridiculous prices. Anyone tried buying a piece of beef for a roast lately?
23 Jun 2026 09:02:00
Blue Co will demand the full 40mil.
23 Jun 2026 17:26:18
What if the right ones are 30/40m and the wrong ones are 20m?