Everton boss David Moyes insisted that he made the final decision for a new contract for Dominic Calvert-Lewin last month.
In view of the fact that the striker is now a free agent, the Toffees manager is not placed in the same place as the man, whom he succeeded during his first magic on Merseyside when Calvert-Lewin finds his way to Newcastle.
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The ex-English striker is available after leaving Everton on a free transfer, and the head of Magpies, Eddie Howe, is a long-term admirer.
Newcastle, who qualified for the Champions League of the next season, had seen a blow to the 28-year-old last summer, but went away due to the costs for the deal.
In view of the history of the Toon, this attitude can be understandable in the last time that they have made an Everton striker cheaply.
Just four months after the first Toffees predecessor of Moyes, Walter Smith’s arrival in Goodison Park, a shock sale was pushed through.
On Monday, November 23, 1998, in the same night, in which Newcastle lost 1-0 in Newcastle, visitors approved an 8 million pound deal to sign the toffees price of the Toffees: Duncan Ferguson.
‘Big Dunc’, who observed the match due to an injury from the stands, had only been announced hours earlier that the club’s hierarchy was openly opened to redeem.
This speculation spread like a running fire in the press room from Goodison, but was quickly shot down by Alan Myers, Everton’s head of the media.
However, Myers was the first of many club employees who received an almighty shock when he drove down a staircase in the stadium.
After noticed the door to the chairman’s office on the first floor on the first floor, he said to Choniclelive: “It was certainly never open because the fans were obviously there and we didn’t want them to go in there.
“I thought I was better checking and seeing what happens. Why was the door open?
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“I opened the door and there was Ruud Gullit, Duncan Ferguson and his agent who made the deal. I said: ‘Oh my god. What do I do here?'”
The same fear was shared by Everton Manager Smith Smith and his assistant Archie Knox when they came across Ferguson on the stairs.
As the sports director of Liverpool Echo, David Prentice, reminded, Ferguson opened the exchange by saying: “I thought they might have worked for me, gaffer.”
Walter replied: “For you, how?”, What his Scottish compatriot replied: “With the move. I was sold to Newcastle.”
“What are you talking about? Have you signed something?” Walter added before Ferguson revealed that he poured a financial package into his hand.
The Everton boss said: “Well, don’t sign anything. I have to speak to Jinky (his home name for the then chairman Peter Johnson).”
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This was followed by an annoyed exchange, in which Smith was communicated that Ferguson had been sold for a first effort of 7 million GBP, with another 1 million GBP due when the 6 -foot Scot played 30 games.
In order to make things worse, the Everton boss was also told that none of the fees would be used to finance new players that he wanted to sign.
“I am disappointed with Duncan who takes it and I am also disappointed with the circumstances under which the transfer took place,” said Smith.
“I didn’t know that the transfer was carried out last night until 11 p.m., so it was disappointing for me in both aspects.”
The controversial broadcast immediately made Everton’s chairman Johnson’s position unsustainable and resigned less than a week later.
And Smith made it clear that the club, who confirmed that he was not aware of the sale of the Ferguson, would follow the example.
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When it finally arrived, as reported by the BBC, there was no longer that the Everton Manager apologized.
It read: “Newcastle was given an essential offer for Ferguson, which was discussed with the representatives of this club immediately before and in the course of the game last Monday. Your discussions led to an agreement at this time.
“Unfortunately, details of these discussions were not handed over to Walter Smith in the course of the game, and it is regretted that he learned from the final agreement to Duncan Ferguson in the way he did after the game was completed.”
The explanation adds: “In view of the many comments, some of which are very speculative and are currently being carried out in relation to Duncan Ferguson’s transmission to Newcastle, both Chairman and Manager believed that the following explanation should be issued on a common basis.”
And 26 years later it is the striker behind Ferguson in Everton’s Premier League-Tor-Charts who sees Newcastle as his next step.
But for Moyes, who said about Calvert-Lewin’s contract, he would “be the one who makes the final decision”, nothing will surprise …