The former two signed their deals when that was the going rate, locking themselves in for a pre-determined length of time for a predetermined amount of money. The latter two signed their deals when the going rate was higher... if the going rate increases further they might find themselves relatively underpaid.
I wish there was an easy way to go back and see what you were saying during the window...
Barkley was offered £80k. I think seeing what the other players who are playing so badly are earning was enough to make him look towards the exit door. Ashley Williams is on £75k. So Barkley is worth approx. the same as Williams. I don't think so.
Spurs don't do that to their players. They keep them on pretty similar salaries. Most of the young lads who have broken into the first team there are on £20k. At Everton we have Tom Davies on £6k and Calvert Lewin on £2.5k
I also don't believe that £100,000 for Davy Klaassen IS the going rate. If they don't want to come here for a more competitive wage, far in excess of what they get in their own country anyway, then find a different player. These guys don't care about the club and are just laughing all the way to the bank.
Relegation is a very real danger for Everton and with the state of the club I can see us doing a Leeds and disappearing into oblivion. The only saving grace is that our u23s are exceptional and will win the league AGAIN this year. Hopefully, if relegation does occur, we can draft these players into the first team and get straight back up.
I'm not confident though.