UNCERTAINTY seems to be the watchword for 2009, as the economy apparently heads for uncharted waters, and Everton Football Club’s immediate future also appears to be equally murky as we enter this New Year.

Money is in short supply for the Blues, as ever, with David Moyes at great pains to point out that he is looking almost exclusively at the loan market in a bid to bolster his squad for the second half of the season.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that even lending players isn’t exactly a cheap option nowadays though, with the agents and the clubs of a number of reported targets making noises about how they want their palms crossed with silver before any deals can be done.

And who can blame them? They are hardly going to help out a desperate club from one of the richest leagues in the world simply out of the goodness of their hearts.

More important than bringing players in though is that the Toffees mustn’t lose anyone from the squad that’s got its act together in the past month or so.

Mikel Arteta is the latest to be linked with a move away, this time to Arsenal, which makes a change from Atletico Madrid at least, and again, who would blame the Gunners if they were serious about making an offer for the Spanish schemer?

He’s certainly good enough to get in their team, and it’s not hard to imagine him fancying the increase in pay and the chance to play in the Champions League, so we really have to hope that the rumours are without substance.

No player is irreplaceable, we’ve proved that in the recent past when parting with players like Wayne Rooney and Thomas Gravesen, but Arteta must come close.