So those of you who have been reading/contributing or whatever for a while will know that I’m not a fan of speculation because 95% of it is typically absolutely rubbish. But at the same time, I know some of you love it and given that I’ve just realised I haven’t written anything for over a fortnight and tomorrow is the start of the transfer window, it seems a good time to start this thread.
As per usual, we’re selling most of the team and buying a whole new premier league for our squad. Hmm.
It does seem though, that if you try and read in between the lines a couple of possible moves might prove to be reality. First is Douglas Luiz to leave at £50 million or whatever. While this is miles lower than the £80-100 million that has been talked about I think this might be a good deal for us.
I haven’t previously wanted him to go, but I now have a sneaky feeling that his agent and him have been trying to engineer a move. I know some have said his form dropped in the last couple of months, but I think it’s more than that. I think there’s been something very strange in his attitude and it was demonstrated by his sudden terrible disciplinary record. I’m going to go so far as to say that was some small form of a protest and demonstrative that he quite simply wants out.
I don’t think it’s a money thing. He wants a new challenge and his agent thinks Juventus is the place. Good. If you want to go that much, clear off. With my blessing. The club is bigger than you. I can’t say I’m particularly interested in Winston McKennie and the other lad coming our way, but we do need numbers in.
Second, is Jhon Duran to Chelsea for £50 million. That’s frankly laughable and half of that would be a good deal. I’m convinced the lad has a serious attitude problem, as much as I believe he actually has a somewhat valid reason for having it. The fact is Emery doesn’t yet deem him to be good enough to outdo Watkins and it’s as simple as that. And if he doesn’t have the patience to listen to the manager he can go. Particularly if he’s giving the manager a problem, which I think he is.
Having had another glance at the news, it appears Chelsea have agreed a £42 million fee. I’m inclined to think he could be a bargain signing for them, but if it isn’t working for him at the Villa, that’s a lovely amount of money in the pot to stave off this PSR rubbish.
Then, there’s Matty Cash. We’ve apparently slapped a £30 million price on his head. Where do these stories come from? I’d take half that if we have a replacement lined up.
And finally (although I’m sure there’s plenty of other stories) there’s Diegos Carlos, who cost us a fortune, given his age. I liked the look of him early on, but wouldn’t miss him now. That said, we need better defenders and I’m not convinced Mings is ever going to get back to where he was. Maybe we might do better keeping Carlos as a back up? No doubt he’s on big wages though, so I’ll trust the club’s judgement on that one.
Anyway, this is just a starting point. I’m sure many of you will be more interested in the speculation and chat about other rumours.
Me, I’m only interested in deals inked, whether in or out.
Chambers to Cardiff – claimed medical booked.
Well happy with that.
Even as a squad filler, I never thought he was good enough for us
Philogene Bidace on his way back for £18m. Helps with home grown quota I guess and he looks like he will be a real menace to the opposition.
Liking this too.
Him duking it out with the lad we got from Juve, on the left.
Now we’re beginning to really strengthen the squad, imo.
Still want to see that RB though and not have Konsa as backup or even preferred to Cash.
Do you have something definitive on that DS – I can only find a general comment that Villa have taken up their buyback option but it’s now up to the player to decide (which club to join).
No sorry Hitch. Maybe I’m jumping the gun.
Any news on Mings, Buendia, Ramsey and Kamara?
Sounds like Buendia and Ramsey are about there and is probably ready to build up match fitness. Mings doesn’t sound totally there and still building up strength. Kamara is working with the fitness ball I read, so some weeks away.
The Sheffield Star have confirmed Archer is coming back
A sign that Duran is gone, perhaps?
For me it’s more important to get Philogene back than Archer.
I think we’ll move Archer on again; I don’t see him as a replacement for Duran.
Does anyone think the Diaby transfer rumours are true? If it was £60m which would be a profit, then I would be happy with that as long as we have a quality replacement coming in. Maybe that’s Philogene!
Hard to say Holte – only know for certain when it’s on the OS.
I thought at the time end of the season he was starting to find form again. Would be a shame to see him go so have to believe either he wants to go or FFP is a worry next season and/or this to comply with Champions League. Could explain JPB bid. Lots of news sources claiming it’s practically a done deal.
Crap signings thus far – sign world class, please, not bargain bucket with potential. Squad is not stronger yet. (*just to shake the discussion up a bit, as you all seem to be in a happy haze).
I agree, nothing wrong with the singings we made, the two lads from Juve seem like real potentials and I think Iling Jr could feature on a few occasions this season. I think Barclay is sensible cover and should see plenty of minutes but I wouldn’t like to think he is a starter every game. I’d love to see a quality and proven right back, same for a centre mid and some cover for striker unless we decide to wrap our arm around Duran and give it another go this season. One signing I suppose to be fair that does tick all the boxes is Maatsen, good age and good quality and some experience at top level. The only down side is I always felt the LB position looked like one of our strongest with Digne and Moreno. Ideally we just want two quality players fighting for every position with some youth sprinkled on top please!
As I’m feeling grumpy, a reminder:
https://grimshaw.global/news/articles/new-designs-for-the-redevelopment-and-expansion-of-villa-park-submitted-for-planning/
This would have been magnificent. And perfect.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/villa-park/future/
A damn shame.
Chambers completes move to Cardiff – would like to wish him the best.
Not quite accurate – Villa have released him with a year left on his contract – Cardiff are reputed to be interested.
Really looks like Diaby is off then! For big money I think we can spend money in other key areas to better set the squad. I guess Diaby is too exspenisve to be starting mostly from the bench. Not sure how I feel about it, if we had the 50/60 Million in the bank , would you buy him back? I don’t think so
Also with Ramsey coming back they would be competing for the same place in the side.
I like Diaby but is ever going to be strong enough to cope with physical side of the EPL?
Only marginal – if any – PSR benefit as we will only gain from one year of amortisation. Villa should be looking to get a profit on the sale (should he move) to improve that position.
DS looks like you are right about Philogene – according to reports he will be at BH next week.
Can you let me have the winning lottery numbers please 🙂
The money would spoil you Hitch so I’ll keep them to myself😂
LMAO
But seriously – it’s good news to see him back – I reckon there’s some player there and I was gutted when we sold him.
Supposedly Chiesa was first choice last year but he turned us down (for similar to what we paid for Diaby), but he’s available for between 20-25m and wonder if we’re quietly making a play for him now? JPB will be a solid addition but he’s not got CL experience that Diaby does and I can see us going for both – but is JBP ready to fill that hole? Not for me. I can’t help feeling like there’s a few surprises here.
I honestly don’t think that Chiesa is the same player he was before his big injury. I’ve seen him play a few time for Juve last season and he doesn’t seem to have the pace that he once had and it seems that Vlahovic and Yilmaz might be ahead of him in the pecking order which is probably why Juve might want to offload him.
I’d be surprised if Emery is going to be willing pay top dollar for him.
Sky reporting we’re in discussion with Everton for Onana at £50m.
Presumably this is the replacement for Luiz?
Don’t know much about him but it seems he’s attracted interest from a number of clubs.
Just read that Hitch! So we obviously have both the resources and the bandwidth for FFP or whatever the twats call it nowadays…So who’s leaving? Our squad seems to be over the allowed 25, or has that number changed?
Oops! He’s a midfielder!!!
Piece on Brum Live about Onana.
Given its Brum Live’s awful web site it may be a problem to load!
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-set-sign-80m-29536751
What’s interesting is the comment that Onana didn’t suit Dyche’s style of play which is direct often missing out the midfield – Iroegbunam’s not going to get much game time then but he’ll be a cheaper option on the bench 🙂
Interesting run down of Onana’s stats on Lets Talk Villa – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTw3TgyM0_w
They give him 10/10 and explain where he would fit into the team. Worth a watch
No doubt we’ll now knight Southgate for being a loser,
The Aussies can’t understand us celebrating winning a semi-final as if it’s something special. As they say – you’ve won nothing!
The best thing that come out of this is seeing no more of Southgate as manager. His football is uninspiring, boring and he fails to get the best out of our young talent.
Compare that with Spain!
Southgate is a reactive manager when we needed a proactive manager. Definition of madness is…….. Well we all know that. We have got to the final by luck mostly and as we all expected, we got beat when coming up against a good team. Will he give someone else a chance and step down? We need to hope he will or we might as well not bother with the World Cup.
Spot on Holte
He will step down. But his successor will not only fail to do better, he will do worse. Simply because the only way to do better is to win either the World Cup or the Euros, which is as near to impossible as you can get without it being literally impossible. Southgate did do better that his predecessors, partly because the bar was lower when he arrived. Like it or not, he has raised the bar. Maybe not to where we bystanders demand, but certainly higher than all the managers before him. So good luck to the next lucky loser; you’ll need it.
Having said all of that, if his successor wants a chance of raising the bar further with a tournament win, the first decision he must make is to never pick Mr. H Kane for an England squad ever again. Then he will have half a chance.
As for Mr Bigbollocks Bellingham, I think we can say he failed to rise to the occasion. “Who else?” Well, not you, clearly. Next time, let your feet do the talking, if possible.
Happy holidays.
To add context, we all sympathised with Unai and the Villa boys when they spluttered and limped over the line, totally exhausted before the season’s end. Look at the last few results. Not pleasant reading. So why not afford the England manager the same sympathy? Gary Neville said it looked like Spain had more players. I said the same. Why is that? Because Spain moved the ball and their arses much quicker than England. Why is that? Could it be because the nature of Premier League combined with all the European escapades drains the players mentally and physically by the time a tournament begins?
BFR – understand what you’re saying but England do have the players but Southgate refused to use them.
Spain used their squad; they’re manager was proactive in using substitutes.
One has to wonder why Southgate took so many players and then refused to use them.
Kane was anonymous but is going to share the Golden Boot – what does that say about football? And Bellingham – what is that all about? He neither inspired nor showed any form that suggested his high reputation in European football with Madrid.
Rather a new exciting manager than more of the same.
Awful manager who has held back some of the best players we have ever had we should of won the last 3 tournaments but this out of his depth manager has blown it as for phil foden beyond awful the best player in the Premier league is emi martinez by s country mile
Well I haven’t said much as late but reading your comments like you’ve read my mind , BFR , bang on maté Kane is his maté friend and got away doing nothing, I’ve said in posts before the euros we will not win , Southgate was lucky in many ways, The FA favourite having players that was top of their game and ran with them for years. It was the players that helped him get ? Yes knighted but to me he was a very very lucky man that knew nothing about the beloved game of football. Glad to see him go hope
Man Utd have him at sometime and ruin them .
Let’s talk about a winner for a change.
Congratulations to Emi Martinez for winning another Copa America. What a player! What a man!
Hope that they get him to show his medal off at the first home game.
I hope he did some more willy waving with his trophy!!! 🙂
On the England front, not starting with Gordon, Palmer and Ollie/Toney was unforgivable.
And Bellingham is the most overrated player in the squad. That goal aside, he was the worst player on the pitch. Kane was clearly not fit either. Whoever takes over from Horseface, needs to confront the fact you can’t play with 2 number 10s in Bellingham AND Foden. You have to decide. Make the decision like previous managers filed to with Gerrard and Lampard.
Anyway, who are we signing next???!!! I bloody well wish we’d have spotted Cole before Chel$ea…
I noticed Dendoncker is back training again at BH. We should rename him herpes because he keeps coming back.
Amadou Onana?
£50m?
Having watched Everton a few times last season and obviously I must have missed something?
RSS – the points been made that Dyche’s direct football – missing out the midfield doesn’t suit Onana’s box to box creative qualities. Dyche left him out of the side as a result and no doubt lies behind Everton’s willingness to sell (rather than selling Branthwaite).
Notwithstanding, a number of top EPL clubs were interested in him and he was selected in Equipe’s team of the qualifying games despite Belgiums (overall) poor showing.
I don’t know too much about the fella but he never was a stand out for me at Everton but I suppose Hitch – In Unai we trust?
Wasn’t Herpes a Greek God? 😂
Waiting for Southgate clone Graeme Potter to traipse in at FA HQ (as predicted months ago)…
Shouldn’t Cole Palmer be asking Ollie how to get a move to Villa rather than trying to persuade him to move to Chelsea? I’ll refrain from adding a personal slur.