I thought it was about time we moved on from the Man city game and our somewhat disappointing end to the season and looked at better things.
So after getting Boubacar Kamara (on a free) in really early and Phillipe Coutinho (£17 million) even earlier, the club have just announced that we’ve now signed Diego Carlos from Sevilla for a rumoured £26 million.
Even better is the fact that AC Milan were also interested, but frankly couldn’t compete with what we’re supposed to have offered him in wages.
When you consider that Carlos’ supposed value on Transfermkrt is £40 million plus that looks excellent business on the face of it. The Spanish club have to comply with some FFP type rule by the end of June and we’ve obviously used it as something to beat the club down with and then offering the Brazilian defender no doubt sky high wages has obviously swung the deal. We all know how a player can sway a move if he really wants it.
It’s the same with Kamara. I’d love to know what we’re paying him, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s currently our highest paid player. £200K a week, or £40 million total, over a four year deal is pretty good business for example and hopefully he hasn’t even cost that much, which makes it an even better deal!
I’ve pretty much said all this in the replies section in the previous thread, so I kind of shot my foot in the foot there, but oh well, this is worth a new subject, I think.
I’m guessing we’ve probably committed to a £60 million spend for this season alone.
Are we spending the Grealish money, I wonder?
If so, we’ve bought an attacking mid, a defensive mid and now a defender. While I think I said previously that I thought we need 5-6 players in (or at least thought it), I think the most popular opinion from what I’d read was around four new players required.
Top players, I mean.
Squad players would be replacements for all those that will go.
So I’m guessing we are going to spend another £40 million on a striker or maybe another two cheaper players.
That’s without wages, by the way.
There’s lots of variables of course, as we could get good money for Ings, if he goes.
But whatever, it’s highly encouraging isn’t it?
We’re doing our business really quickly and even if we pause now, we’ll have players in that will do the whole pre-season. That can only be a good thing, although in all honesty, I don’t think it’s such a big deal. Almost everyone else does though, so I have to go with that, I guess.
What else is also impressing me is how this time, those that are usually totally speculating seem to be very on the ball.
I guess it makes a pleasant change from hearing the usual clickbaiters getting it totally wrong.
I’m also guessing that us paying wages that are blowing top clubs out of the water is hard to keep quiet.
I have previously voiced my concerns that we may be ending up with a “bomb squad mk11”, but I suppose what we’re doing is the right way to go if we really want to compete and get better.
You have to speculate to accumulate and I have to be appreciative of what our generous owners are doing.
UTV!
It’s looking very good, isn’t it? 🙂
Sure is Badger.
Going to be a lot of outgoings including some recent arrivals!
If Ings and Bailey go – not out of the question – we’ll be re-spending the Grealish money 🙂
Perhaps Purslow should go on Villa TV again and explain how he got it so wrong last time 🙂
Hmm, Purslow.
It’s a good point though.
I wonder who’s driving these signings?
I hope it’s not Beale. It looks like he might be off to QPR 🙁
SG has been speaking to players directly, I believe.
It would seem he knows how to convince players to come.
Mind you, it must help that he must still be in the minds of a lot of our targets. They’d have been teens watching him.
I was very sceptical about this “sign him they will come” thing but I have to hold my hands up and say I was wrong.
Fair play to SG and all involved at VP, exciting times ahead.
Roll on the fixtures.
I think Beale is more the innovative coach designing and running the coaching sessions. He certainly seems to be very highly regarded.
It’s a big step to management and it doesn’t always work if your experience is coaching alone.
It’s up to Gerrard to persuade him to stay – that’s assuming he’s interested in the QPR position.
I’d say Gerrard is pushing for these signings, I can’t imagine he’d have taken the job with no control over them.
Wether he’s good enough to manage them and get them playing as a team is another story.
Guest you know how I feel about the fella but you have to admire his ruthlessness – he’s taken stock of our weaknesses and gone for it.
None of have a crystal ball but as Cloughie quipped when ask the secret of a good football team… “Good players”.
I’ve often thought on reading some post about you have to give SG a chance to show his worth, he did it on the football pitch in his day, now with that same determination show us on your managing . I honestlythink we have the right manager for the future, them signings are making us all excited and cannot wait for the season to start. Villa are coming home..
There’s talk about Calvin Bassey from Rangers now.
Apparently he would be “open to talking to Villa”.
Yes, I’d be open to talking about quadrupling or more, my wages too.
They almost make it sound like he’d be somewhat reluctant 🙂
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-bassey-transfer-rangers-24075055
I’d love to see Bassey at VP, far better than Mings and Konsa.
He was immense in the Europa final
The encouraging part for me is that we’re doing the incoming deals very early; none of the last-minute stuff in August and plenty of time for the in-comers to get a full pre-season with the rest of the ‘stayers’.
Will be interesting to see who’s the first to leave…
Definitely Ardent.
Marca’s Alberto Fernández has got the right hump about us signing Carlos and says they could have got more for him, which is music to my ears.
Thing is, even though he seems very bitter, he’s probably right in his other comments;
http://sportwitness.co.uk/100-times-less-pleasant-place-live-anger-player-moving-aston-villa-pl-showing-strength/
I love how we do our business fast and early now. Diego Carlos is a very good player, i’m sure he will be an improvement on what we have now. The good thing about doing our business early is that we steal a march on other clubs floundering about and it raises our profile for sure signing world renowned players too. Players will look at us and think yeah this club is going places. Personally we need a top striker and they are very hard to find! I’d go all out for Tammy Abraham in a swap deal with Douglas Luiz. Bring in Bissouma and another winger/forward like Cornet from Burnley, and that would make me happy. I have really high hopes for Cameron Archer this season and if we dont loan him out or find a new striker, i’m confident he possesses the right attributes to score more than Ollie. I also feel Ollie could be better placed as a winger, his work rate would be handy for someone like Digne who likes to bomb forward. Very interesting times for sure. Lots for Gerrard to think about and sort.
Adam, a swap with Tammy for Luiz?
That’s an interesting one.
On the face of it I would have said not a chance in hell, but it could make sense.
Maureen is supposed to fancy Luiz.
It might be in Abraham’s interests too, re getting back in the England squad.
Chuck in say £60 mill and it might be a tempter.
It appears SG doesn’t go for wingers, so I’m not convinced about Cornet.
I do agree that Watkins might be better out wide and I think that’s where he used to play, isn’t it?
From what I’ve seen, Archer is going to be a lot more involved in the Villa squad, certainly in the pre-season, at least I don’t think he’ll be loaned out this time. Maybe in the winter if he hasn’t progressed enough?
Yep, very interesting and I don’t think we’re done yet.
And as has been said, loads to leave, which will see us all the way through the window, hence still loads to talk about.
Yep that’s what I was thinking, Mourinho was linked to be after Luiz and personally I dont feel Luiz gives us much, although I know some feel different but I think he could be replaced with better. Exactly, I think Tammy would love to come back to England, and there aren’t many clubs outside the top 6/7 that could attract him back other than ourselves and maybe Newcastle now with their money.
Yeah Cornet was just one of those where, he was brilliant for Burnley, they’ve been relegated and might get him on a fairly cheap deal, someone that would be a better replacement than say Trez or Traore.
I’m itching to know if there’s any truth in the Bassey thing.
It seems to be gaining traction to me.
We all know where that would leave all our current defenders.
Would they be happy to play second fiddle?
Particularly Mings the international?
IF Gerrard signs Bassey – and I say Gerrard deliberately because I think he’s driving transfers in a way I doubt Smith ever did – then Carlos / Bassey would become the preferred CB pairing.
With 6 CH’s on the book, two would be surplus to requirements and I guess Mings / Hause are the most likely to go.
If that does come to pass who will take the captains arm band – interesting debate?
Captains armband?
I’d suggest non of the old guard, SG will want his own man.
So if I were to hazard a guess – it’ll someone he brings (or as brought) in.
New broom clean sweep and all that.
Hitch, I agree completely about SG’s role in the transfers. He’s not a manager who’ll settle for a comittee telling him who they’re going to buy for him. And I think that he’s probably a very big reason why we’re seeming to attract players who would usually be ‘sniffy’ about coming to a club who won’t be playing in Europe for yet another season.
I can’t guess how many will leave or how many more will join, but it looks as if the first starting line-up in August will be very, very different to the one that played last week -and it’ll definitely be Gerrard’s team.
I’d cash in on Mings. £30+ mill?
As much as I don’t think he’s worth buttons.
New captain is McGinn, by a mile, for me.
I don’t mind defenders doing it, in which case it could be a new lad.
I just prefer a mid.
I actually would have said Mings, because he certainly has enough trap.
He just doesn’t lead by example though. At all.
Plus I don’t want a captain who doubts himself and is a f***y.
You have to show that you’re a winner to be a captain and Mings isn’t that, imo.
Some sort of vendetta?
No, I just think he’s utter crap.
In fact I really wish we’d get rid, as I wouldn’t have to keep on about it 🙂
Actually I think Mings is pretty good as a captain. I just believe that he’s not quite at the playing level we need to make a serious crack at European football.
Ardent, he has the mouth, without doubt.
I just struggle with a defender who shouts and points the finger a couple of minutes after he’s dropped a massive clanger.
Yet again.
I think I’ll have to agree to disagree with this one, as I know some really like him.
Badger, I’m beginning to think that you don’t rate Mings! Seriously though, I agree that he shouldn’t be captain. Maybe if that responsibility was taken off him and handed to someone like McGinn, then possibly he wouldn’t make so many gaffes. Up till now, Mings and Konsa haven’t really been under pressure to perform or risk being dropped. Next season if both are retained, then there will be greater depth in our defence especially more experienced players.
I’m going back a long way here; this reminds me of Chris Nichol back in the mid 70’s.
Very popular centre-back who captained the team & club to promotion back to the old Div.1 – only for Sir Ron to drop him without any notice during the close-season a couple of years later and replace him with either Evans or McNaught (honestly can’t remember which!!)
Mcginn for captain all day long.
CL final delayed by 15 mins and apparently Liverpool fans have been tear gassed outside the stadium.
I heard some in Beeb interviews this morning saying they hadn’t got tickets, but they would get in.
I’ll bet they’ve tried to storm the entrances again.
Scumbags, if so.
Something they were notorious for back in the day. ( We’ll leave it at that) )-:
I wonder if Stevie might have a word in Bale’s shell-like while he’s over there?
I’m mostly joking, but I’d take him. He’s still a great player if you can motivate him.
He’d have to seriously cut his wage demands though, obviously.
Congratulations Real 🎇
The capitulation at Man City was the final straw for SG. He has learned the art of the comment to the press which is measured and even-tempered but conveys the fact that a line has been passed. “Speak softly and carry a big stick”.
Mings loses the armband and must be 50/50 to go. “No reasonable offer refused.” All the players who begin matches on the bench under Gerrard are liable to be replaced if we can find someone better. I am really not sure about Douglas Luiz. I would be prepared to give him a shot at playing further forward – where he wants to play – but SG may be more ruthless. Last chance saloon for Bailey and Sanson – be durable or get fired – but already in the shop window.
The status of Coutinho and Ramsey is also in question. Obviously they will be kept. But, both have faded to anonymity is some of the last league matches so they will be expected to cut that out when playing with the new recruits, otherwise they will find themselves on the subs bench.
Hard to debate any of that OLL.
Except I don’t see where you can play Luiz.
I’m the same. I’d like to see him further forward too.
But who are you going to drop to play him there, given that we have PC, Buendia and I’d prefer to see McGinn play further forward too?
I think if the right bid comes in, he’s gone.
And as you say, very few are safe.
Grafters and battlers are the safest with SG, imo, hence my previous list.
PC stays for obvious reasons.
But the biggest at risk are those who have flair, but don’t graft enough.
I’m looking at you Traore and Bailey, amongst plenty of others.
SG has just said that we’ve tried to nip in for signings while other clubs are still asleep, but now he’s off on holiday for a few weeks and is going to switch off, although he’ll still be on the end of a phone.
Does that mean our main business is done?
Or do the recruitment team keep working on targets and speak to the manager just to get his yea or nay?
I suspect it’s a bit of both, myself.
Badger, I can’t see where Luiz fits if McGinn is playing, but it is unreasonable to expect John to play 90 minutes of every match, so a sub or stand-in would give him some rest and I see Luiz as being his deputy.
If we are done in the transfer market that means Archer is the designated understudy to Watkins. We read Villa are looking to buy a striker but I cannot see who is selling one.
Is Mings as bad as we seem to think – after all he’s in the England centre back group and, from what I’ve seen, he’s performed pretty well at International level.
Yes, he makes mistakes, as all players, do but some seem to be forgiven more easily. The ‘official’ EPL stats say he’s made 4 mistakes leading directly to a goal in 122 EPL games. On the other hand his long ball passing accuracy is pretty good which works well with Watkins leading the line.
For Villa, particularly this season, he hasn’t had a regular CB partner and he’s regularly had to cover a whole series of crucial mistakes by Konsa in particular.
The points I’m trying to make are we would have to buy an internationally recognised CB to achieve an upgrade on Mings but, on the other hand, I feel we’d see a different level from him if he has confidence in his CB partner – probably Carlos next season and with a good number 6 in front of him – Kamara.
Whether taking the captaincy away would be a positive or negative I’m not sure.
If our transfer business is done (Bassey et al just media hype?) then Mings will stay.
It’s not subjectively about liking or disliking the individual after all.
Not what I read about his stats, he’s apparently not the “Elite Defender” due his stats not being good enough.
And as for playing for England, well just one name puts that to bed…
Harry McGuire.
According to Southgate, Grealish has improved since his move from Villa, particularly in his positional play! Everyone knows that Southgate is a tool and a fraud. His unprofessional encouragement to coax Grealish to move to a bigger club to enhance his chances of playing for England. His tactics are a poor imitation of Peps without the success. Backwards and sideways with old slab head picked for potential goal threat from a set piece if it ricochets off his square bonce into the net.
England will win nothing under this idiot. An FA cronie picked failed club manager who says nothing controversial. The politically correct mouthpiece in his ‘interesting’ waistcoats who like his previous FA hand picked failures will go to this year’s World Cup with great expectations, only to come unstuck when we meet a France, Argentina or Spain.
Rant over 🙂
I’ll give my opinions (and that’s all they are) in one reply.
OLL, Luiz as a back up player. All day, yes.
But could you see him being happy with that?
I really can’t see it happening
Kamara is no doubt going to be our main def mid, with Nakamba second in line or maybe starting alongside Kamara.
Luiz might get the odd game a season there and it’s likewise if he gets his preferred position.
I’d bet he’ll be gone if we can get anything approaching a decent offer.
Hitch, you know exactly what I think about statistics. They come after “lies and damned lies” 🙂
Seriously, they can totally mislead though.
It may well have been that his mistakes only led to 4 goals, but it’s a lot more than just that. It’s his poor reading of the game and his atrocious heading for a man of his height.
As for his clearances, I don’t see that either.
Yes, he can hoof it as well as any at times. But I’ve still got one clearance in mind a couple weeks back, which I mentioned then. It went straight out over the line and I would have been more accurate if I’d closed my eyes and hit it.
Okay, you can say it’s a one off, which would be fair enough, because everyone makes mistakes.
But it’s all the time.
It’s not a personal thing, in any way. I’m far too pragmatic to look at things like that. I’d even take a woman in any position (ooh er, missus) if she was better than anything else we had and that’s saying something! 🙂
He just doesn’t have the attributes that make a top defender and he certainly doesn’t have them to be a captain.
Actually, he does have one and I’ve acknowledged it. He can shout a lot.
As RSS says, playing for England means very little these days. We’re so average it’s untrue.
Holte, you’re not going to get any debate ot of me talking like that!
I’ve often said that Southgate is a total fraud, for every reason you say.
You forgot to say he’s incredibly boring with it as well.
I wouldn’t mind, if he’d ever done anything in his managerial career, but…
I know Cloughie was one of the best ever, but oh how I wish we could get someone like him, sucessful, genuinely wanted to see good footy and a big personality, whether you loved or hated him.
Everything Southgate isn’t.
I know which one I’ll soon forget of the two.
I just find myself waiting now until Southgate gets sacked when the penny finally drops that he just isn’t anything like approaching a winner.
The worrying thing is that I can see him staying for years, because getting the quarters or semis is safe, isn’t it?
Plus I’ll never, ever forgive him for the capitulation against Italy, that we should have won at a breeze.
Going back to last night, it would appear the police in Paris were way too heavy handed.
But it also seems that fans with fraudulant tickets turned up really early and got in, leaving people with genuine tickets unable to enter.
Hence the police had no choice but to put a stop to that, imo.
That still makes it some of the Pool fan’s fault, but I’d agree there needs to be an inquiry, because it seems those tickets were too easy to forge and should have been digital.
And I still find it concerning that these sorts of problems are always Liverpool.