TJVillan

To be fair there have been 2 permanent transfers - Janaai Gordon and Magnus Eikkrem. They aren't exactly massive deals and there are 18 premier league clubs yet to do any business. I'm sure we are trying as hard as anyone to get players in.

I'm pleased that Randy has done this. It is a positive step no matter how you look at it and no matter how he has run the club until this point. With the club close to making a profit and debt cleared, we can focus on improving the club in a sustainable manner. Once the bomb squad is gone then that really will be the end of the era of financial cut backs and hopefully the start of something better.

Defour plays quite deep in midfield. He's not a number 10. What you can read into those Champions League stats is that Porto think he's good enough and trust him to regularly start in the champions league! If he was tearing it up in the champions league with goals and assists from central midfield, he would be linked with Real Madrid not us.

You've got Defour's Champions League stats there, not his league ones. He's actually played 57 league games since joining them in 2011 (losing only once!). I can't comment on his level of performance but it seems this season is the only one he's not really featured much.

And still am chap. Not sure even a meltdown signing will change that Still it cant be that I cannot be slightly excited now at the potential ( before I inflame any feelings of those concerned at any semblence of informed knowledge) signing of better players So what have you heard Richard? You have hinted it quite a bit. Have you heard we are after certain players? That we will spend money? or are you just optimistic and have not heard a thing? We were linked with Coutinho and Sissoko January. We are always linked with good players or seem to be trying to get good players. It's what we end up with that counts. What have you seen or heard that convinces you we will actually be able to sign quality players this window?

I fully expect the James Milner argument to come up every couple of pages in the transfer window threads until he retires. Retires with a full trophy cabinet, 60 England caps and so much money he could buy a Caribbean island, because he stayed with Man City and didn't move back to Villa.

We need a meltdownometer to clarify exactly what would constitute a meltdown.

Loan at MK Dons extended to April 3rd

Not even slightly. Those days are gone.

Similar style of play to eric djemba djemba. Djemba Djemba was more of a flair player. Grealish is better at shielding the back 4.

I think most were saying E) We bid 750k, a derisory offer, Norwich refuse to go any further with negotiations and we miss out on him because our offer was taking the p***. If we could get him for that amount, brilliant. It would be a steal. I think £1.5 million is closer to getting him. If that's the real bid and he has put in a transfer request we might be in luck. How do you know 750k (if true) is derisory? When you play FM, do you make an educated judgement on a players worth, bid that, or do you do what 99.9999% of other humans do in that instance, bid less than that just in case they accept. Norwich will negotiate our bid anyway, might as well start low. For this sort of player, most teams have an option, even the crap teams, so I can't see there being lots of competition. "Derisory" is the word the Norwich journo used to describe it. Maybe "unrealistic" is more appropriate. Hoolahan is arguably Norwich's best player. He's probably been their best player in the past several years. He's 31, which is hardly ancient, and his game doesn't particularly rely on pace, so he could have a few good years in him. 18 months isn't a long contract but it's not that short that it will decrease the value a lot. He's been out of the team a bit this season (which the Norwich fans have crucified Hughton for) but still played a fair few games. He's recently got back into the team and, unsurprisingly, been their best player. He's a fan favourite. He's got something different to the rest of their squad, real talent and vision in attacking midfield. If he gets in a good run of form he could help propel them away from the relegation zone. Or if he were sold to Villa, he could help propel us away from the relegation zone, at the possible expense of Norwich. Lambert and the Norwich board hate each other. Norwich hate the idea of having to do business with Lambert. We only got Steer through tribunal - they had no choice. £750k is about what we agreed to pay for Jordan Bowery, a player that struggled in League 2. Do you really think there is any hope that a premier league club would give up their best player for anything near that? And with Villa vs Norwich relations poor at best, is it really wise to antagonise them? I said £1.5 million is closer to what they might accept but I still think it's a low offer. I guess we'll see what happens in the next few days. I really hope we get him and the cheaper the better, but I think this one could drag on.

Mick Dennis vs the Twitterverse https://twitter.com/MickDennisReal/status/420691194453458944

I think most were saying E) We bid 750k, a derisory offer, Norwich refuse to go any further with negotiations and we miss out on him because our offer was taking the p***. If we could get him for that amount, brilliant. It would be a steal. I think £1.5 million is closer to getting him. If that's the real bid and he has put in a transfer request we might be in luck.

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! https://twitter.com/MickDennisReal/status/420688139519533057

That's more like the news I wanted to hear! Every chance Norwich will dig their heels in though.

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE PEOPLE http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-target-wes-hoolahan-6477705

It's an issue because it antagonises Norwich even further. If we were serious about Hoolahan we might have blown it. Even if they are willing to talk to us now, it drags out the negotiation process. We've got some big games coming up we could really use some new faces in. Or, worse still, that's an accurate representation of the amount of money we have to spend on a number 10 this window. That scares the hell out of me.

He's not "almost" 32. His birthday is half a year away. You don't just skip from 30 to 32! I think 750k would be an incredible bargain. He's got at least a couple of good years in him, his game isn't that reliant on pace or fitness and we have plenty of pace around to help cover. But like I said, if that is the story I'll be disappointed because there's no way they would sell that low. He turns 32 in 4 months, thats not almost 32? No. It's 31.

https://twitter.com/MickDennisReal/status/420676960592068608 What did they seriously think this would achieve? I mean I'm all for pissing off Norwich and their fans even more...but come on?

He's not "almost" 32. His birthday is half a year away. You don't just skip from 30 to 32! I think 750k would be an incredible bargain. He's got at least a couple of good years in him, his game isn't that reliant on pace or fitness and we have plenty of pace around to help cover. But like I said, if that is the story I'll be disappointed because there's no way they would sell that low.

I'm reserving judgement until after 10pm. If we really are only willing to pay 750k for Hoolahan then I'm disappointed. Here's an alternative theory... https://twitter.com/alexward3000/status/420661537133432832 (Times journalist)

http://youtu.be/caCWOjZ1St8 Where has this gone????? And yet only scored 5 league goals last season May want to check statistics before you post them.

Try asking some of the teams he's scored against under Lambert. Like Man United, Liverpool, Man City or Arsenal. He actually got 12 goals in 38 games last season, mostly from the wing. For comparison, Delfouneso got 7 in 43 for Blackpool in the Championship.

Bit of a difference between scoring regularly in League One and scoring regularly in the Premier League. On to the question what 'number 10' I would sign if I had 3.5m and around 20k on wages, thinking I would sign Lewis Holtby on loan for the season. Lewis Holtby allegedly earns £3.5 million per year. Or £67,000 per week. http://www.sportrichlist.com/football/tottenham-hotspur-players-salaries/ Pretty good guess regarding Holtby's wages, so we could afford him on loan then, well within my budget of 3.5m I guess...but I would question the sanity of paying anywhere near 3.5 million to loan Holtby for 6 months.

Well, whatever you think, Mat Kendrick isn't convinced. https://twitter.com/MatKendrick/status/420655771429253120 Edit - yeah yeah you've all seen ok.