1958Villan

Just because a buy-out clause has been activated doesn't mean we have to accept that as a selling price. I hope we play hardball over Gueye but if we do end up selling him, we could do worse than replacing him with Derby's Jeff Kendrick.

More like £45m mate. I'd fight like hell to keep Gana, I'd much prefer to sell Sanchez. Guzan I'd keep, he's in the final year of his contract and I can't blame him for last season, anyone's confidence would go playing with the defences he's had for the past few seasons. Bunn I'd let go on a free, 10 goals conceded in two games. I'd add Agbonlahor to that list, even if it meant paying up his contract and Gil, who is actively courting clubs in Spain. Not forgetting Okore. My suggestions to fill the spots you mention Brentford's Scott Hogan for the striker role, Derby's George Thorne for CM, along with Tom Carroll of Spurs. AM I'd take Nick Powell or, Gaston Ramirez, Winger I'd take QPR 's Junior Hoillet. I'd add a right-back in either DeAndre Yedlin of Spurs or Kyle Naughton of Swansea and another centre back, either Marc Wilson of Stoke or Tomas Kalas of Chelsea.

If you'd bother really reading what I wrote, you'd see I didn't specify Amavi as the one to go but, as one of three, each of whom it is possible to make a case for keeping.Yes, Amavi is good going forward but, he lacks somewhat defensively, as does Bennett. While Cissokho is more of a defender. Personally, I like the idea of having a defensive fullback and a more attack-minded wing-back, giving different options for formations. On the right side for example, I'd like a combination of Kyle Naught on. as the defensive back and DeAndre Yedlin as the wing-back.

We do need a right back if we are to get rid of Bacuna and Richards. My choice would be Yedlin from Spurs as he can play right midfield as well. We could also do with another two centre-backs if we get rid of Lescott, Okore and Clark. I'd go for Wilson of Stoke, an experienced campaigner who is out of contract I think and Chelsea's Tomas Kalas on loan, who has experience in the championship. We could do with off-loading one of Amavi, Cissokho and Bennett too. We need to get rid of two out of Gana, Westwood and Sanchez. I'd keep Gana. We could stand losing Veretout and replacing him with Someone like Spurs Tom Carroll. Getting rid of Agbonlahor and Gestede would be my choice, Gabby for obvious reasons and Gestede for his lack of movement. Kozak I'd keep for his intelligent runs and knack of being in the right place in and around the six-yard box. I like Brentford's Scott Hogan and possibly Millwall's Lee Gregory as forwards.

Stoke have offered £16m I believe and had it turned down. I think Berahino is one of those players like Adama Traore and Raheem Sterling, that is, plays like a typical 10-year-old in the playground. You know goes on 20 runs with the ball but only passes to a team-mate in a better position twice. Over-rated. Still, Mark Hughes must think he can do something with him. Of the clubs showing interest Stoke should, logically, be his choice. They are an improving established premiership club, having just had their best season.

I wish some people would get realistic about the type and quality of signings we are going to need to make, as well as the amount of money we have to spend. I know Dr. Xia mentioned £50m but, when you look at some of the ridiculous sums being asked for and paid this season, it is peanuts, especially when you consider the number of recruits we will need if we are to stand a chance of getting anywhere near promotion.

Chelsea loans I'd rather have than Bamford are Bertrand Traore striker and Tomas Kalas centre-back.

How about trying for Borussia Dortmund's 27-year-old centre-back Nevin Subotic who's available for £4m. Add in Brentford's forward Scott Hogan and free agent, secondary striker, attacking midfielder and either right or left winger Nick Powell.

Because of the amount of rebuilding that needs to be done within the club but, specifically within the first team playing squad, I would think that promotion this season is really too big a step. I understand, of course, why our new owner would mention it as this season's target, sort of a reach for the stars but accept the moon as the realistic prize. I fully expect the serious end of our team rebuild to be done in the winter transfer window.

Manchester United misfit goalkeeper, Victor Valdez, has signed for Middlesborough, so it would appear any possible interest they may or, may not have had in Brad Guzan, is now mute.

I think business will speed up after this week's training stint in Austria, especially the friendly RDM has organised. I was not at all surprised to see the group taken to Austria, doesn't contain any of the kids pushing for a first team chance, I think it could well be the equivalent of 'the last chance saloon' for several of the squad.

Moussa Sissoko is a talented player, he couldn't have gained over 40 caps for France if it was otherwise. I think his problem is in that he has been asked to play central midfield, where he appears to be a little less at ease, rather than right midfield, where he is less restricted.

I think the clue to Westwood's passing is encapsulated in the word. 'attempted'. As for the highlights video, what was it, a dozen successful passes in 4 seasons. Just about the same ratio as his successful tackles, freekicks and corners. (success at these two being clearing the first defender).

Westwood was on £35k a week in the premiership and that has presumably been halved, now the club is in the championship. That would make his wage £17.5k a week. Westwood has excellent passing stats at first glance but, when you break down those stats, they aren't at all impressive. Probably 90% of Westwood's successful passes, either go sideways, to a fullback or fellow deep-lying midfielder or, backwards, to a centre-back or the goalkeeper. Forward passes over 5 metres were very rarely successful. His corners and free kicks very rarely beat the first defender. His successful tackles and headers were virtually none existent. So, getting £6m for him would be something of a coup.

So Gingo, you think Traore and Gil, if given freedom, will rip teams apart. Tell me where would you play them, difficult I know, as both are basically right wingers. Different types of winger it's true but, basically right wingers none the less. For example, Gil is a left footed right winger, so he continually cuts inside, right into the traffic, thus cutting down on his ability to create chances for the attackers. He also loses chances to create by holding on to the ball for too long. He isn't strong enough either, being easy to knock off the ball. Traore on the other hand, is more reminiscent of a young Aiden McGeady, running with the ball into dead-ends, keeping the ball for so long, that the intelligent and non-intelligent runs from the forwards will be negated. Traore in particular, needs an awful lot of work, before he will be a productive member of any team. In the championship, no team can afford to carry a passenger and that is what both Gil and Traore will be, none contributing passengers, for probably somewhere between 90-95% of games they play.

Traore plays like a 10 year old in the school playground. That is as an individual, with absolutely no inkling of teamwork. Barcelona had him for years and were unable to get the idea that football is a team game, to stick in his pea-sized brain, so I very much doubt that our manager and coaches will have any more luck. The goal he got an assist for last season, the Carles Gil wonder goal, was just that, wonderful adjustment by Gil, to a vastly over hit cross. Personally, he wouldn't make the first 2 dozen names on any team sheet, let alone the first 2 or 3 names.

I still think Micah Richards has the physical attributes to make a centre-back, after about a years intensive training in the psychology of the job. That training would best be done at a club with a large squad, something the size of Chelsea's. We just don't have the size of squad or resources to spend training one player.

Don't you think it's time we stopped thinking about buying premiership players and concentrated instead on players who are more likely to sign for a championship club.? Now while these players might indeed have played in the premiership, they are likely to have been released or, have had their contracts run out. These players are most likely to be deemed as unspectacular but solid, players like Stoke centre-back, 28-year-old Marc Wilson. Of course, there are players in Europe who are out of contract for various reasons, players such as, Schalke centre-back Neustader and Juventus' centre back Caceres. Getting back to what could be termed 'our level', such as Blackburn's 24-year-old centre-back Shane Duffy. Or Bordeaux centre-back Lamine Sane.

Burnley said to be interested in buying Ashley Westwood and Rudy Gestede. I'd sell them both and replace them with Jeff Hendrick of Derby County and either Ross McCormack of Fulham or, Scott Hogan of Brentford or, Lee Gregory of Millwall.

Probably not mikeyp but, remember he has been played out of position virtually the entire time he's been at the club. I'd be willing to give him a season, in his correct position, to see if he can play in the UK.

I'm wondering if Di Matteo will give Bacuna a chance to resurrect his career this season. If he does, I hope it's in one of his correct positions. Bacuna was bought from Groningen as an adaptable midfielder, playing either right, central, attacking midfield or right wing. He did fill in at right back for 5 or 6 games for Groningen but, that was as a last gasp measure because of injuries. As we have seen Bacuna is not a natural defender and was much more effective when employed in a wing-back role. In fact, his best and most effective displays, have all been when he has been used further forward. By using him properly, it could save the club some money.

With such a strong Chelsea connection in our new management team, two loans I'd love to see are, young striker Bertrand Traore and young centre-back Tomas Kalas, both with an option to buy if we gain promotion.

We could say a club can have as many foreign nationals on their books as they like but, are only allowed 3 or 4 in a match day squad. The quality of foreign players would improve, simply because, to be honest, the number of foreign players has increased but, the quality has dropped overall. It's like the thinking, in general, is that a player must be better than home grown talent, simply because they are foreign.

How about doing a swap deal, Sinclair for Tierney, their young very highly rated left back. That would then allow us to swap Amavi for Liverpool's Joe Allen, sell Cissokho, keep Bennett and make a profit while improving the team.

He has been involved in 134 premiership games since the start of the 09/10 season. That works out at just about a gnats testicle more than 19 games a season. So that's about 50% of games in the most extended run of worst results the club have ever endured. Tony Pullis wants WBA to give us £5million for him, why are we waiting.