MessiWillSignForVilla

This. Plus the thing that highlights the Welsh bias for me, is Hibbard being selected. Tom Youngs has put himself up there with the best hookers in the world if not the best on this tour, IMO. He has been immense throughout the tour and is infinitely better in the loose than Hibbard. Also Phillips is just a slow terrible version of Ben Youngs, the Aussies have him figured out and will just leave gaps where he'll have no support and turn him over as soon as he gets tackled after running about 5 metres. Think the Aussies will win now as this selection is just not good enough.

That report says we've only made an enquiry though, which means we haven't offered money but just asked how much would be required, and Nurnberg have said he's not for sale, just like we said for Milner, Downing and Young, and considering their record transfers are around £6-7m I can't see them selling for much more than £10m, much like I don't think it would take much more than our record transfer (~£20-24m) to get Benteke.

It's more a case of that if he signed for Villa he would be a guaranteed starter and our 2nd or 3rd best player, whereas if he was to join a team in the top 6/7 with a lot more money, he would only be rotation so is not deemed worth the money (especially as they could probably splash a bit more cash on a bigger name) as much he would be if Villa signed him. I think you are wrong with how you think the top 6/7 are a million miles better than us and I think you are wrong in both your assessment of Belhanda and your assessment of the abilities of our squad. I also believe Lambert is not in the slightest bit interested in Belhanda. Please tell me where I said the top 6/7 were a million times better than us? It's no doubt they are better, and the majority of their players would walk into our squad, hence why we were almost relegated and they didn't. Don't get me wrong I think we will do very well next season and have good, young and exciting team that could possibly even get top 8 at a push. I was answering the original question of why aren't a whole host of clubs after him. That's probably because the teams who he would walk into and start can't afford him (bottom half) and the teams who can afford him aren't interested as he would cost too much for what they would probably see as a back up. Belhanda is a talent, and would only be second to Benteke in our squad, which isn't a bad thing, but at say Tottenham he would be competing with Bale, Dembele, Sigurdsson, and at say Liverpool he would compete with Gerrard, Coutinho and Shelvey, plus whoever these teams decide to buy aswell, can you really see them shelling out £10-12m for another backup? This is my point; He is too expensive for the lower teams and not quite good enough for the top teams, hence "a whole host of teams" aren't after him. EDIT: Also how good do I think Belhanda and our squad is? I didn't even mention that in what you quoted yet my opinion on both is apparently wrong.

It's more a case of that if he signed for Villa he would be a guaranteed starter and our 2nd or 3rd best player, whereas if he was to join a team in the top 6/7 with a lot more money, he would only be rotation so is not deemed worth the money (especially as they could probably splash a bit more cash on a bigger name) as much he would be if Villa signed him.

IRB have appealed the Horwill citing, so he could be out for the third test after all.

But the chairman said it was a concrete offer. "Asked if the offers were concrete, he replied: "Yes. From AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray and Aston Villa."" That's from the story that was on the Sky Sports News website, but as I said before, I'm dubious whether we'll get him as I think he wouldn't choose to come to us if he had other options, but I don't see why people are so ready to believe that this is link is BS.

What is the actual evidence that Villa will sign this player? Or for that matter, Villa are interested? Because both his club and the player have been quoted saying so. Doesn't mean I think this will happen, i'm dubious, but i'm convinced we're in for him. What's the evidence we aren't in for him? A piece from the Express & Star with no quotes? That's not evidence, that's you saying there are quotes out there! If you do get them, I think you'll find he said Villa was a great club. Nothing about Villa bidding. Chairman said we made an offer, along with approx. 5 other clubs. And since then nothing has happened...? Kendrick reckons Villa aren't in for him now, so that would suggest we can't rely on the chairmans quotes. So right now, there's no great evidence to suggest Villa want him. Perhaps they enquired and the chairman got a rush of blood to the head. Why would Kendrick reckoning were not in for him mean we can't trust the Montpellier Chairmans quotes? Also if the chairman was trying to start a bidding war, why chose Villa? It is generally regarded in the media we are cash strapped (which I don't believe), surely he would choose Man City, or Tottenham or Arsenal? (not particularly directed at you, just a general comment as this seems to be the consensus on here)

What is the actual evidence that Villa will sign this player? Or for that matter, Villa are interested? Because both his club and the player have been quoted saying so. Doesn't mean I think this will happen, i'm dubious, but i'm convinced we're in for him. What's the evidence we aren't in for him? A piece from the Express & Star with no quotes?

Villa are announcing soon according to Kendrick's twitter

Didn't Mat Kendrick backtrack on that though saying he wasn't sure if bids had been made, only business wouldn't concluded until next week

Has the official twitter always had a black and white badge? could be an indication of the badge for the away kit, if so, i like it

Dave Whelan just said on SSN that he's delighted Martinez has joined Everton, but didn't he say Everton weren't big enough for him? God, I really dislike that man!

Being revealed next Wednesday according to OS, but the news item has disappeared after I went back on it EDIT: Story is back on OS now

About an hour ago he retweeted a Villa fan, not sure if it means anything but he's not been retweeting fans from any of the other clubs. Although it could just not be him. Just thought I'd put that out there.

Just read Sky's version of this story and they seem to have added some quotes that were probably left out of the other stories, one which stood out for me was: - "I am a Villa player for now. They are the right club at the right time for me. I have fulfilled a dream by playing in the Premier League. Now it is about staying as long as possible." The way people are reacting is as if he's said he wants to leave in Jan, but these quotes suggest to me he is fully committed to Villa. For me this has been completely blown out of proportion, all it is is a young player admitting his boyhood club was Arsenal, and whats wrong with that? If i was a footballer I'd be open about the fact I was a Villa fan, even If I played for Birmingham. There's little honesty left in football nowadays and there's no surprise that there's little left when this is the reaction to a footballer being honest.