StanBalaban

Arsenal have launched a system whereby entry is permitted only via an app. It's not gone well.

To add, I don't for a second believe that Monchi and co would leave the outgoing to chance until after the new arrivals appear. They will already know who needs to find a new team, and will be actively working on it whether they leave before or after more new recruits.

Genuine question, but does the chronology matter? i.e. can we still bring players in today on the condition that some leave before the end of the window (or even January)? My guess is that the books would need to be balanced ahead of a set observation date, but as long as they're in order by the time they're assessed we're free to conduct business in the order we wish.

This is how we do it!

Yep, also FFP has kind of made this a necessity - trade the viable academy prospects of tomorrow for FFP profit, in order to bring in more the more established players ready for the first team today. It's also something that only a few teams can do. No young talent at somewhere like Bournemouth or Palace is going to agree to go back there in a couple of years, if he excels at a different club in the meantime. He'll want a move to a big club. The fact that we might be entertaining this type of deal shows that were thinking like a big club.

AJ and his agent will be instrumental in the creating a lot of terms of any contract - it won't be a case of clauses being inserted by Villa on the sly. My guess is that the move to Burnley is made possible due to the lowish transfer fee - something I would guess the player is pushing for to get regular PL game time. In return, the club would like the option to buy the player back, with terms of this arrangement both pre agreed with the player and Burnley. Everyone would need to be happy with the this from the get go, otherwise there is no deal. With regards to the lack of buy back clauses being optioned in the past, I would say that speaks volumes of just how few promising talents prove to be good enough to actually be recalled by a top team. The Villa of old could never get away with this, as any promising youngster stood a good chance of game time. If the event arose that a talented academy player wanted regular football before there was a chance here, there's no way that if they proved successful they'd agree to come back to a consitently poor Villa team. FWIW, I believe the only way AJ doesn't come back is if his progress doesn't match ours.

Or PornHub

You ever see your brand doing a kit in the near future, or does it not make sense commercially?

That's literally been posted by him in the last couple of hours

@NurembergVillan a lot of us regular folk, myself included. are wondering if the players are sweating more in the kit, or is the material showing the sweat more? Is it intentional?

Hmmm... I have mixed feelings about you inserting Kenneth into yourself.

That's a weird one.

Cracking penalties from Assna to be fair.

There have been a small number that have been discussed in the public domain, and I'm sure many others that we know little about. The fact that so few get exercised might indicate just how difficult it is to go from "potential" to "ready" at a top team. And it would largely be top teams that can do this, as why would any great talent agree to go back to a club that's perennially average, or worse, after proving themselves on their "loan" away?

Yep, that's right. Expect to see more of this as the club's loaning policy is geared towards FFP. However, whilst there's no guarantees of course, it allows better players to come in to hopefully yield more success and commercial exposure - bringing in more followers and revenue.

It is right - it's called amortisation, but the example is highlighting a 5 year contract for Gvardiol. The contract of the player sold is immaterial. If AJ is sold for 12m, as pure profit it would offset a 60m player incoming ona 5 year contract. It might not be quite a linear as that, but it gives us the gist.

These guys are very dirty

For those watching on the Spanish coverage, is the picture shit there too?

Anyone else's picture quality a bit shit?

Have you tried Viagra?

Kit looks boss without the sponsor

Surely the manager gets to pick what's best for him to create a winning Villa team. IF he's letting AJ move now then he clearly thinks he's not ready. Getting regular PL football at a team with lower targets is good for the player. If he succeeds as we all hope, he'll come back to the Villa team.

2 for Blackburn against the Boggies within a minute

He's definitely got some terrible fleas in his ear advising him on his career. We do forget that Chelsea is his boyhood club though. If we had taken a "generational talent" that was a Villa fan from the Chelsea academy then we'd be pretty chuffed too. Overall, I don't think Chelsea or their fans are dwelling on that deal too much.

I'm sure Emery has carte blanch to decide who's in his squad without the need to be 'padding out'. The "IF he flies" bit is quite important as it's good for the player to get regular football, but it may be a season or two too soon before Unai thinks he's ready to handle the full top flight role for us. Emery will do what he needs to create a winning team. Maybe letting another team be the guinea pig on AJ's assessment is better for the team at this stage in his journey.