j19kjh

Doing some simplistic detective work and looking through the training pictures on the villa site today the noticeable absentees are; Grealish, Gill, Gabby, Westwood, Veretout and Sanchez.

Admittedly they may have been out of camera shot but you'd tend to expect photos of a couple of these at least. That would explain why TS didn't want to name names, I hope I'm wrong but if we have no Gill or Grealish then Sunderland can park the bus and get a point as we may have trouble unlocking them without these players.

Being at last nights game I would seriously consider partnering Sanchez at the back with Richards.

I've nothing against Clarke but watching Sanchez last night he gave a master class in how to defend with your head and was clam playing the ball out with his feet. As far as I could see he only misplaced 1 defensive header, apart from that every ball was played out from any danger with no hint of panic. If he has no reaction to playing 120 minutes then for me I'd have in the back line to allow a more offensive line-up in front.

If Adama doesn't recover I'd like to see:

----------------------Guzan-----------------------

Bacuna -- Ricahrds -- Sanchez -- Amavi    

--------------------Westwood--------------------- 

------------------Gana--Veretout-----------------

--------Grealish-------------------Sinclair--------

-----------------------Gestede---------------------    

If he is fit then:

I believe Gill, Adebayor and Ayew wont be 100% match fit and therefore will only be in contention for the bench. TS has also stated he sees Gueye as playing a more advanced attacking role, so with the imminent arrival of Veretout I can see Gueye moving forward, at least until Gill is back up to speed. Guzan is still no.1 but he's still not back from the Gold Cup & having a Summer break. With KO only a week away so I expect him to be given a little before being back in the team.

.......................................................Bunn..............................................

Hutton...............Richardson.................................Clark..................Amavi

...........................Veretout....................................Westwood.........................

....Sinclair......................................Gueye..................................Grealish....

....................................................Getsede..............................................

4-4-2 first game I'd expect:

.......................................................Bunn..............................................

Hutton...............Richardson.................................Clark..................Amavi

.Sinclair.............Veretout....................................Gueye................Grealish / New Winger 

......................................Getsede..............Kozak................................

Kozak, Ayew, Ade & Gestede - no room at the inn for Gabby! Looks like he needs to step up or move on.

 

Can't see him going to Sevilla, they're looking at having to offload Negredo in order to pay City £10m this season and then the 2nd £10m next season as part of the loan deal that was agreed, not to mention the debts the club has. I think it's safe to cross them off Praet destination list.

 

 

 

Hope somebody informs Valencia about this

 

He's landed at BMH...

 

Spurs’ Emmanuel Adebayor is on the brink of completing his loan move to Aston Villa as the striker was seen spending his Tuesday at the Bodymoor Heath training ground.

Adebayor, who is surplus to the requirements at Spurs, was apparently snapped (see below) while he was being given a tour of the facilities at Aston Villa’s training ground.

http://www.thickaccent.com/2015/07/28/done-deal-tottenhams-emmanuel-adebayor-spotted-at-aston-villas-training-ground-today-image/?

 

 

It will be a real welcome to the Premier League for our new boys... Bournemouth away in front of 16.5K supporters followed by their home bow at VP in front of 43K and only Man Utd coming to town... 6 points from 6 please.... 

Can't see him going to Sevilla, they're looking at having to offload Negredo in order to pay City £10m this season and then the 2nd £10m next season as part of the loan deal that was agreed, not to mention the debts the club has. I think it's safe to cross them off Praet destination list.

Regards Southampton the French press are saying Veretout was/is their main target but it's agreed he's heading to us for a medical and Southampton along with Bournemouth have lost out. OK that may mean Southampton will focus on Praet but if TS can convince Gueye and Veretout (according to the press) to snub the south coast and join the Villa revolution, I'm confident if we're in for this guy he'll be convinced to join us up in Brum 

 

Now this dude IS highly rated. Looks a great signing. Its going to be mental watching the first game of the season as we're going to have about 5 first looks at new players 

And the rest

 

We could have a whole new defence to look at

A whole new midfield to look at

Two new strikers to look at

 

In fact when was the last time a team had all ten outfielders making debuts?

 

-------------------Guzan

Crespo-----Richards-----New CB-------Amavi

 

---------Veretout----------Gueye--------Newbie

----------------------Praet

---------------Ade-------------Ayew

 

Only need another two or three to make this a reality

 

With TS being in the South of Spain the other day could your midfield Newbie be Darder?

After all Malaga is on the South Coast 

I'm hoping for Cambiasso, Praet & then a further 1 forward perm and Ade on loan if there's any funds remaining. I half expect a young (sub21) forward with huge amounts of raw talent & potential that needs polishing in the circa £10-15€ bracket.

Personally I think that VP should always remain so. I'm more in favour of dual shirt sponsorship along the lines of Spurs Home/Away then also sell the rights to our training wear as Man Utd have done with DHL. Also agree BMH can go for the right $.

This may increase the overall revenue but again the problem the Villa have is we're not in Europe so we'd be unable to command enough revenue to make a difference unfortunately.

Still if does even increase revenue over our current levels it's a route I'm sure the club will be/are looking at.

Also happy for all stands except the Holte being sponsored.

This has just surfaced on HITC

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2015/07/23/anderlecht-set-asking-price-for-reported-everton-aston-villa-tar/page/1/

 

The talented midfielder looks set to leave Anderlecht this summer, and a report in Nieuwsbladclaims that he has been listed for sale at roughly £10 million.

Praet, 21, is considered one of the best young players in Europe, and he has been linked with a summer move to two Premier League clubs in particular.

The Guardian reported that Everton have been looking at bringing the playmaker to England this summer, whilst the Telegraph claimed that Aston Villa were ready to offer £7 million for him.

The Nieuswblad report claims that Anderlecht are willing to engage in a transfer for Praet, but they have been able to knock his price up due to the incoming funds they will receive from the sales of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba to Newcastle.

There are no indications as to whether either Villa or Everton will submit a formal approach for Praet with his asking price now revealed.

Is Praet worth £10 million?

As a 21-year-old considered a star of the future, a £10 million fee seems incredibly low for Praet, and either club interested in him would be foolish not to try and sign him.

He is already a fully capped Belgian international, with over 100 club appearances to his name, having netted 21 goals and registered 30 assists for Anderlecht in 132 games.

Able to play anywhere behind the striker or in midfield, Praet is only going to increase in value as his reputation continues to increase, and moving for him now should be Everton and Villa’s priority for the summer transfer window.

 L'Equipe this morning are running their main Sports page with the story we're in talks with Anthony Martial from Monaco. Young and only 19 so the potential we could see him in supplemented with the addition of Adebayor until he finds his stride?

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Article/Martial-priorite-de-villa/53760

 

With the potential windfall Benteke transfer to Liverpool (€ 46 million), the Birmingham club s' prepares to restart its offensive on the Monegasque Anthony Martial.

 

DEPARTURES FROM Andre Ayew of Marseille, Dimitri Payet, Lille's Idrissa Gueye or the Stéphanois Franck Tabanou, it is a certainty: the Premier League has decided to anticipate the outlandish television rights payments from next summer attacking the French market ...

I can't pull the rest of the story but SW are running an extended version

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/aston-villa-set-to-beat-tottenham-to-striker-will-pay-more-talks-

 

Aston Villa, as L'Equipe would have it, have almost got their Christian Benteke money and are strutting around France's Ligue1 picking up the best talent they can see available. Despite protests from the club otherwise, everyone at AS Monaco is for sale for the right price, the French principality club have taken on the Portuguese blueprint of buying low and selling high and it's something which looks like it could work for them, financially anyway.

 

In June British newspapers including The Independent said that Tottenham were trying to buy Anthony Martial for a fee in the region of £18m. That always sounded too much, Tottenham wouldn't knowingly overpay for anyone, and why should they. 

 

It was all coming from France and France Football had said that Tottenham and Monaco had agreed a €25m transfer for the 19 year old. France Football are usually pretty good, but someone was proving them with information and it clearly wasn't right. We said at the time:

 

'Yet the information appears to have been dud because nothing has happened and Monaco's president Vadim Vasilyev has said the player isn't for sale. He will be for sale, everyone at Monaco is for sale for the right price. Le10 Sport say that Daniel Levy has held a meeting with Vasilyev and the Russian laid out his not for sale patter, which will be to force Tottenham into a higher bid. Levy isn't likely to play that game and so this could be a non starter unless things change from Monaco's side. The French club will look to sell one or two big name players this summer and if that hasn't happened soon then Tottenham's Martial interest becomes more of an issue, and Levy will know that. '

 

Tottenham simply wouldn't pay what Monaco wanted, regardless of what tricks the club used to get them to do so. Tottenham didn't have the need for a striker so much and weren't prepared to blow the budget. Aston Villa are in a different situation and L'Equipe think the chance of Martial moving there is so big they've squeezed it on to their front page on Friday... during Le Tour de France football struggles to get in the first half of the sport newspaper, never-mind the front page!

 

L'Equipe say Aston Villa have already started talks with the player's entourage to find out his personal demands and will look to match what the club want for him. We very much doubt it would be as high as the €25m previously mentioned but Martial is worth more to Villa than to Spurs, given the exit of Benteke. 

Things really are getting silly now... Slow Sports news day all round 

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/manchester-united-transfer-news-christian-benteke-favourites-tweet-linking-him-with-move-to-old-trafford-10390683.html

 

 

Manchester United transfer news: Christian Benteke favourites tweet linking him with move to Old Trafford

Been linked with 2 other forwards now - sadly I think this one will bite the dust soon.

Funny I dont think that at all

This sounds like good news to me, along with someone saying Genk have confirmed Benteke isn't in the squad tomorrow.

Taken from Skysports;

Tony Mowbray says he is in no rush to sell Joe Bennett after holding talks with Aston Villa but would consider letting him go for the right price.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert confirmed his interest in the Middlesbrough defender on Tuesday and said he was hopeful of completing a deal.

Boro boss Mowbray does not want to lose a player he rates so highly but accepts that everybody has their price.

"We've had a few conversations with Aston Villa over the last few days, but he's not a player we're in a hurry to move on," he told the club's official website.

"He's done exceptionally well for us and is a very talented individual. But like all players, if the numbers get to the right level, we will consider it."

Speculation

Marvin Emnes is another player to have been linked with a move away from Middlesbrough, with Swansea City understood to be keen on bringing in the striker.

However, Emnes was included in the Boro side for Tuesday's Capital One Cup clash against Gillingham and Mowbray had no hesitation in picking him.

The manager said: "I've seen the speculation and I've heard the rumours and yet Marvin's fit, he trained on Sunday and Monday, and there was no reason not to play him and here he is playing."

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11680/8029783/Mowbray-firm-on-Bennett

Lets hope we pull them both off

Bloody hell, most players just get a pay rise.

:oops:

Kendrick has released his latest report. Lets hope we pull them both off (also posted on the Benteke thread)

PAUL Lambert is preparing to submit a bid for Middlesbrough left-back Joe Bennett and make an improved offer for Genk striker Christian Benteke on Wednesday.

Bennett is the defender Villa are now chasing ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline after their pursuit of Ipswich’s Aaron Cresswell met with frustration.

According to sources on Teesside the 22-year-old is rated at £2.5 million and the claret and blues are belived to be planning to lodge an offer in that region.

Villa will also make a renewed bid for Belgium international frontman Benteke after an initial offer, understood to be £5 million weas rejected yesterday.

Lambert was characteristically playing his cards close to his chest when asked about both transfer targets after the Capital One Cup win over Tranmere.

Asked about Bennett, the Villa boss replied: “Hopefully something might happen on that. Has a bid gone in? Near enough.

“It’s like Benteke, there’s no point in me really talking about it until I know. I think it’s unfair on Aston Villa, unfair on Middlesbrough, unfair on Genk and unfair on the lads themselves.”

Benteke is keen on a move to Villa, but contrary to some reports yesterday the 21-year-old targetman, who has scored three goals in five games, has not gone on strike from the Belgian top flight club Genk.

Speaking about Benteke, Lambert said: “It’s not something I’ve thought about because I’ve had the game. I’ll wait and see.

“There’s no point me talking about it until something happens.

“We’ve just got to try ans see where we are with Genk, they’ll probably throw the ball back in our court.

Lambert, who has held fresh transfer discussions with the Villa board, admitted the last week of the transfer window can be fraught with difficulties.

“If we can do something with a few then we’d like to try and do it,” he said.

There’s three days to go and it’s hard at times because the time is shorter, things go for you and go against you and then they go on and it’s been like that. So I’ll wait and see.

“I had to be fair to the players that were here to see what they were like.

“It’s an exciting challenge for us to try and turn it around and hopefully we’ll be ok and it won’t be for the lack of trtying.

“We’re trying at the minute with a few and I’m just going to wait to see if anything happens.”

Villa have had no enquiries about unwanted full-backs Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock, with Lambert adding: “No, none.

“I haven’t thought about one thing other than trying to get people into the club. I can’t do anything if the phone doesn’t go, you have to wait and see. Maybe their agents are doing things, I don’t know.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/08/28/aston-villa-to-step-up-chase-of-christian-benteke-and-joe-bennett-on-wednesday-97319-31716880/

Kendrick has released his latest report. Lets hope we pull them both off (also posted on the Bennett thread)

PAUL Lambert is preparing to submit a bid for Middlesbrough left-back Joe Bennett and make an improved offer for Genk striker Christian Benteke on Wednesday.

Bennett is the defender Villa are now chasing ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline after their pursuit of Ipswich’s Aaron Cresswell met with frustration.

According to sources on Teesside the 22-year-old is rated at £2.5 million and the claret and blues are belived to be planning to lodge an offer in that region.

Villa will also make a renewed bid for Belgium international frontman Benteke after an initial offer, understood to be £5 million weas rejected yesterday.

Lambert was characteristically playing his cards close to his chest when asked about both transfer targets after the Capital One Cup win over Tranmere. 

Asked about Bennett, the Villa boss replied: “Hopefully something might happen on that. Has a bid gone in? Near enough. 

“It’s like Benteke, there’s no point in me really talking about it until I know. I think it’s unfair on Aston Villa, unfair on Middlesbrough, unfair on Genk and unfair on the lads themselves.”

Benteke is keen on a move to Villa, but contrary to some reports yesterday the 21-year-old targetman, who has scored three goals in five games, has not gone on strike from the Belgian top flight club Genk.

Speaking about Benteke, Lambert said: “It’s not something I’ve thought about because I’ve had the game. I’ll wait and see. 

“There’s no point me talking about it until something happens.

“We’ve just got to try ans see where we are with Genk, they’ll probably throw the ball back in our court. 

Lambert, who has held fresh transfer discussions with the Villa board, admitted the last week of the transfer window can be fraught with difficulties.

“If we can do something with a few then we’d like to try and do it,” he said.

There’s three days to go and it’s hard at times because the time is shorter, things go for you and go against you and then they go on and it’s been like that. So I’ll wait and see.

“I had to be fair to the players that were here to see what they were like. 

“It’s an exciting challenge for us to try and turn it around and hopefully we’ll be ok and it won’t be for the lack of trtying.

“We’re trying at the minute with a few and I’m just going to wait to see if anything happens.”

Villa have had no enquiries about unwanted full-backs Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock, with Lambert adding: “No, none. 

“I haven’t thought about one thing other than trying to get people into the club. I can’t do anything if the phone doesn’t go, you have to wait and see. Maybe their agents are doing things, I don’t know.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/08/28/aston-villa-to-step-up-chase-of-christian-benteke-and-joe-bennett-on-wednesday-97319-31716880/

Some clarity from PJ on Creswell taken from the Ipswich Star

IPSWICH Town manager Paul Jewell says he ‘hasn’t heard anything’ regarding Aston Villa stepping up their interest in left-back Aaron Cresswell.

The Premier League club’s chief executive, Paul Faulkner, contacted Town counterpart Simon Clegg towards the end of July enquiring about the availability of the 22-year-old following his impressive debut season at Portman Road. Clegg says he ‘discouraged a bid’.

Blues boss Paul Jewell said at the time that he’d had no direct contact from Villa counterpart Paul Lambert regarding the player. He insisted he doesn’t want to sell his best players, but added the caveat that ‘every player has their price’.

Cresswell told the Green’Un last week: “I have three years left on my contract and I want to stay here for the remainder of my contract. Stuff does happen behind closed doors, but I am happy here at Ipswich and that is all there is to it.”

However, with little over a week until the transfer window shuts on permanent deals, social networking website Twitter was rife with speculation that Villa had had a bid accepted for the full-back last night.

Speaking at yesterday’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s away game at early table-toppers Blackpool, Jewell was asked about whether Villa had followed up on their Cresswell enquiry. He said: “I haven’t heard anything’.

The defender is set to travel to a team training session in Stoke today before an overnight stop ahead of the club’s game at Bloomfield Road tomorrow.

The Green’Un understands that it would take a large offer – something in the region of at least £4-5m – for Ipswich to even consider letting go a player who was virtually ever-present in his debut campaign at the club.

The Blues still owe former club Tranmere some money as part of his tribunal-ruled £520,000 switch last summer, while it’s understood the League One club would be owed a significant amount as part of a sell-on clause.

Time would also be running out for Jewell to find a replacement left-back before the window shuts. Back-up options within the squad at present are 18-year-old Joe Whight – who is yet to make his competitive first-team debut – or shifting 31-year-old centre-back Damien Delaney out to a position he hasn’t played in some time.

http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/transfer_latest_paul_jewell_not_aware_of_any_fresh_aston_villa_interest_in_aaron_cresswell_1_1493180

A slight glimmer of hope I suppose

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert admits he would like to conduct some more business in the transfer market before it shuts next week after speaking with the club's chairman.

Lambert has already been busy at the Midlands club this summer, signing Ron Vlaar, Matthew Lowton and Karim El Ahmadi since his arrival in June.

The former Norwich boss is looking to strengthen his squad further, having been linked with a move for Stoke frontman Kenwyne Jones and Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

After speaking with Villa chief Randy Lerner, Lambert hopes he can further improve his options, with transfer deadline day looming next Friday.

The Scot told the Daily Telegraph: "I've spoken to Randy and we've just bounced things off one another.

"If something can be done, then great. We've still got a week to go so we'll see."

Ban

Meanwhile, Lambert has introduced a phone and laptop ban at Villa Park in a bid to avoid any distraction in his squad.

He said: "If you are a professional footballer, then it's not your hobby, it's your job. I think it's important. You are at the training ground to work.

"If you train the way you play, then I don't have a problem with it. But iPhones and iPads are a distraction. I'm here to win football matches, not to play on a phone or computer."

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11701/8014084/Lambert-open-to-late-spending

Not exactly Villa related but it sees MON is looking at fair number of players some people would like down VP:

Sunderland want to speak to Fulham over Liverpool target Clint Dempsey and are keen on Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha and Dnipro full back Ivan Strinic.

Dempsey has been linked with a move to Anfield all summer, but may be persuaded to travel to the Northeast instead.

Fulham are considering a move for ex-Arsenal striker Eduardo, who is at Shakhtar Donetsk and Brescia's Omar El Kaddouri, 21.

Sunderland are still waiting on the £12million signing of Steven Fletcher from Wolves.

The Scot handed in a transfer request at Wolves, and is expected to move north.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2191227/Sunderland-hoping-pip-Liverpool-Fulhams-Clint-Dempsey.html

Looks like AJ will be off to Everton if this is the be believed

Manchester City have promised Everton first refusal on a loan deal for Adam Johnson after the two clubs completed a deal for Jack Rodwell.

Young England international Rodwell swapped Goodison Park for the Etihad in a deal worth up to £15million, and although not an official agreement, managers Roberto Mancini and David Moyes have spoken about Johnson.

The 25-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at City and is danger of letting the best years of his career pass him by.

he former Middlesborough man made 26 Premier League appearances for the champions last campaign, although many were as a substitute.

Liverpool and Fulham are just two of the clubs to have stated an interest in taking Johnson on a temporary basis, but, according to the Metro, the Toffees have jumped to the head of the queue.

Should the move materialise, Mancini will press ahead with his plans to sign Scott Sinclair from Swansea.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2188053/Everton-given-refusal-Adam-Johnson.html

Manchester Evening news are saying City are pushing hard to sign Agger and Scott Sinclair. Surley if they got these City will be looking to move some players on? Obviously it's clutching at straws but if SS moves surly that would be the final nail in AJ's coffin?

Can't argue with that, well apart from under GH we did finish 9th in the end

Just shows there's still plenty of work to be done but I do like:

all the indications are that several more will follow before the end of the window

Let's hope we get a forward, left back in before West Ham