Wes

With Traore and Rashica, the latter of which looks like it might go until the end of the window, do we think the only other addition may be this fabled Number 8 from the Continent that was mentioned on the Athletic podcast last week?

19 minutes ago, nepal_villan said:

He is essentially deadwood at Lyon and because they are not in Europe and do not require a big squad they've been offloading players for very cheap. That's why I am stunned to hear the figures being reported (£16-20m).  Check Lyon fan posts on their forums and social media and the reaction is the same. It would be the equivalent of us hearing reports that a club was offering £10m for  our Jota!

Agree. That's why I'm surprised we are in for him.

I can't believe he was part of our transfer strategy for this summer - this would be more akin to an agent saying he's available and we just going ahead with it.

That said he does tick a number of boxes as @PieFacE says above. I just feel like there's better options, personally.

1 minute ago, jacketspuds said:

Have there been any real concrete ITK info on this? Or is it primarily based off of a Daily Mail article?

He is almost sure to be leaving Lyon - he gave an interview whilst in Burkina Faso to that affect (link)

Then yesterday reports from footmercato, Daily Mail and The Sun said we had put in a bid. All articles were separate - not referring to each other.

It should also be noted that his agent has been offering him around to basically every Premier League team.

I wouldn't class it as concrete until one of our more trusted sources reports on it. Our name could just be being used to drive up the price (much like Brighton's was with Martinez a few days ago).

L'Equipe reporting that Dijon's Mounir Chouiar isn't playing for them tomorrow ahead of a move.

There was a small link to him for us in the Spring, although this article mentions Arsenal, Wolves and Leeds.

Chouiar is who I really wanted us to go after alongside Rashica. He's going to be great.

I'll hold out a little hope this is actually us involved!

Lyon fans are delighted someone is looking to buy him for a reason. Especially at that fee.

This is a very sceptical move to me.

Of course would support him should he arrive, but I think there are far better options out there for that kind of money.

A sceptical person may think that Brighton's name is being banded about just to drive the price up a bit more...

Great news about his injury recovery.

Remember that Wesley played more of an unorthodox-10 at Brugge. He liked to drop deeper. There is plenty of space for both him and Watkins in the team, especially given Watkins versatility too.

Above all it gives us options, not only in who plays, but how we play and the ability to change things up in the middle of the game should we need to. We didn't have this last season.

Clement Grenier's contract expires next year so would probably be a reasonably priced option.

I remember we were linked with him when he was at Lyon around 2014/15.

Just now, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Is this who the guys were talking about on the podcast?

Potentially - depending on how you interpreted the comments made on the podcast regarding the stature of player we were after. He would be a fine addition to the squad in my opinion.

Discussions with Villa regarding 29 year old Centre Midfielder Clement Grenier at Stade Rennais.

Porto and Galatasaray have also talked with the club regarding their interest.

2 minutes ago, Awol said:

A few people mentioned him as a better option when we thought we were in for McKennie. Would Schalke sell them both in the same window? I read they needed to raise money so the loan to buy deal with Juve for WM seemed a strange one. 

It's unlikely in all honesty. He has stated he's happy at the club and sees himself there this season. I don't think Schalke would want to lose him.

That is the right profile of player I think we should be (and likely are) going for though. Mikel Merino at Real Sociedad would be another, although likely way too expensive.

1 hour ago, Awol said:

Listened to the new 1874 podcast and (source aside) Gregg Evans said in terms that we’re after a new No.8 currently playing in Europe who’s been there and done it, and who will shock the fans if we land him. 

Putting that together with the mystery visit to Brum of Juve’s Sporting Director a few weeks ago.. I reckon we might be in for another Aaron Ramsey. 
 

Interesting, although I think his Wages would be too high. I can't see the club paying anyone higher than we are paying Grealish right now.

The more fascinating bit to me was the emphasis on searching the continent and someone who has been there/done that as @Awol described above.

This is really in-keeping with last year's strategy in a way - for the most part, players we signed from abroad last year fitted one of the follow criteria:

• Champions League Experience (Wesley, Samatta, Reina, Nakamba)
• Senior Internationals (Trezeguet, Samatta, Nakamba)
• Breakout U-21 Internationals (Douglas Luiz)

Everyone knows adjusting to the Premier League is tricky. There's a quote from Alex Ferguson (I can't remember exactly) that basically says "...don't judge a player from abroad in the Premier League until their second season." I think Villa's recruitment policy knows that buying from abroad is risky, but there is value to be had there too, and so they try to mitigate their chances of buying a player as much as possible by targeting those players who either play for their country and/or have played for their national team and understand those kind of high-stakes/pressure environments.

Cash and Watkins scream as signings driven by Smith for me - and I think they're both really good transfers for us. I doubt Lange had to do too much work there. The next bit is a bit of conjecture by me but I can see Purslow having said to Lange when he joined that we've got some domestic targets lined up that the manager really likes that we are pursuing. For this window, focus more on these areas - a Winger and a Central Midfielder that meets some of those three bulleted criteria stated above. It's more likely Lange would have experience of talents there from his time in Denmark

Now were that to be the case, there are some really exciting names out there to be had. Like Suat Serdar at Schalke. 23y. 4 caps for Germany. Played in the Champions League the season before last.

The addition of a new central midfielder would add another needed dimension (and thus more depth) to the team.

12 minutes ago, Wezbid said:

If they knew who it was, surely The Athletic would report it? 

If they're told something and it gets out in the middle of delicate negotiations, you can better believe they wont get told things again.

Relationships between club and journalists are important, it has to be mutually beneficial.

Welcome Ollie, hope you have a successful time at the club.

Got to believe that this is a Smith-choice signing.

Mostly stuff we already knew. I'm just wondering if Ollie Watkins isn't our club record transfer for too long...

The current links appear to be

GK: Martinez / Romero / Joronen?

M: Swift

W: He who shall not be named?

F: King

Fully expect there to be players we've not even been linked with so far that arrive before the window shuts.

Read: Nantes in for Fred. I really don't want him to leave.

Eliasson shares the same agent as Mohamed Daramy - The exciting winger prospect at FC Copenhagen.

3 minutes ago, Teale's 'tache said:

 

 

Surely they aren't paying him that much to be a back up? That's utterly ridiculous if true.

I'm not sure we should have anything to do with this. 33 is an okay age for a keeper, but £10m and anything close to those wages for someone who's mainly been a backup for the last decade seems bad business to me.

We signed Heaton for less than that last summer and he was far more proven at Premier League level.

 

Well Dean Henderson's new contract is £100k a week.

De Gea is on £350k.

One of them is not going to be playing.

With Romero, Manchester United are spending 550k a week on goalkeepers.

14 million rising to 16 with bonuses says Daniel Taylor, also from The Athletic.

Well deserved.

A quote from Werder Bremen's Sporting Director.