brommy

Nice one, BG. If he stays you can consider yourself a legend here already.

 

i did everything i could now its up to CB and the villa board to make the right decision.

I am reasonably confident our board will do what they can to keep CB for now, short of being held to ransom. I think 90% of the decision is with CB. We all hope he make the right decision but if he leaves I won't be angry at our board or CB. They will both be doing what is best for them in a compromise based on circumstances, mostly financial, we know little about.

Ahem... we have no idea how big transfer budget Lambert has so there's no point saying "We can't afford 10-15 million player".

 

Partially true - but as Lambert has told us 'not to to expect any big signings' and 'those days are over'  - assume towards the lower end !

Lambert is clever enough not to advertise how much we have to spend. You don't walk in to a market and tell the traders you have X to spend because the first price quoted by them is likely to be X plus their haggle margin!

I don't agree with those stating 'there's no way we would spend €15m on a player'. Currently unlikely? Possibly, but not 'no way'. In any case, the maximum we spend on a player in the next year or so is likely to be influenced by a certain Christian Benteke. I couldn't be certain of the chances of him staying or going this summer. 50-50???

I still believe Lerner would sanction a large transfer fee if the player's contract was right for Villa, i.e. reasonable wages, would take the team forward based on their current ability, would make a profit if they played well above their predicted ability. This would appear to rule out signing large value players in their late twenties.

Having said the above, it makes little sense for a club of our income to be paying any player over around £75k/week. I would expect most £15m+ players to command more than we can sensibly pay them so that does self regulate the high end of the transfer fees.

Back to Belhanda. I agree, at first inspection, it does not seem like the type of transfer we would currently complete but, as unlikely as the transfer may be, I don't believe anyone could be as certain to give it a 'no way'.

If true would love to find out what wages we are going to pay him now?

Why? Just out of curiosity or trying to work out other Villa finance matters?

 

Yeah mate. Just would like to know as it will set a bench mark for Westwood and Lowton when the time comes.

Quite possibly. It must be a nightmare running a Premier League football club - players playing well and demanding new contracts for twice their value or threatening to leave; players not playing well still being paid the high salary they negotiated when they did, at some point, play well.

Hopefully it will be officially confirmed soon that Andi is staying. With all the talk from the media and even some Villa fans that Benteke is 'too good for us', Andi is 100% the type of player we should be keeping hold of.

If true would love to find out what wages we are going to pay him now?

Why? Just out of curiosity or trying to work out other Villa finance matters?

Judging by the Youtube videos he is very very fast.

Indeed! The breakaway run from the opposition's corner kick was rapid! I think we'll be leaving him 'up' when we defend a corner!

No one answered me .. lol ..

Is he that fast ?!

I know we couldn't compare him with Gabby .. But would he be the second fastest player in our squad ?!

If that .. I think would be good for us even if he wasn't regular with his former club ..

Offers thing that Weimann doesn't offer .. While Weimann have good positioning and work rate ..

It's nice to have players with different abilities to rotate and change the game when coming ..

Think he could be faster than Gabby

I wonder exactly how fast is faster than f...

The polish website said 3.2 with up to 500k in add ons.

Was that Lech Poznan's website and did the website quote in GBP?

wasnt it 3.2 euros? which is how much in proper money? lol

£2.76m at the current exchange rate.

£3.2 mil

I've edited my guesstimate range for you. I've read that it was closer to £1m but to be honest even when the two clubs announce a figure (which is increasing rare), there is often disparities.

I'll be in Edinburgh for two hours tomorrow afternoon, but I'm not sure that will help you.

I have an 8 hour return trip so I hope the burger is good.

Can someone answer these questions please...

1. How much did he cost?

2. Has somebody said he looks good on youtube yet? (this is mandontary when any club signs a player)

3. How does he compare to Barry Bannan?

1. I don't think it has been officially disclosed. Expect to read anything from £300k to £3.25m.

2. Yes, somebody has. He does looks good on youtube, but who doesn't?! Seriously though, I can't think of another player I've seen score more than just once from 25+ yards with either foot.

3. Ask Con.

I cringe at the quotes Lambert has made about Benteke. I really think he has told him he wants to leave. They are very naive otherwise. I think the lack of commitment to signing an improved contract is telling. I think the 40m price tag is telling and I think Lamberts quotes are telling. He is off.

The quotes do not mirror the conversation broadcast on the air at all in terms of context. Lambert was merely saying that people forget how young Benteke is because he has the physical stature of an older professional.

The emphasis was on looking older than he is, rather than acting younger than he looks and that he is still developing both as a person and within is career.

 

Im more concerned about the whole situation rather than that single interview. I see what your saying but I think over the last couple of weeks its become a bit of a shambles. Up until then Lambert was just saying 'he is going nowhere'. That seems to have been swapped for waffle.

Don't mistake all the crap that has been self generated by the media for 'waffle' from the people that matter.

 

 

But thats just it, the media could not generate anything from Lambert before, It was simply - He is going nowhere.

 

Yes they could during the season, there were many questions regarding Benteke, where he stated he'd tripled his price, he'd be better off staying here.

I agree. Lambert apparently said CB is going nowhere and then the media misquoted CB when after pushing him on him being stuck at Villa.

If you examine exactly what PL and CB had said specifically about staying/moving, it would not amount to anything like waffle. The media will stir things up until any deal is done. When that happens is mostly down to CB and his agent so I don't see why anyone should see it as a shambles.

I cringe at the quotes Lambert has made about Benteke. I really think he has told him he wants to leave. They are very naive otherwise. I think the lack of commitment to signing an improved contract is telling. I think the 40m price tag is telling and I think Lamberts quotes are telling. He is off.

The quotes do not mirror the conversation broadcast on the air at all in terms of context. Lambert was merely saying that people forget how young Benteke is because he has the physical stature of an older professional.

The emphasis was on looking older than he is, rather than acting younger than he looks and that he is still developing both as a person and within is career.

 

Im more concerned about the whole situation rather than that single interview. I see what your saying but I think over the last couple of weeks its become a bit of a shambles. Up until then Lambert was just saying 'he is going nowhere'. That seems to have been swapped for waffle.

Don't mistake all the crap that has been self generated by the media for 'waffle' from the people that matter.

anyone else reckon that the whole kit launch weekend will also be used to show off new signings (Tonev, Popov et al) and re-signings (Benteke and Weimann)??

 

Would be a good double whammy!

As good as it would be, this sort of thing has been wished for every year for the last decade and I don't think it has ever happened. Even when we have signed a player very close to the kit launch, the two events have been kept separate.

If he signs will he only do the shirt/scarf holding on the 1st July?

Possibly, but he'll sleep with them ever night until he does.

Says it has all been completed.

Hope so, it's been a bit drawn out!

Only in the world of internet forums.

Imagine someone is driving from Brum to London and you know it could take anything from 100 to 150 minutes. After 2 minutes you text them - "Where are you?" "Just joining the Aston Expressway" is the response. 2 minutes later you text "Where are you now?" A text comes back - "About to join the M6". An hour later, your 30th text receives the response "Somewhere near Milton Keynes, I think". Your 50th to 60th texts are ignored. Your 65th text has the reply "In central London". The journey has taken a more than reasonable time of just over 2 hours but to you it seemed like a life time. Such is the pain of over analysis on internet forums.

Theres absolutely no way on this planet that if an offer +25m comes in we wont accept it imo. Its absolutely crazy money. I think the £40m is just there to encourage higher bids. Didnt we say we wouldnt sell Downing for less than 50m?? Some even got upset when we did 

I posted last night that I was waiting for Downing to be referenced. I'm not sure the £50m quote was any more as serious as the £40m quote for CB is. In any case it was made before an official transfer request was submitted.

I wouldn't be as certain as 'no way on this planet' we'd refuse anything over £25m. I guess we'll see, if he leaves for £25.5m. Hardly 'crazy money', imo.

Hmmm... Mirror with very little football to report on.

Mirror write a story about an in form striker, a very well known England striker, some London club and throws in words like 'stunning' and 'cash'.

Mirror quotes itself and continues its own saga using a nice round large number of millions.

The numbers 25, 30, 35, 45 and 50, written on folded bits of paper, remain in the bottom of a hat, ready for another day.

Mirror reports Spurs are offering Defoe and money -> BLOODY MIRROR MAKING THINGS UP

Mirror reports we're slapping 40m price tag on him -> BRILLIANT NEWS

 

We can't have it both ways guys

Exactly. I've posted against those who are insistent that CB is all but gone and I've slated the Mirror for their recent Defoe BS, but I also refuse to believe the £40m tag until I hear/read it from the club. I'm also waiting for Downing to be referenced.

It appears to be all quiet on the Andreas front at the moment and I can understand the focus is on Benteke and on potential new signings but I hope the club have now got somewhere near to getting new contracts with increased wage offers on the table for both players which might possibly settle them and their agents this summer. Weimann is the most likely of the two to sign a new contract without undue delay if it is put before him and it offers a reasonable return for the progress he has made with us and it would be more than a pity if we lost him because we put sorting his situation out on the back burner.

I'd guess the club have made offers to AW and CB. Their agents will be insisting there's no rush to sign the respective offers and the players will know their options are likely to increase between now September. It would be great for us if they had signed already but it takes two to tango; three if you count the agent!

The only one I'm disappointed about is Daniel Johnson, he's got really good ability on the ball but obviously, more than that is needed at this level, I'm sure he'll have a good career though

You're disappointed he's been offered a contract extension?

My view is the club should just come out and say he's not for sale.

We can't have 3 months of this shit every day .

But if the right offer for the club and player came in, he would be for sale.

I doubt the player or anyone at the club is a fretful as some on VT so I expect it will take as long as it takes.

I'm engaged, innit.

Congratulations.

Did you hear the Holte's reaction to the recent marriage proposal at Villa Park?

Just met her. She's getting back together with her ex who broke up with her 8 days before she met me.

 

Glad to have closure

I'm glad it's over for you.

Take it as experience that the behaviour she exhibited is not normal. Either she was the type of woman to avoid, and/or, as it turns out, her mind was elsewhere. Someone else already wrote, if it's meant to be, things aren't that difficult.

Have i missed something here ? Has Benteke said he wants to leave this summer ??

Some assume that because he hasn't stated otherwise, he must be off. Waiting for all his options to be clear before making a decision to stay or go doesn't seem a possibility to some.