Earl the Pearl

I would be Breely happy if we signed him.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-manchester-city-6022312

 

Micah Richards fears Fabian Delph and Christian Benteke could both leave Aston Villa this summer.

Richards is just beginning his career at Villa on a free transfer from Manchester City but is worried he might not have new England star Delph as a team-mate for long, while striker Benteke could move to Liverpool.

Benteke is expected to tell Villa that he wants to quit the club, though the Anfield giants aren't keen to meet the £32.5m asking price.

And Delph has asked Richards - who spent 13 years at the Mancunian Blues - about life at the Etihad.

“Delph’s been unbelievable for Aston Villa. Every player wants to play at the highest level,” said defender Richards. “He won’t want to go there as a squad player, but if he gets assurances that he’s going to play, then the decision is his. And if he wants to play in the Champions League...

 

Neville Williams

Fab captain: Delph was made skipper by Tim Sherwood

 

 

“I wouldn’t say, 'Don’t go to Man City' because if he’s playing well, he’ll get in. Joe Hart plays every week, but he’s world class.

“People think Manuel Pellegrini doesn’t like English players, but it’s nothing to do with that. If you are good enough, you will play. If Delph is going to be given the chance to play at Manchester City then it’s hard to turn down.”

Richards revealed that Delph has gone to him for advice.

“He’s asked me what I thought about the situation but I don’t want to tell him to go there and then he’s not playing and he’s ringing me up,” said Richards.

“It’s a difficult season because it’s the European Championship [at the end of it]. If you find yourself playing only 10 games and someone else has a really good season, then he’s [the other man] going to play, isn’t he?”

And Richards said of Benteke's potential move to Liverpool: “That would be a big blow and we’ll need a new goalscorer if he goes - he seemed to win games on his own for Villa last season.”

 

 

I think Micah's comments were positive. He acknowledged that Delph is a quality player, and that he believes that he could be successful at City. More importantly however, he highlighted the risk of becoming a squad player and being left out of the European Championship. That has got to be a priority for Delph now that he's broken into the England team. He certainly won't want to end up like Jack Rodwell, or his buddy Scotty.

Delph may be destined for greater things than Villa, but I believe that he's a loyal player and that he'll stay with us for another year, captaining the side valiantly and cementing his place in the national team. If he wants to move on to a top club after that, so be it. Can you really fault a player for wanting to compete for the title every year and in the Champions League?

Hopefully we'll have evolved into a more balanced squad by that time and we won't feel the loss quite as much.

 

Wherever he's pointing, it looks like Clark is trying to stop him from heading there.

Looks like he's got his hand on Benteke's ass.

 

Giving him a good ol' fashioned Jara.

Perhaps a club in the MLS would be interested?

*UPDATE* - there is still nothing to report.

Not a bad squad if we can get these guys in - and keep the main group together...

 

Begovic

(Guzan)

 

Richards  Vlaar  Clark  Amavi

(Hutton)  (Okore)  (Baker)  (Richardson)

 

Sanchez  Gueye  Delph

(Gardner)  (Westwood)  

 

Grealish  Gil

(N'Zogbia)  (Sinclair)   (Praet)  (Cole)

 

Benteke

(Kozak)  (Robinson) (Gabby)

 

 

I'm confident that squad could compete for mid table - maybe even more if we found some consistent form and some better luck with injuries. A lot depends on whether we can keep the Beast and Delph though, and to a lesser extent Vlaar. I still wouldn't be sure about lining up with Hutton first choice rb and Richards in the centre.  

 

I'd certainly be feeling sprightly come the start of the season if all these deals came off though. 

Fixed it for you.

 

 

This has to be the most pointless, disrespectful and disgusting article I have ever seen from a national newspaper!

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/589041/Aston-Villa-Christian-Benteke-32-5m-Liverpool-shirt-Transfer-News-Gossip

 

Pictured: £32.5m Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs target wears Liverpool shirt

THIS is what Christian Benteke will look like in a Liverpool shirt.

By JAMES DICKENSON

 

EXPRESS

Christian Benteke looks at home in a Liverpool shirtExpress Sport understands Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will match the striker's £32.5million release clause this week.

And Benteke is expected to become the Reds' seventh signing of the summer.

 

Probably the shabbiest piece of sports journalism I have ever seen. If anyone doubts that Liverpool have friends in the media and they can plant stories to suit there's your proof.

 

It's actually borderline casual racism - that is clearly Daniel Sturridge's body. The guy who has photshopped this has shown appalling social skills by effectively saying that all black people look the same below the neck.

 

Grizzly Adams did have a beard.

I would be ecstatic if we could sell him and put the fee/wages towards a quality player. He's pretty inept offensively if we're being honest.

My favorite thing about being linked to new players is the puns.

Imagine if we were able to bring in Gueye, Praet and Amavi without selling Delph or Benteke? We would actually be a decent side.

Jazz Richards gone Fulham

Thank God !!!

We already have our own Richards and his son.

 

For Carroll I'd say permanent deal or nothing, can't see point in us developing him and spurs getting the rewards just like walker

 

100% agree, no point to loan signings

 

I agree, unless the loan deal includes the option to buy. Then the club gets to "test drive" the player without having to make a serious commitment.

Anyone saying that Carles shouldn't be given a proper chance can burn in Gil!

...

Sorry, I tried.

I would rather see us taking risks on players like this than spending twice as much on aging players like Downing who will have no resale value. With the current FFP rules, the only way for us to progress is by buying players on the cheap and selling them on for a profit (i.e. Southampton).

Anyways, didn't Tim say himself that we would not be offering a last pay day to players anymore? Certainly that's what Downing is after.

Also, regarding the news of Delph's buyout clause, I don't see any scenario in which he leaves us this summer. He's our captain, has recently been called up into the England squad and with the European Championships coming up next year he surely wouldn't be foolish enough to move to a top 4 club and jeopardize his chances of playing. He only has to have a chat with Scotty to realize how silly of a career move that would be.

Seems like people are confused by the meanings of "rubbish" and "overrated."

ghey are we?

Fack off.

Women.

Tonev

Alex Morgan.

That is all.

He can drink all of the vodka in Russia for all I care, as long as he helps us get up to mid-table next season.

Gil be here next season.

America always seems to protect it's guns more than it's people.

That's because our government (I'm American) doesn't give a flying f*** about the people. In America, money is the only concern, and my goodness do guns bring in a ton of it.

As I just said, I'm American and live in the North East where guns are less common. However, I still find it ridiculous that they're so easy to obtain. For instance, my brother, age 25, has three firearms. What does he need them for? The honest answer is that he doesn't, but he uses the same excuse that many Americans use, protection.

I think the this, combined with the rapidly deteriorating mental state of the population, is the issue. Information about mental health issues is only now starting to become more widespread, and the current solution to most of these issues is medication, which in my opinion only exacerbates things. However, it's more profitable to give someone a monthly prescription than to encourage counselling.

My solution would be to enforce strict and detailed gun safety courses as well as in-depth mental health evaluations for anyone that is trying to purchase a firearm. Ideally I would like guns to be banned, but that isn't possible.

Unfortunately, I don't see the situation here getting better, only worse.

Can we get back to complaining about nonsense transfer rumors please?

I really liked Andi when he first came into the first team and hoped he would be another decent product from the academy, but his development has significantly plateaued over the last year or so and I think everyone can agree that if we're to progress, it was time for him to go.

At times this season I honestly wondered if he could control his limbs. He looked like a chicken with his head cut off.

That being said, best of luck to him at Derby.