If young players start to go after the big money with no care about credibility/their actual footballing career it will mark a disturbing step change

It didn't work in China, Russia or USA, be shocked if oil money slowly takes over the entire of football

are Inside Football on this list? They just said Diaby has agreed to join Saudi

he's agreed to join Al Nassr, close the thread, the internet has spoken and must be believed

he couldn't get passed Obi Wan

18 minutes ago, paul514 said:

Which is why I so heavily advocate signing Wan Bissaka.

never been linked to this year, never likely to be sold, never wanted to leave Manure. The strangest rumour that only Villatalk seems to fuel.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12919849/best-of-moussa-diaby-villa-to-hijack-newcastle-target

Diabeeeee!

surely transfers will play out as they do every season

all the sought after players will want huge salaries and CL football, once they realise they won't get that, they will look at the next tier of club, if they don't get that they will take the money at a mid-table club willing to throw money at them (Everton) and so on.

the biggest names already at that level will either want to continue at that level or get paid even more (PSG >>> Middle East), usually ones past their prime.

A few might get sold the longer term club vision by Emery or Monchi, especially if they know either (Pau Torres) but mostly this will come into play when the players we want have realised they won't get their big money CL move.

The problem is if we do sign players who have been denied their 1st, 2nd or even 3rd ideal move, it's whether those players have the motivation to do well for us or any club they do end up at. Player failure doesn't always seem to damage their resale value. Oh god I almost finished this without saying 'but whatever we buy I trust Unai's judgement and that he will turn them into a star for us'. etc etc.

On 05/07/2023 at 18:37, ChesterDad said:

I don’t really get the Southgate gate, he was a really good player for us and full value for £4 mill if I remember correctly, he is a bit conservative as a manager but overall he has done a good job with the national team. 
The anti Villa thing is something that I find hard to swallow - surely he would not spite himself ? 

It's a toxic combo of things - not just about Villa.

He was a brilliant player for us, we moved him into defence (at Palace he was used in a number of positions) and helped him get his England role, he then mouthed of about us having no ambition after he moved to those powerhouse giants Middlesborough... (Ugo did the same to be fair as Middlesborough were briefly the 'next big thing').

His treatment of Grealish, Mings and Ollie - is greatly exaggerated, but hard to ignore that he has his continuously out of form favourites that he relies on whilst ignoring form players, not just Villa ones.

There is the feeling that anyone could do well with this current crop of England players which is partially true, but we did need a manager who is defensively minded to help us rebuild confidence.

Anyway back on topic.

Most of the French players who signed when were relegated have done well since.

 

3 minutes ago, RicRic said:

So you believe in starting the season with buendia, bailey and watkins rather than possibly bringing in a player (huge upgrade) we have had confirmed interest in ? 
 
Just asking btw? 

Just think of Delphino's mental health if that t'were to happen

at 19 and at 20-25 mil Gnonto would be a fairly low risk gamble, I think he has bags of talent and potential.

I'd honestly rather we followed the Brentford and Brighton model than spanking 30-50 mil on high risk players who couldn't get their desired move to a CL club.

You look at what some clubs like Everton have tried to do and how it's backfired, not saying we can't avoid that and that we aren't a different proposition, I would just mix up our transfer policy between low risk gambles/uncut diamonds and high quality high risk gambles.

 

1 hour ago, Jas10 said:

But, as ever, whatever Unai decides is fine by me.

You could just create a signature with that on, save having to keep type it

43 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

I think we'll be signing a few more and hitting our limit of 21 (anything+4 association trained players). 

I see (in this order) the following players as the ones that are likely to lose their spot from @BOF's list as we sign more: Iroegbunam, Chambers, Olsen, Traore, Duran (if loaned), Dendoncker.

One of them will have to make way for Tielemans already.

We'll want as many as possible named to give us coverage for if we want to go far in local cups and get drawn against some lower quality opposition early on in the conference league.

For this reason, I am certain Archer will be kept around and named to get us closer to the max of 25 we can have.

With only J Ramsey and Archer really being good enough to be worth naming, I think we'll end up with a squad of 23.  24 only if we keep Sinisalo around.

This is why it's important we keep bringing through our own players if we have ambitions of playing in Europe every season. Both for the FFP reasons, and the ability to name a full sized squad.

Tim has an outside of making it as this level, he has all the attributes to do well, I would say a loan would make most sense for him.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1786337/231-free-agents-aston-villa-newcastle-leeds-can-sign

228 free agents Aston Villa, Newcastle and Leeds can sign this weekend

The summer transfer window is in full swing as Premier League and Championship clubs look to do business and strengthen their squads ahead of the 2023-24 season.

5 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Here's a mad one, I think we may target a new LB. 

Hear me out. Digne is a very capable, tidy footballer but he's also not the type of player to beat a man and hit the byline. You see just how dangerous we become with Moreno doing just that. Not only that, Digne is on £1029847208448560 a week, so it might be good to get him off the books as he isn't getting any younger.

With Moreno's injury, we may move Digne on, bring in another LB and then when Moreno comes back, those two can fight it out?

Capiche?

we've been loosely linked to Jesús Vázquez - who plays LB at Valencia, no idea if he is good or if those links have any substance

Just now, Delphinho123 said:

He sh*gged her AND stole my cookie.

Get it now?

Ok damn, in that case - Feck Buendia - I hope we sell him asap the evil basteward

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

Buendia won't start even if we didn't sign another player. Bailey is preferred over him.

Do you have a 'Buendia keyword alert' any thread any mention, quick steam in, can't miss an opportunity to slag him off.

probably also an internet wide one, no forum, comments section safe, even ones in his native Argentina, his family whatsapp group chats.

he probably needs a restraining order to stop you from standing outside of his house with a sign saying 'you're sh*t' 

presume the guy sh*gged your missus or stole your cookie for this level of unhealthy obssession.

3 minutes ago, rbcuk said:

Was hoping we would have been after Angelo

 

More likely to sign Angelos


 

4 minutes ago, Steero113 said:

Grealish, Ings, Chukwuemeka, Vassilev, El Ghazi and Guilbert all sold for fees. 

I already mentioned Grealish and Ings.

Chuk was a good call and the fee was the best we could hope for under the circumstances.

Guilbert went for nothing and El Ghazi went for close to that, probably Vassilev aswell but at least he cost us very little in the first place.

Only Chuk and Grealish saw a profit.

we seem to mostly loan/sell players to France or Turkey at a huge loss on wages or fees.

when was the last time we sold a player - rather than loans with subsidised wages

Ings & Grealish?
 

everyone else 'hey we'll pay you to take our players' we must have a rep as absolute push overs, I really hope the new exec team put a stop to this

14 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Goals and assists there really isnt that much in it

 

Buendia 5 goals 2 assists last season 

Bailey 4 goals and 4 assists (slightly less games than buendia aa well)

Both not good enough stats for me for two players who cost us 70m

Love to see how many players in the 30-35 mil bracket are banging in goals and assists for other teams, can't believe there are many, especially ones brought in from abroad or whose success was mainly in a lower league.

Buendia has a lot of supporting stats that show his overall contribution is pretty decent even if he should get more assists and goals, as someone pointed out on another thread golden age Grealish didn't actually deliver that many goals and assists, didn't mean his influence was rubbish. Not saying Buendia is at his level, not even close but he def does more than he gets credit for.

After a really awful spell under both Stevie G and even early days of Emery, Bailey -  started to show he is capable of a cut back, pass or cross that would lead to goals in the last embers of the season - he has the attributes, he's just been woefully inconsistent and lacking in confidence. Buendia gets too easily riled and needs to find space/positioning better. Both can hopefully push on with Emery coaching them.

I accept we need to rely less on both and both can certainly contribute more, but the constant criticism of both players is tedious and boring, both can do a job for us and both will be needed as we want to add to this squad not replace everyone.

We need better attacking options, Watkins is too isolated. I think we will sign another two attackers - if we sell Buendia or Bailey I won't be upset but perfectly relaxed about them getting another season also.

15 minutes ago, est1874 said:

Is there anything he can do well?

annoy you and other Villa fans

https://www.myoldmansaid.com/truth-about-emiliano-buendia-villas-angel-with-a-dirty-face/

1 hour ago, cheltenham_villa said:

I'm glad we're being linked with players that are choosing between us a champions league clubs. It shows were being ambitious enough. 

He might not have even considered us

we were probably only used to get him a bigger pay packet

38 minutes ago, paul514 said:

Hopefully Wan Bissaka

despite him never been linked to us or Man Utd looking like they want to sell him