OxfordVillan

Passive smoking my friend.

Origi is a very weak defence of your argument. And quite why anyone would think of moving Ollie from CF to a wide position is beyond me, beyond reason. Watkins at CF is one of the single biggest factors of our successful football, the high and intense pressing of CBs by Watkins being integral to our game, not to mention the boy can score. It’s why there’s rumour of Liverpool interest.

Good post. Who was the last player to sit on the England bench and have his name called for by the fans in the stadium?! Jack is now already a huge commercial asset in the game, that will only grow. Villa simply cannot afford to sell him. End of. He’s already got the hearts and minds of the British public, he’s the only name ppl want to talk about. With hopefully 3 more games left of the Euros, he could well cement his place amongst the elite. Neutrals and casual football fans across Europe will be wearing Grealish shirts. Massive

Are you kidding?! Sanches has displayed pace and power, with the ability to win the ball in central midfield and carry it or find a pass. Not to mention what looks like a blistering shot on him. Obviously they play slightly different roles, as Luiz has operated for us as DCM and Sanches is very definitely a CM. So maybe an unfair comparison. If Jose wants to put £30m in our hand to take Luiz to Roma, I have to say I wouldn’t be too down hearted, especially if he’s not extending his contract, in which case we should look to sell.

Lets keep it to “Jack Grealish” here, Raheem Sterling is for another page As we’re all witnessing now, Jack has become THE England player that everyone wants to talk about, that every interviewer wants to interview, the player whose name kids want on the back of their shirt. When this Euros is over, Jack will be the new “Beckham”, the new poster boy of English football. His value to Aston Villa’s owners is incalculable, for both what he does ON the pitch, and what he now brings off the pitch in terms of exposure and merchandise. He’s gone global. Given the stated ambition of the owners to place Aston Villa FC back amongst the upper echelons of English football, it would be unfathomable to even entertain the idea of selling such a player, an enormous asset. Every club that wishes to be big, to be known around the world, must have players that reach the consciousness of fans across the globe. Most of the time these type of players have to be bought for big money, tens or hundreds of millions of £s. We have one who’s been at the club since he was 6yrs old, is a boyhood fan of the club,hasn’t cost us a thing other than salary. That’s pretty damn unique. And so unless there is some thus far kept quiet release clause in his existing contract, then I don’t see our owners entertaining ANY offers arriving on their desks this summer. Or next summer. The club need the exposure to keep climbing higher, to attract the sponsors desperate to be linked in with Jack Grealish. We’ve got approximately £300m per year in revenue deficit just to catch Spurs & Arsenal, the sums are even bigger to the clubs above them. We simply cannot afford to lose Jack Grealish to stand any chance of closing the financial gap. We’ve witnessed with Leicester how winning things alone doesn’t bring the financial clout required, you have to have a superstar or two who every blue chip company in the world wants to be associated with. We’re truly in a uniquely fortunate position with Jack, and we must maximise that over the next two years, at least.

Using your example (re, Abrahmovic) it’s clear to me that Watkins is our owners “Eclipse”, whilst Abraham is very much “Sussuro”, Ie, the one they’d give away in a divorce……..

Isn’t Freddie Starr dead now?

Which billionaires have more than one super yacht?

Simon Jordan most definitely is not an idiot, speaks sense far more often than any of the other contributors on that TalkShite with Jim White show. He’s a man who’s been successful in business and has the insight of actually running a football club, dealing with the agents etc. That said, I think he might be wrong if he’s said Abraham wouldn’t join us. But that said, I sincerely hope we’re not in for Abraham. That ship sailed long ago, Villa have since moored their new super yacht in the calmer and warmer waters of Watkins Bay.

Well, they’ve clearly let friends in the media know that they want to spend big sums this summer……figures of £250m being touted. Spending £50m on a Brighton CB goes some way to corroborating those stories. The proof will obviously be in the pudding, but I think even the Kroenke’s understand the need to try and calm the waters this particular summer. I’d be delighted with the signing of ESR, just don’t see how Arsenal can afford to let it happen.

I’m sorry to bring the cold water to the party, but I simply cannot see how Arsenal could even contemplate allowing this to happen, their fans will be outside the emirates with pitchforks. Kroenke is having to try and put out the fires that are still burning post ESL shambles, letting ESR move to Villa would be the equivalent of pouring petrol onto those fires. And for that reason, I’m out!

I’m in agreement with you on Berge, I don’t think he’s all that. Give me Renato Sanches in CM, he’ll make Luiz shine again at DM.

Well we got Ashley Young through the door………

My favourite shirt of all time……and I still have the shirt now that my parents bought for me all those years ago! It’s my absolute prize possession

I wouldn’t be against Cahill on a 1yr deal if it’s sensible wages and allows us to spend money elsewhere in the team this summer. We need additional CB cover with Engels leaving, and Cahill is undoubtedly more reliable than Engels, even at his age now. Cahill also brings a wealth of experience and leadership qualities. If he was happy to come in as mainly cover then I’d be ok with that.

Just 5hag them both…..at the same time.

Villa aren’t yet at the level for a Tielemans, Liverpool are rumoured to want that type of player. And there’d certainly be no more value in Tielemans than JWP, Tielemans is going to cost someone a bucket load of cash to prise him away from Leicester. That aside, there’s going to have to be one or two player purchases where there’s little to no value, we’ll have to pay over the odds to obtain one or two of the “best of the rest”. We can’t look at every purchase as one that HAS to make us a financial profit if we want to pick off teams above us. Man City weren’t worried about future selling fees when they were plucking the likes of Milner, Walker, Sterling, Barry, Lescott, Robinho, Delph etc…….they merely targeted weakening the teams in and around them to further their rise. It was a tactic that worked very well. We’re showing signs of replicating that tactic……if only to p155 off Arsenal.

We’re not getting Smith-Rowe.

If there is any interest in JWP then we can now look at the reported fee being paid for Ben White as something of a low water marker. I think anyone looking to obtain the services of JWP this summer is going to need to pony up £55-60m.

Portugal have got a couple of midfielders of the type that Villa are crying out for……either of Palhinho or Sanches would be fantastic

If you look at the official England squad you will see there are only 5 midfielders in the squad. Of those 5 midfielders, Mount is the only recognised box2box MF. He’s now out. We’re left with what are essentially 3 recognised holding MFs in Phillips, Rice, and Henderson. Of those 3 DMF, Henderson hasn’t played a competitive match in over 3 months. Then we have 17yr old Jude Bellingham as a CM. So it’s clear to see that Southgate has left midfield incredibly vulnerable. And we know the squad has been left light at CF. It never was a particularly well balanced squad, I couldn’t understand why much of the media waxed lyrical about the squad upon its release. It’s far too heavy in defensive players.

I’m afraid to say that you’re completely wrong about Paul Gascoigne, and to be fair you do allude to him being before your lifetime. A troubled human, yes he was. Affected by the adoration and unable live with being under the microscope. But “a moments” player? Get out of here. He was an unbelievable player who drove his teams forward. You should know that by Euro 96 he was on the decline, his best years were before that tournament. It was his enthusiasm that done for him, with an ill judged tackle in an FA Cup final causing him a serious injury from which he never really recovered, both mentally and physically. Paul Gascoigne was an immense talent in the too short time we got to watch him.

I think they’re still deciding whether the offer is to be “slapped in”, or if it will actually be a “cheeky bid”.