VillaFaninLondon

Again, I really don't see the point in this. We're better off keeping him here as cover unless we get something out of it (e.g. 20m up front payment to help fund a DM). A loan is pointless for three reasons: 1) As above, we get very little out of it except wages off the book (which won't have much effect as Targett won't be on a lot) and probably a loan fee of a couple of million 2) It's helping Newcastle out for very little in return, which makes no sense as they could potentially eclipse us at some point in the next three years 3) It's losing a player who can act as good cover at LB and can even play further forward if needs be so would be an important squad member If we were getting a sizeable transfer fee of around 20m which we could use to fund a top quality DM, then ok. We know Newcastle aren't broke, they've just spent 13m on a bang average Dan Burn for Christ sake, they could go to 20m for Targett if they wanted. So all in all I'm disappointed by this one and would be interested to hear the club's justification for it.

Absolutely no sense whatsoever in loaning him out, particularly to the Barcodes. Not sure what we're playing at if this is true.

Please Villa break your transfer record to get this guy in. Would significantly improve our central midfield for the next 5 years at least. I think we could offer Brighton 45m if we offload someone (e.g. Targett, Luiz or Ings). Personally I'd sell Targett for 20m and buy Bissouma, would be the best thing we've ever done if we could convince him to come here.

I'd love it if it we could buy both a top midfielder ready to come in and improve us now and also one that can develop into a top player like JJ can and show that our scouting department can actually do its homework which currently I question if it can (actually think Mwepu at Brighton is another shrewd move, think he'll be as good as Bissouma in a year or 2). If we want to be competing with the Tottenhams, West Hams and Arsenals of this world (and we're not far at all from that level), then we will need to spend big in certain areas and CM/DM is the area that needs the most improvement. If it doesn't happen before midnight tomorrow I really, really hope it happens this summer at long last.

Yep. Sorry got him confused with the guy who went to Leicester for some reason.

Even someone like Sangare from PSV I think would improve us and he’d probably be a similar price range to Bentancur. We don’t necessarily have to spend £40-50m on someone.

I think this is why I just feel a bit deflated despite us bringing in some top players this window. We just don’t want to spend big on what is the most important part of the team. We’ve invested heavily in most parts of this team - GK, CB, LB, ST and of course wingers/attacking midfielders. Yet our most expensive CM was Luiz at £15m. Think he’s the most we’ve ever spent on a CM in our entire history which is crazy. Unless we’re prepared to do what Brighton do and bring in the likes of Bissouma and mould them into a top midfielder, then we will have to spend the money. And even if we were prepared to do that, it would be 2-3 years before we see the player develop into a top midfielder and we can’t wait that long.

Yeah that could be worth a try if Sanson could stay fit, but despite what some on here are saying we'd be mad to entertain selling Luiz without bringing another quality player in.

No way will that happen. If it does it will undo all the good work we've done so far.

I'm not ignoring it at all, but it's naive to expect that if he does well and we activate the option to buy that we won't get trumped by someone else. Gerrard being here will help us though.

Yes I think that was my general point, we lack a ball winner in there (other than Nakamba) and if we were to get one of a very high quality then two of McGinn, Ramsey, Luiz or Sanson could concentrate on being box to box and be much more effective. It's the one player we are missing and that type of player is more specifically narrowed down to Partney, Rice, Phillips, Ndidi, Hojbjerg and IMO Bissouma (though I would argue that Tielemans and Neves in particular are probably better than any of our "8"s). I think the CM area has been an issue for nearly 2 seasons now and if we do wait until the summer to buy one I hope the player we do finally sign is bloody good.

Think the central midfield is still where we fall short compared to other teams pushing for top 6. The other teams have players in the middle of the park we are crying out for: West Ham - Soucek and Rice Spurs - Hojbjerg Arsenal - Partey Wolves - Neves Leicester - Ndidi and Tielemans Then teams like Brighton and Leeds have Bissouma and Phillips. Our midfield is ok, McGinn, Luiz and Ramsey, but we don't have anyone to compare to those teams. Ramsey has the potential to dominate midfields in future years but is too inconsistent currently.

Probably, but we've already shown this window we can compete for top players so the comment didn't really make a lot of sense. There'll always be competition for established players with pedigree, a defeatist attitude would be to say they won't come here and choose others over us, so maybe then we should go for players that nobody wants and accept mediocrity which will get us nowhere. If we want to become a top team we have to compete with the best for signings and convince them we're a club on the up, that's just the way it is, signing players like Digne and Coutinho should make that easier.

And yet we brought in Coutinho and Digne who have 64 and 43 caps respectively for two of the best national teams in the world. Don't think attracting players will be a problem if they buy into our vision, we want to be looking to overtake teams like Spurs over the next 2 years. To be honest he's taken a backwards step going from Juve to Spurs, not in Europe this season, not going to win anything, might make top 6 but very unlikely top 4 so he'll be playing in the Europa next season at best.

They're not even in it, both the mighty Vitesse and Rennes finished above them in their group.

There's no way we'll sell Luiz before the deadline tomorrow without bringing anyone else in.

You can’t call it exceptional if we’ve failed to fix the middle of the park and the most important area of the field and it’s been like this since we were promoted. Not a bad window at all, and attracted some big names, but if we don’t sign a 6 before the window closes that improves the first team then a 7/10, maybe an 8 at best, is all you can give it.

Nah you you’re well off. Coutinho isn’t our player either, he’s just a loan. it’s been decent, nothing more. And we still haven’t upgraded DM, which means we’ll be waiting until at least the summer to fix that area.

Think I would rate this window 7/10. Started well and bringing in coutinho and digne I probably would have given it 9/10 or maybe 10/10 if we’d another first team player like bissouma. Since then though a couple of average squad players and that’s it. Coutinho is also just a loan so really we’ve only added one first team permanent member of our squad. Could all change if we bring another in but that looks like being 50/50 currently and looks like Bentsncur won’t be coming. So all in all a decent January and certainly one of our better ones, but the hype over our signings is exaggerated. Probably enough to get us top 10 but nothing more.

He's a very average PL defender but versatile and can cover several positions, probably better than Axel (certainly more experienced) so on a freebie this makes a lot of sense. Think we'll go all out for a truly top quality CB in summer and finally move Hause on.

I'd look to move on Sanson before Luiz 100%, but Luiz would be easier to sell and have quite a few suitors. I really want him to stay though.

No idea but it's not like Bissouma is much older (he's 25) and still many years at the top. My concern with Bissouma is it's a lot of money and Brighton have coped quite well without him this month and he could be another of those players who looks brilliant in a system like Brighton's but struggles in our team. You're very optimistic but his contract is running down and he still hasn't signed. Having said that, nothing like Bissouma situation at Brighton where it's common knowledge he won't sign a new deal. With Dougie there isn't much to go on, but he does seem happy here and is dating one of our female players. Bringing in another midfielder doesn't mean anything, competition is great for us, and we need more of it. Players will have to cope with that but clearly we need to start doing better in comps and getting into Europe so we can utilise our squad.

I like Luiz and would like to see him sign a new deal, but we can't ignore that his contract has less than 18 months to go. I don't like playing Luiz as a 6 and would much prefer him as an 8 rotated with Ramsey or McGinn and a new DM coming in, but would still like to see him stay long term and think there is a hell of a lot more to come from him given he's only 23. Having said that, if we did turn down a 30m offer (and the accuracy here is disputable given it is the Standard) then we may have been a bit hasty especially as we could have used that money +10-15m of our own money to buy Bissouma. That would be worth losing Luiz for because we've got a potentially world class player to replace him. But I see Luiz staying until summer even if we bring in Bentancur (which is not definite given it has now gone completely quiet). I think we'll spend the next 3-4 months seeing if we can tie him down on a 5-year contract, as we will with Carney, and if it doesn't happen look to move him on in summer. IMO anyway.

Actually don't know why Lo Celso starts for Argentina so much - Buendia has just as much technique and work rate but more end product and far more deserving of a start currently. Lo Celso has started 2 league games for Tottenham but I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the starting line up yet again knowing Scaloni. Surely Buendia will get on at some point because he's been called up a few times now and you'd want to see what he can do in an actual match. He's probably the most in-form out of all Argentina's attacking midfielders currently.

Bissouma, Zakaria or Palhinha would be my choices for DM. I know Bissouma isn't technically an out and out DM, but he excels at the defensive side of the game so I'm classifying him as one. But Kamara makes a lot of sense too and he's apparently had an outstanding season so far. Being able to play CB also makes him desirable. Edson Alvarez at Ajax is similar type of player and apparently Wolves looked at him, but unfortunately we've never been linked. Bentancur has played holding midfield but is more a versatile midfielder who has played in a lot of positions, he would be a good signing for 16m. But he wouldn't solve the no 6 issue so if he came in I'd be expecting us to move Sanson out and he be a like for like replacement.