Ogen

Can only add 3 players, Gauci, Rogers and Iroegbunam took the spots, wouldn't imagine there's much to read into Chambers being left out 

Apologies if it's been covered off but was there ever official confirmation that both Ramsey and Archer are back with us if they go down?

Pretty sure we can only do one loan from Barca, this isn't happening today

Would imagine the lack of a buy option put off a few clubs on Fati

2 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

I am just trying to readjust in my head the whole premise of the academy.

It is now designed to develop players with a  view to selling on to meet FFP requirements.The romance of football.

It's designed to try and produce a small group of professional footballers each year, that the group aren't at the level of the top half of the strongest league in the world level isn't a inditement on the academy.

City have Foden and potentially Palmer currently.

United have Rashford and McTomminay

Liverpool have Trent and Jones

This isn't a Villa being ruthless thing it's the reality of trying to bring a child from potential to playing at the highest level on earth, the ones that won't make that step will find their level and we're lucky this year that it includes a group of players who aren't far from that level and we can make some money on them

Even if it's true that Diaby can't Zaniolo certainly can

13 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Very few tangible links currently, I'm concerned that we may be done. Acuna now injured which has a silver lining as it hopefully means Digne staying, but we are still short of options with the injuries.

 

It will really annoy me if we have moved on Archer, Ramsey and Philogene for a combined £40m to not reinvest that money. The only reason I could see not to do that is for FFP reasons, but if we are allowed to spend it then we should be going in for players like Kudus who are available within that price range. Thiago Almada also available for 15m Euros, so there are options out there that would improve us. We seem to have had trouble finding a right back too, or we are happy with only Cash as our only out and out right back. 

 

Overall a positive window but if no one else comes in then I still feel we are short again. 

If we can't get who we want right now it still doesn't mean moving players on when their stock is high is a bad move, would rather have a pot for January than be scrambling to get cash in then to fund things. I think we're overhyping the squad depth needed for Europe with how handy the group should be, we'll likely have one average team and 2 teams our reserves should beat comfortably even with our current squad looking a bit thin.

Still think we'll certainly see another 2 but if we don't it's not the end of the world

Tavares would be a mad one, he stood out to me as an absolute disaster in the games I saw him for Arsenal. Genuinely seemed like one of the dumbest players I've seen

People get too precious over losing decent youngsters, if he was at an elite level he'd have made a breakthrough by now so if he wants gametime immediately it's in everyone's interest to part ways.

Think Aaron Ramsey is the only one who might make the step up to the level we're aspiring for and the buy back covers that eventuality so I'm all on board with cashing in on these lads. There really aren't many that make the push from promising to top 6 level so as nice as it is to have the fairytale story of youth to leading the team it just doesn't happen enough to have these all sit around hoping for an opportunity

If Zaniolo is in then we possibly don't need to make a move based on the Buendia news, think the depth is possibly there especially when you factor in that we should be the strongest team in our European group so can probably see where we're at in January if something attractive isn't on the cards right now.

May regret saying that when Coutinho is crocked again and we get another injury on top but it's probably not panic stations

2 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

On what basis does he have a higher ceiling? Nit saying ramsey isnt good but look at archers stats last two ywars in championship? Far more impressive 

There is no remote possibility of us selling him for under 10 million. That is not happening

I think what we've seen with Archer is what there is, competent finisher but won't be top level, don't mind getting rid on the assumption that we sign someone else but won't be happy if we aren't spending

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

If aaron ramsey is going fir 14m ans he has donw a lot less than archer then why would we contemplate anything less. Maybe 16-17m with add ons but thats lowest id go

Ramsey has a higher ceiling than Archer and the buyback will be lowering our price on Ramsey.

Saudi window goes to the end of September so nothing to say he won't be around until Moreno comes back

I think he's got the potential to be our best player, had some moments where he looked like he had potential to be world class at City, slightly off-putting how they allowed him leave to Barca so easily but they do tend to do that if people want out.

Hasn't worked out for him at Barca which is the only reason we're even in this conversation but if Emery thinks he can bring out his potential the figures involved sound like a bargain really and he's young enough that we aren't setting ourselves up for some unsellable mess if it doesn't work out

Would be a huge fan of the idea if there's anything to it albeit I'll feel bad for Ramsey because he'll be the one to miss out but that's what will happen if we're serious about a proper push

30 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

For some reason I thought he was on silly money but according to some sites he is on less than 100k a week! If this is true and the loan fee was 4m with an option to buy the club should be all over that!  I suspect many clubs will be interested. 

A lot of the Spanish contracts get reported as net for some reason so that's probably the discrepancy on the figures

I was worried he was a bit small but he's a ball of power too which is great to see. If he's intelligent and can do what Emery asks of him then I think this will work out brilliantly

I have no idea why Bacuna is hated for saying he'd be willing to move back to Holland to play in the Champions League 

Oh my god - how can you put Moyes with them...

Moyes has done a good job at Everton but his flirts with the champions league are equalled by flirts with relegation. And if he was our manager and we had 1 point from 2 games against Blackburn and Wolves like Everton have, then wed all be calling for his head.

Moyes hasnt won anything - so if you want a solid club that goes up and down like a yo-yo and doesn't actually win anything in 8 years then go and find a Moyes. The guy is not that good!!!

I believe Everton have only once "flirted" with relegation in Moyes second season, every other season they have been top ten and usually top 6.

Moyes has also done what he has with little in the way of real funds, its all been sell high buy low wheeler dealing.

Which is just about the situation we're in right now. Moyes is the perfect candidate for us I just very much doubt he's either obtainable or even interested (I think he has eyes higher up the food chain in a couple of years)

Moyes has a bit too good a rep in the transfer market really, he doesn't buy low sell high at all. Hes made serious money off Lescott and thats about it?

Best managerial appointments of last 20 years:

Sir Alex - from Aberdeen

Arsene Wenger - from Monaco (via Japan)

David Moyes - from Preston

Jose Mourinho - from Porto

The best and most stable appointments have been surprises for the fans and relative unknowns. The most recent example (ignoring Mourinho) was Moyes who was plucked from Preston after a couple of decent seasons. We do not need a Svennis or someone similar. We need to do an Everton and find a Moyes. The championship is a breeding ground for good managers. We are not going to finish below 10th, we can afford to get a younger bristish manager who plays football in the right way and will build a legacy at our club.

So thats Fergie who'd won a European trophy with Aberdeen, Wenger who Munich had wanted and the English press didn't know basically while building a great repuation for himself and Jose who'd won literally everything with Porto. Hardly a list of names plucked from the local park.

Just release them on a free. We did it with Harewood, so why can't we do it with them? I would have rather kept Harewood than Osbourne and Salifou!!!

Harewood was out of contract. Those two aren't. We'd have to pay them money to cancel the contract.

I'd rather do that than keep them here on the wage bill. How much would it be to pay Salifou off? Not that much surely?

It would cost everything hes due to earn for the rest of his contract. It would make no sense to terminate anyones contract.

Oh right, I didn't hear/read that.

Bit worrying he still put Heskey ahead of him

No its not, with Gabby out of contention you want someone with a bit of experience of the bench rather than 2 kids.

McDonald said Weimann has been scoring and playing better preseason so he gave him the nod ahead of The Fonz. Sidwell was injured, slight achilles thing I think.

Has Bradley definitly quit the US job then? Can't see a link anywere decent?

I'll not hammer anyone for anything thats happened yet. The next 3 weeks will define your period in charge of this club. If you can get a proper manager in and not go bargain basement while allowing the new man at the minimum the entire proceeds from the Milner deal to spend I'll see a positive future for the club. If we end up with someone like Bob Bradley with no experience and spend £4m before the window closes that'll tell its own story.

I really hope I end August optimistic.

JM on the plane this afternoon, so it seems nothing doing.

im fully expecting city to sit on this til the last few days of the window to do us maximum damage

city have no need to do us damage.