Villaphil

AEG has 2 years left on his contract, do we offer him a new and improved one, let him wind down his contract (as we would have done under old regimes, and then lose him for next to nothing), or sell him now, when his transfer value is as high as it will ever get. So assuming the answer is sell him, we need a ready made replacement, as in a player that could come in and do a shift for a run of games, if needed, but not expecting to consistently appear for the 1st team. Maybe buy a young player, who has potential, is happy not to be in the first team (initially) and see where his progression takes him. We don’t want to lose money on him, so maybe get someone in the last year of their contract so they are extra cheap. Cantwell would appear to be the clubs selection for this role, also his experience makes him low risk.

2 years left on El Ghazi’s contract, 1 year left on Cantwell’s. Seems sensible to sell El Ghazi and bring in Cantwell, I’d expect that exchange to be relatively cost neutral, in terms of fee, given the contract situations, although we’d have to pay Cantwell more than El Ghazi. The Bailey news also included a comment that we were looking to off-load El Ghazi.

So…. This is either true and he is a genuine target, his agent is angling for an improved contract / move elsewhere, so drops this into the ether, or we’ve released this info as we want to push down the price of O’Neil from Burnley. #wanttoseehiminavillashirtbeforegettingexcited

Did I read he’s Bryan’s nephew ??

They were fine at the start of the season, when Jack was fit, after his injury we found maintaining possession more difficult. The issue was the number of times the midfield was run at, during 90 mins, rather than their ability. With Jack and Emi this season, I expect us to retain possession for longer, which will ease the burden on the midfield behind them.

Anyone else nervous it’s gone quiet because Jack has decided to leave and we’ve then had to re-evaluate our targets ??

They stuck together pages were the give away, your secret was not so secret. Sorry if this is news to you.

To service what that owe and what they want to spend this summer, Arsenal need cash, and they only have so many ways of raising it. They will pick the least worse method of achieving this. If selling ESR for £35m up front is their least worse option, then that’s what they will do. If it’s not, they’ll likely keep him. This is a cash flow thing, rather than a value thing.

He’d ‘never leave Fred’.

Josh Feeney confirmed by Fleetwood Town, for a substantial undisclosed fee.

Compare the 2 numbers on the quotes, they are the same. I believe that was the point that was being made ?

Agreed. This is where Edens and Lange’s team come into their own. The emphasis on recruitment has been on using data and personality analysis to identify value when the old school methods don’t. If they think there’s still a player there, and the data backs it up, they’ll go for it, and won’t be shy in bidding what they think is appropriate, see £30m for ESR as evidence of backing their beliefs.

I’ve been assuming links to Winks are a message to Southampton ref the valuation for JWP, and Cantwell links similar for Arsenal.

I think it has something to do with Jack being our only outlet at Villa and so looks weird when a run of his isn’t picked up. Hopefully we’ll get used to this next season when Buendia and ESR are in the Villa team too.

Would appear so. Plays like Gazza, Beckham commercials. https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/jack-grealish-curtain-haircut

I think what he delivers for Villa on and off the pitch is chalk and cheese between this year and last year (when he signed his contract). Not to recognise that is a sure way to lose him.

Do you think £150k pw is enough, I had assumed £180k - £200k if we were serious about keeping him. At the end of the day it’s all about whether at the end of his career he wants to look at some Premier League medals and potentially a CL medal, or a statue of him outside the Holte End. Let’s hope he has a chat with Alan Shearer who made that choice when leaving Blackburn. I suppose the biggest difference was that Shearer had already got a Premier League medal in his back pocket…

Barely coherent ramblings….. Thinking back to pre Grealish injury and what were my concerns then…. We were great on the counter attack, which is why we performed against the top teams, but against the weaker teams I never felt like we could stifle a game, once we were on top. The Burnley game springs to mind. So how do we go about improving there?? Maybe we need to upgrade on Luiz or McGinn to steal back possession better when we do lose it ? Maybe our front 4 need to retain possession better - See Buendia and potentially ESR signings Maybe an out and out DCM in those games would free up the rest of the midfield to concentrate on breaking down the opposition, whilst protecting against letting the opposition back in.

Don’t we employ a lot of people for us to see value in the transfer market, where others don’t. Can’t see an option on Tammy, he’s either 100% yes or 100% no. We either back our judgement or we don’t.

Have you checked out the length of Wilson’s contract ?????!!!!

Just putting it out there... we may want a plan B, and in that scenario an additional striker, with a different skill set to Watkins rather than exactly the same but slightly worse, may be the way forward ???

Just waiting for Man City to say they won’t go above £100m for Kane, then Spurs will announce they’ve accepted a £120m bid for Kane, from Aston Villa. Then it’s a waiting game, whether any of the big boys are willing to pony up £120m. If not, then Kane has a decision to make, stay at Spurs for another season where Levy has done him dirty, or come to Villa.

Or use it against them, make them pay an eye watering amount to keep ESR because they can’t be seen to lose out to us twice, then sucker punch them with a £40m+ offer for Saka.

Done and dusted according to Wiki.

‘He looks shit, let’s buy him’ kind of thing?