Feyenoord

El Ahmadi is very fast and feisty. I'm sure he can run the 100m twice as fast as Barry. The latest news is that Feyenoord and Villa will probably start and round up the negotiations early next week. Feyenoord started pre-season today and El Ahmadi didn't take part in the session. He will probably stay at home for the next few days and await the negotiations.

Then you don't know our technical director. If we can get 5 million Euro's from Dutch clubs for Georginio Wijnaldum and Leroy Fer (both with 1 year contract left) we can deffo get 5 million from a PL club for a much better player. Difference being there, is the age of both players, they are both prospects with potential to improve, the player we're looking at is 27. This also can be arugued both ways. El Ahmadi is in his prime and a proven performer. Wijnaldum and Fer 'could improve' but have both taken a sharp decline since leaving our club. BTW: The chart is appearances and (lack of) goals.

Decent squad player I guess. Came to Feyenoord with Brett Emerton a long time ago but couldn't really make it with us. He has improved a lot over the last few years and will do a decent job. He's not the most exciting player to watch but will always get a 6 because of his work rate. He was really complementary to Maarten Martens and Adam Maher at AZ last season who are exceptional footballers and the brains in midfield and Holman was sort of the waterboy.

Then you don't know our technical director. If we can get 5 million Euro's from Dutch clubs for Georginio Wijnaldum and Leroy Fer (both with 1 year contract left) we can deffo get 5 million from a PL club for a much better player.

Thanks pal It is good to hear the news from that side of the North Sea. One question I do have is why would Feyenoord have let him fly to England and discuss a transfer if a fee hadnt been agreed in principle? That's quite normal in Holland. If the player doesn't want to move or cannot reach an agreement, it saves a lot of negotiation time between clubs. The agreement that El Ahmadi has with Villa is an agreement 'in priciple'. Once the clubs have agreed a fee...everything will be put on paper and El Ahmadi signs the contract.

He wasn't shipped on loan last season but 2 seasons ago. He wasn't playing very well back then and the manager at the time (Mario Been) preferred younger players like Georginio Wijnaldum and Leroy Fer. 2 seasons ago was probably one of our most disappointing seasons ever. You can ingore the Ramadan story because that was a long time ago (2008-09). Gert Jan Verbeek made those comments and he is a bit of a weird but good manager. He is now managing AZ. The latest news regarding the El Ahmadi transfer is that he has now agreed personal terms with Villa last night. He will come back to Holland and I think he will participate in the first training session of the season that will start today at 13:30. As I told you before...it could still take some before the transfer is complete because the clubs will start negotiations next week. Villa think 3 million Euro's might do the business....but I'm sure our technical director will want at least 5 million Euro's. El Ahmadi's career so far: 2003/04 FC Twente 7 0 Eredivisie 2004/05 FC Twente 19 1 Eredivisie 2005/06 FC Twente 8 0 Eredivisie 2006/07 FC Twente 22 2 Eredivisie 2007/08 FC Twente 33 0 Eredivisie 2008/09 Feyenoord 22 2 Eredivisie 2009/10 Feyenoord 26 0 Eredivisie 2010/11 Al Ahli 10 1 2010/11 Feyenoord 15 0 Eredivisie 2011/12 Feyenoord 31 2 Eredivisie Total: 193 8

Haha, I wouldn't think Lee Towers records are classified as proper currency in exchange for a great player. Lee is part of the furniture in De Kuip and performing maybe a bit too often to make it special...so 50.000 CD's for a full stadium is not going to work. We still have some outstanding debts that need to be paid off so this deal could be very important for us.

Feyenoord's technical director has come out with some short comments: ''We know that Villa are interested but we haven't discussed monetary or contractual issues as of yet. There has been various speculation about a transfer fee being agreed but this is nonsense. We haven't discussed anything yet'' Boy...I'm a relieved Feyenoord fan at the moment because the mentioned 2.8 million is quite embarassing. I'm hoping for at least 5 million Euro's because he is deffo worth that. Gives us some of your ridiculous TV money

5 million Euro's is a very realistic fee for someone with his qualities. Here is the ranking of the footballer of the year in the Eredivisie last season. I also disagree with you that he is good going forward and that he can be played in a attacking role. The first thing that Lambert needs to do when El Ahmadi arrives is ban him from shooting at goal. He is one of the worst players I've ever seen when shooting at goal.

It could still be some time before the transfer is complete and it will definitely not happen this week. Both clubs still need to come to an agreement and El Ahmadi still needs to discuss terms as well. Most of the Feyenoord fans are quite upset at the rumours of the transfer fee. We feel that the fee should be at least 5 million Euro's because he is a quality player.

I hope we get a Premier League class replacement actually. I think El-Ahmadi was good for Feijenoord but any level higher than the Eredivisie and I doub't he'd make it. He's not that physically strong and while his vision is spot on I think he needs too much time on the ball to make those forward passes. Would be pleased with this deal, assuming he's backup and not for the first team, but would also prefer Clasie for a couple million more. El Ahmadi is deffo Premier League material and especially for Villa (if you don't mind me saying). Clasie is nowhere near PL level mainly because of his physique. He was subbed many a time this season because he had trouble adapting to the pace of the Eredivisie and therefore got tired after 70 mins. El Ahmadi was the real engine in midfield and he helped Clasie massively. When El Ahmadi wasn't in the team the midfield was 2 levels less. El Ahmadi will not be the dominant creative playmaker on the ball (you rightly say that he is a bit of a mailman on the ball) but he can truly dominate a midfield and make sure that your team stays on the attack when pressing high up on the pitch. For the people that do not know him...the vid below sums him up completely

Just no more Feyenoord players please Villa should get Luciano Narsingh. Cracking right winger with also 1 year left on his contract. He is available for 5-6 million Euro's from Heerenveen. Him and Bent would be a sensational combination.

Very very very very very strong rumour.

Transferred from Feyenoord for 2,8 million Euro's. He is a 27 year old central midfielder who had 1 year left on his contract. His main qualities are winning balls in midfield and pressurising opponents. He plays with real passion and is extremely fit and quick. Technically he is quite weird to understand. He has fantastic skill in creating space for himself with the ball but he definitely needs to be banned from shooting at goal at all costs!! I'm a Feyenoord fan and very sorry to see him go. He's a good lad but our financial situation is not great and we therefore had to accept the offer (He was also on very big wages with us...17k Euro's per week) Source: http://www.vi.nl/nie...-vertrekken.htm

A tip: Wacht the Europa League highlights tonight. Something special coming up...

Holman is a fine squad player for you guys. The guy always gets a 6 at least because of his work ethic and scores a 7,5 on a good day. I liked the Dirk Kuyt comparison..Holman is much more agile and quicker though. Holman stats: 2001/02 Paramatta Power 12 6 2002/03 Excelsior 30 6 Eredivisie 2003/04 Excelsior 34 6 Eerste divisie 2004/05 Excelsior 33 13 Eerste divisie 2005/06 Excelsior 37 14 Eerste divisie 2006/07 NEC 32 7 Eredivisie 2007/08 NEC 27 6 Eredivisie 2008/09 AZ 15 1 Eredivisie 2009/10 AZ 23 5 Eredivisie 2010/11 AZ 26 4 Eredivisie 2011/12 AZ 23 4 Eredivisie Total: 292 72 There is also specualtion that Simon Poulsen could be on his way to Villa. He is a fine left back/midfielder and also on a free transfer from AZ. He is another player with great energy and work ethic and great crossing ability.

Missed chance for Villa...signed a few days ago for ajax and made his debut today and scored the 2 opening goals. 4,25 million pound bargain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbjsORsdbyk

It may not be all that useless. If you draw against Benfica tomorrow....I can only figure they will get the trophy since they managed to beat us 5-4 on pens as well

Even though we lost both games, I was still excited for the pens. I can only hope for Blackpool fans that they will do this in the Prem as well. They'll get a bit of excitement at least.

Lichaj misses What's this? Can't believe they are stopping. Weird Portuguese rules :evil:

Ricky van Haaren misses

2-2

What a great save by Guzan

Yeah, same thing happened yesterday. We were leading 1-0 at HT but just don't have the squad to make any subs. You bring routine International players on the pitch and we have a 41 year old in goal, a 22 year old left back and everybody else is U21.

**** hell.... Albrighton and now Sidwell will probably never score a goal like that again > but against us they do.