jackbauer24

Funny that they've announced this despite still saying he needs his permit. Trying to distract from other news are we?! But welcome Gueye. I know nothing about you but it's only a slight exaggeration to suggest you hold the key to our Premier league status now. If you're not amazing I hope you put a relegation clause in your contract!

Yes. I daid this a few pages ago. This is exactly what I feared. We have been shocking for last few seasons but our best players were Guzan, Vlaar, Delph and Benteke at various points. You could also argue Bent's goals kept us up when he signed. Only Guzan has a realistic chance of staying. The others have gone, nearly gone or pretty much guaranteed at some point! I genuinely think we're screwed. We've finished 17th last season. The top players were Delph, Benteke, Grealish and Cleverley. We'll have one left. The season starts in less than a month. We've also sold or released Weimann, Lowton, Given who featured at least in part as well as a few other players who weren't involved heavily in Sylla, Bent, Luna, Herd. We've brought in Sinclair for nominal, Richards on a free and Bunn on a free. A weak team a lot weaker. No, today I don't have patience. Today I'm done. Im going to enjoy my last season as a Premier League season ticket holder and look forward to my first as a Championship season ticket holder! I can't see Villa spending enough to compensate for the losses. I can't see Villa spending enough to even tread water. I certainly can't see us spending enough to go in to next season with an improved squad. So a crap team has spent the summer getting even worse.

Not really sure why you're getting so uppity about it! Thought this was a place for discussion?! The facts, based nothing on how much time left we have or who we are rumoured to buy, are: Sherwood dropped Guzan for Given - indicating he doesn't overly rate Guzan. He's now sold Given and brought in Bunn - arguably very little difference in quality and potentially wages when taking in to consideration likely payoff to Given. So, as it stands, we have brought in a slightly worse player than the one we had to be back up for a player Sherwood has indicated he doesn't rate as highly as the player he's just released. So AS IT STANDS it doesn't make any sense. I'm not saying there isn't a bigger picture to be played out, I'm not suggesting it's lunacy, I'm not jumping to any conclusions. I'm just saying it makes no sense.

It saves about £40k a week. Also, the summer is not over. Genuinely, not winding up, is that definitely true? Because without knowing the figures I was under the impression Given was on about £50k, that we then had to pay a percentage of his wages for his final year, say 50%, to enable the move. Then even if Bunn is only on 10k, we're only saving £15k a week, minus any signing on fees. I know I'm more negatively minded (I like to say realist!) but based on what we KNOW this doesn't make any sense. If he replaces Guzan then it makes more sense. But even then I don't think we should be wasting budget on replacing Guzan anyway, especially if we need to save £15-40k a week to reduce the overall quality of the squad.

For the record, I have no problem with Guzan and him being our number one BUT I don't understand the logic in this signing from Villa/ Sherwood's point of view. He rated Given higher than Guzan, but releases him. Brings in Bunn who most would say isn't quite as good as Given either in performance or experience ways. So this then means Guzan has less competition for a starting spot. If financial reasons, I doubt it's even that great a saving. We're likely to be paying a percentage of Given's wages even if he leaves for Stoke, add on Bunn's and the saving probably is only 10k a week, if that. I've no problem with Bunn, but it feels a little pointless from both aspects. I also wonder why it took a week to sign a free agent from Norwich if this was planned development. He's not here to challenge Guzan (which Given did) and saves a tiny amount of cash in all likelihood. Confused.

Which is fair enough. But now the message is, you've less competition so don't worry if your standards drop even lower? Still makes no sense.

Guzan isn't rated so Given takes his place. Given is then released so Guzan has even less pressure on his position. Rumours now consist of lower league/ veteran keepers coming in as back up. Where is the sense in this?! If you don't rate a player you don't make it so theyre even more secure in their position!

I'm happy with the signing. I think he shows promise. He seems like a good guy. Now please just shut up! Don't talk about Delph, don't talk about Benteke, don't talk about who we should buy, just play football and if you really must, talk about yourself!

I must admit I believe we will end up spending less than we receive this year, even before wages are taken in to account. But I also admit I'm generally a negative soul!

90%+ you say, £100 bet on that? I'd love to be wrong! I'm not saying it for effect, I think everyone accepts it's incredibly likely. If I could afford to lose money then I'd gamble, but I don't gamble because I might be wrong. I wouldn't gamble if it was 99% either, it's always a gamble unless you know. Who on here is confident he's staying?

NOT six weeks til season starts - ONE MONTH.

Remember season starts very early this year. It is only ONE MONTH until kick off, to the day. That's probably why there has been earlier transfer moves by a lot of clubs. We've brought in Richards on a free. We've nearly brought in Gueye hopefully. But with Benteke leaving the second Liverpool meet the figure (when, not if most likely) and Vlaar gone, Delph looking to go and three or four other regulars already sold I'd say we need to stop being so relaxed about things! I'm getting increasingly concerned, last season hardly suggested we already didn't need considerable work on our squad.

Although it's inevitable that someone will make a tired 50/50 joke... Benteke leaving is pretty much certain, it's just when it happens. Odds must be 90%+ Vlaar has technically left and is very unlikely to return so his odds must be similar. Delph is interested in City (confirmed) so odds must by 75%+ Guzan isn't rated but Given is off so this one really is 50/50 depending on transfer dealings. So arguaby the spine of our very weak team gone. No wonder people are getting worried, however early it is in the transfer window. What odds are that we would replace these players with even similar quality, never mind better? Benteke will be near impossible with our budget to improve on. Richards might be improvement on Vlaar but relatively untested at CB. Gueye (assuming permit goes through) probably not as good as Delph and will need time to settle. Which goal keeper we're linked with is better than Guzan? So team treading water at best. Add on disappearing squad depth in Weimann, Lowton and Given and I genuinely have grave concerns. The season starts in one month. Movement needs to happen quickly as each day that passes increases the likelihood we will struggle even more next season.

Forgetting contract clauses, ITK comments and other journalistic soundbites, if a current Villa player goes on the record and says he's been asking for advice it's fair to say that it's at least 99% accurate to suggest Man City have made contact and probably 80% fair to assume he's seriously interested in making the move. If we argue Vlaar is to be replaced with Richards fair enough. But who realistically replaces Delph and Benteke? We're actually going backwards this summer in my view.

Has left on a free to Middlesborough according to Telegraph. I can't quote article very easily on my phone so can't put link on without getting a warning, so find it yourselves!

So possibility Villa/ Lerner have moved to a Plan B. Roughly about the time 'exclusivity' may have been concluded. Around the same time WBA begin an exclusivity period. 1+1 may well equal 5... but still would like to hear a little more positivity about the takeover. Villa have never confirmed the exclusivity arrangement have they? Why wouldn't they?

Never heard of him but don't believe it anyway, can't see us spending that much on one player regardless of if we sell Benteke and/ or Delph. We'd be much more likely to spread the money to cover the holes that are appearing. Two strikers gone (AW & DB), two midfielders gone (TC & YS) and two defenders gone (RV & ML) that I can think of that have featured at least a handful of times.

Moderators - can we have a warning system for overkill?! There should be a rule about how long a joke can be regurgitated! It's funny for a bit but it drags after three weeks solid of whether we can loan two players from one club, how old Richards is, the maths behind 50/50 and how long is Delap's throw! Yes it's sticky hot and Villa stories are depressing so I'm grumpy and waiting for inevitable pun filled response that covers all the above and more!

Quickest way to please most fans (inc me!) would be to sell Benteke asap for full release clause and attempt to bring in Charlie Austin for the rumoured £15m it'd cost. Soften the blow, England international, scored more for poorer team and then invest rest in other areas of the squad. As much as I recognise Benteke's qualities, I've never really cared if he stays or not and would be happier with Austin, not having a player who doesn't want to be here and a healthier transfer budget than keeping him for another year.

First indications that we were in a 'period of exclusivity' with preferred bidders was on June 8th. So if we count six full weeks from then, it could well be until the week commencing the 20th July before we hear anything one way or the other. So start the countdown! I'd be surprised if we heard anything before this date.

Whilst emotion shouldn't play a part in player recruitment or retention, there are a few players that break that rule. For me, one of those is Downing, how good he may still be is irrelevant and don't want him back as think the way he left was disgraceful - we take a chance on him when injured, we stick by him when injured, he plays well when he finally gets fit and then weeks after saying he's happy, he's hopped off to Liverpool. The fact we screwed Liverpool for a good fee isn't thanks to him but thanks to good money men. Some fans hate anyone who've left us but I'm not one of those and have no issue with Yorke (plenty of service, bad way to make it happen though) Barry (great service, left for right team in the end) or Milner. But Downing is up there with Unsworth for me! No, never, not even for free.

I don't think anyone is saying he's too good to be replaced, it's just a case of it being such a low priority. Especially if it impacts on budget. We more urgently would be better improving on Cissokho, Richardson, Hutton, Cleverley, Sanchez, NZogbia,Gabby and Weimann of just the players who played large parts of the season. I'd personally argue that we'd make greater improvements as a team if we even tried to improve on 'good' players such as Baker, Okore and Westwood than replace Guzan. The realistic replacements for, certainly anyone in that first group, would have a far greater impact on our progress next season than replacing Guzan. It's not that he can't, or even shouldn't, be replaced it's just that is completely the wrong area to be focusing on unless you're 100% sure it won't impact on the more vital areas.

If this is true, then despite my main concerns regarding budget and misdirected funds, I'd also like to point out we'd be losing one of the most important/influential players in the squad. Although it's been an awful few years, most people would acknowledge that at different times over that period, Guzan, Vlaar, Delph and Benteke have been the spine that hat have kept us up. We could realistically lose all four this summer and how that can't fill people with dread is beyond me. It's this that highlights we are still a slowly sinking ship, why arent we replacing the average/poor players rather than patching up significant departures? If it's true of course. But a bit tired of depressing rumours rather than inspiring ones.

I know none of it has happened and it's all paper rumours but why is it all so bloody depressing?! Can't keep Cleverley (despite saying we wanted to) can't keep Vlaar (despite saying we wanted to), selling Benteke (because we have to) selling Delph (because we have to). Key players from an already poor team. And we've got rid of other players who we might have been needed considering ever shrinking squad depth. And we've brought in one free and have fairly limited rumours of other signings especially considering the calibre of players we need to be replacing. Rumours of a replacement keeper in the light of above looks even more ridiculous! I know it's all rumour but I'd like some positive ones please! Worse still, Richardson is still a Villa player!

You're misunderstanding my point I think. I don't expect five first choice players, I'm just saying that's how many we'd need to justify spending any money on the goalkeeping position. Another words, I'd far rather see at least five other positions strengthened before our keeper.