James Ward-Prowse

[nick76]

41 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

The fact that we have a realistic chance of signing one of Southampton's if not their best player shows how far we've climbed the ladder.

Under Lambert or even last season there would be zero chance of that.

We just need to keep making smart signings, if they are the right age and right profile overpay if we have to.

Massive credit to Smith eh?

[OxfordVillan]

1 hour ago, Lord Willard said:

Him being so good at free kicks takes away how good his all round game is. He is probably the 5th best English midfielder and people are unsure? If it's around 50-60m we won't be interested but if it's around 30-35 I think we'll be all over it 

I’d think the figures would be somewhere between the two sets you mention, something around £40-45m. 

[Phil Silvers]

I read on the saints forum that Hasenhuttl will have around 10m to spend this summer, considering how tough they found it last year, I'd say they would be open to JWP moving on for the rebuild. 

Interestingly they see him going to a top6 club but not good enough for citeh.

They also think there is zero chance of us keeping hold of Jack.

Not as bitter a bunch as the turkey farmers but stills clowns none the less.

[John]

41 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

According to the Times, Southampton are ready to spurn any offer we make.

I’m not saying it will happen, probably won’t, but that’s several different news outlets reporting our interest which according to the article became ‘clear’ over the weekend. 

Think people are right and this is his agent stirring up some interest in jwp, whether for us or hoping to prompt other clubs into action.

From yesterday's Times: 

"Southampton are ready to reject an approach from Aston Villa for James Ward-Prowse. Villa’s interest in signing the England midfielder became clear a day after they agreed a club-record £35 million deal to sign Emiliano Buendía from Norwich City. The transfer activity casts doubt on Jack Grealish’s future at the club.

Villa have said they plan to make a few signings who can help them to improve on their 11th-place finish this season. Ward-Prowse’s eight league goals for Southampton last season included two free kicks in a 4-3 win at Villa Park. He also claimed seven assists in the league and scored his first goal for England in the 5-0 win over San Marino in March. The 26-year-old has four years left on his contract.

Buendia, 24, an attacking midfielder, was named the Sky Bet Championship player of the season, helping Norwich to win the title with 15 goals and 16 assists. Villa’s proposed transfer will eclipse the £28 million, plus add-ons, they paid Brentford for Ollie Watkins last summer. Grealish has been linked with a move to both Manchester clubs".

Gary Jacob seems more interested in linking our "transfer activity" with a departure for Jack (twice!) and also seems a lot more willing to accept that The Saints "are ready to reject an approach from Aston Villa" than that we "plan to make a few signings who can help (us) improve on (our) 11th-place finish." I think they would prefer not to sell JWP, but I think that is more likely to happen than for us to sell Jack (much to the reporter's grief).

 

[It's Your Round]

3 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

I read on the saints forum that Hasenhuttl will have around 10m to spend this summer, considering how tough they found it last year, I'd say they would be open to JWP moving on for the rebuild. 

Interestingly they see him going to a top6 club but not good enough for citeh.

They also think there is zero chance of us keeping hold of Jack.

Not as bitter a bunch as the turkey farmers but stills clowns none the less.

Literally everyone I’ve spoken to has said the same. Manure fans, Chelsea fans, Leicester fans, Barnsley fans, even Rotherham fans round my way say the same. All I hear is “Grealish is off to city isn’t he?”. Seems it’s only Villa fans that know what our owner’s vision is, we seem to have gone under the radar everywhere else. Which is just how I like it. 

[It's Your Round]

1 minute ago, John said:

From yesterday's Times: 

"Southampton are ready to reject an approach from Aston Villa for James Ward-Prowse. Villa’s interest in signing the England midfielder became clear a day after they agreed a club-record £35 million deal to sign Emiliano Buendía from Norwich City. The transfer activity casts doubt on Jack Grealish’s future at the club.

Villa have said they plan to make a few signings who can help them to improve on their 11th-place finish this season. Ward-Prowse’s eight league goals for Southampton last season included two free kicks in a 4-3 win at Villa Park. He also claimed seven assists in the league and scored his first goal for England in the 5-0 win over San Marino in March. The 26-year-old has four years left on his contract.

Buendia, 24, an attacking midfielder, was named the Sky Bet Championship player of the season, helping Norwich to win the title with 15 goals and 16 assists. Villa’s proposed transfer will eclipse the £28 million, plus add-ons, they paid Brentford for Ollie Watkins last summer. Grealish has been linked with a move to both Manchester clubs".

Gary Jacob seems more interested in linking our "transfer activity" with a departure for Jack (twice!) and also seems a lot more willing to accept that The Saints "are ready to reject an approach from Aston Villa" than that we "plan to make a few signings who can help (us) improve on (our) 11th-place finish." I think they would prefer not to sell JWP, but I think that is more likely to happen than for us to sell Jack (much to the reporter's grief).

 

Even in three paragraphs about an unrelated player, they still have to shoehorn in the Grealish is leaving crap. 
 

They can’t help themselves can they. 

[Phil Silvers]

3 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

Literally everyone I’ve spoken to has said the same. Manure fans, Chelsea fans, Leicester fans, Barnsley fans, even Rotherham fans round my way say the same. All I hear is “Grealish is off to city isn’t he?”. Seems it’s only Villa fans that know what our owner’s vision is, we seem to have gone under the radar everywhere else. Which is just how I like it. 

Had we have downgraded Dean Smith for Jose Mourinho the world would sit up and see what's going on. They ain't gonna know what's hit them.

[Awol]

3 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

Even in three paragraphs about an unrelated player, they still have to shoehorn in the Grealish is leaving crap. 
 

They can’t help themselves can they. 

Things I love about NSWE, No. 35187:

They do their talking in the market. 

Edit: even though rival fans (excluding Arsenal) and the press are still mostly clueless, you can bet your house that football agents know what’s up at Villa. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Awol

[sne]

Really not feeling this deal, he's a fine player with a sweet delivery on set pieces but in open play he doesn't offer anywhere close to enough of an improvement on what we already have to warrant the fee he would cost.

Hope we have other targets.

[ender4]

31 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Massive credit to Smith eh?

You spelt Biesla wrong!

[Sam-AVFC]

1 hour ago, It's Your Round said:

Literally everyone I’ve spoken to has said the same. Manure fans, Chelsea fans, Leicester fans, Barnsley fans, even Rotherham fans round my way say the same. All I hear is “Grealish is off to city isn’t he?”. Seems it’s only Villa fans that know what our owner’s vision is, we seem to have gone under the radar everywhere else. Which is just how I like it. 

Most people I know don't bother voicing those opinions to me now as I've very confidently told them for the last 3 summer windows he isn't going anywhere, despite every man and his dog telling me he would. I've made sure to remind them annually how wrong they were each time just as loudly and incessantly as I was told he'd leave.

[allani]

I think JWP is a very good midfielder anyway - it's almost a dis-service to him that he is flagged as a free-kick specialist.  But seriously with Jack and Emi running havoc around the opposition penalty area - just how many goals could JWP score for us.  I see him as an upgrade on McGinn anyway and he'll score us at least 10 free-kicks season to boot.  I think with JWP, Bertie, Jack, Buendia and Targett we could have some amazing set-piece routines next season.

[allani]

I'm really surprised that the media / other fans aren't looking at the JWP rumours and saying "So Villa have the most fouled player in English football and are trying to sign the best free-kick taker in the country.  Wow that is some ambition."  As opposed to "Villa are about to sell the most fouled player in English football and to compensate are looking to replace him with someone who takes a mean free-kick."  Again surely the JWP rumour ONLY makes sense if Jack is staying.... 

[TRO]

29 minutes ago, Sam-AVFC said:

Most people I know don't bother voicing those opinions to me now as I've very confidently told them for the last 3 summer windows he isn't going anywhere, despite every man and his dog telling me he would. I've made sure to remind them annually how wrong they were each time just as loudly and incessantly as I was told he'd leave.

Its because they are indenial with our pursuit of betterment.....They cannot come to terms with Villa's intent to improve and have owners who can can fund it.

They have come out an said, Jack is not for sale.....so they can't say anymore, can they.

I would also think a tell tale sign would be any new recruits would ask that question before signing for us....." Is Jack staying"  "yes"......"where do I sign".

 

[Junxs]

7 hours ago, AntrimBlack said:

Pliilogene-Bidace?

(for 10 minutes) 

Hepburn-Murphy made his debut in the Sherwood era (apologies if someone has beaten me to it)

[DaveAV1]

34 minutes ago, TRO said:

Its because they are indenial with our pursuit of betterment.....They cannot come to terms with Villa's intent to improve and have owners who can can fund it.

They have come out an said, Jack is not for sale.....so they can't say anymore, can they.

I would also think a tell tale sign would be any new recruits would ask that question before signing for us....." Is Jack staying"  "yes"......"where do I sign".

 

Nothing’s changed TRO. They didn’t want us to win the league in 1981 and we got almost zero recognition 12 months later. Let’s face it our former chairman tried to eradicate it from history once he came back. 
 

We’re a different beast now. They’ll all hang on to their old prejudices for as long as they can though. As a city I think Brum is on the rise too. We’ll never be as gobby as the Mancs, that’s just not us but we’ll just get on with it.
 

All the ducks are aligning for us now. Our owners are superb both in terms of their monetary wealth and their business acumen.  The bloke running the team at BMH is one of our own and the bloke running things on the pitch is as Villa as you and me. Even the future King Of England is a Villa fan. 
 

We’re not trendy or cool to the media or the plastic fans. Perhaps we’re a bow legged chick and a knockneed hen but we’re Aston Villa and we’re here to upset the apple cart. They won’t like it or believe it, but would you want to bet against us? UTV!!!

Edited June 8, 2021 by DaveAV1

[Sam-AVFC]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Its because they are indenial with our pursuit of betterment.....They cannot come to terms with Villa's intent to improve and have owners who can can fund it.

They have come out an said, Jack is not for sale.....so they can't say anymore, can they.

I would also think a tell tale sign would be any new recruits would ask that question before signing for us....." Is Jack staying"  "yes"......"where do I sign".

 

Funny how cognitive dissonance works isn't it. 

I've seen the same people comment that we should be in FFP trouble for spending so much, bemoaning their club not making successful signings like we have and asking why a player would want to come here. 

Edit: I also still see some people refer to us as a 'yo-yo club'.  Maybe it's just me, but a yo-yo that only goes down and up once wouldn't be much good.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Sam-AVFC

[Enda]

3 hours ago, John said:

From yesterday's Times: 

"Southampton are ready to reject an approach from Aston Villa for James Ward-Prowse. Villa’s interest in signing the England midfielder became clear a day after they agreed a club-record £35 million deal to sign Emiliano Buendía from Norwich City. The transfer activity casts doubt on Jack Grealish’s future at the club.

Villa have said they plan to make a few signings who can help them to improve on their 11th-place finish this season. Ward-Prowse’s eight league goals for Southampton last season included two free kicks in a 4-3 win at Villa Park. He also claimed seven assists in the league and scored his first goal for England in the 5-0 win over San Marino in March. The 26-year-old has four years left on his contract.

Thanks for the quote, John. Just so certain posters on this thread understand: a bid would likely be rejected,  but this is The Times reporting that Villa are in fact interested in signing JWP.

[Vancvillan]

4 hours ago, Lord Willard said:

Him being so good at free kicks takes away how good his all round game is. He is probably the 5th best English midfielder and people are unsure? If it's around 50-60m we won't be interested but if it's around 30-35 I think we'll be all over it 

Rice, Henderson, Grealish, Phillips, Mount, Foden, ...then JWP?

[KentVillan]

Someone I trust as ITK has told me this is genuine. Doesn’t mean it will happen, but the story hasn’t been invented by journos - there is real interest in signing JWP.