Summer Transfer Window 2022

[og1874]

Just now, CVByrne said:

I think our problems are down to our system doesn't create enough chances for them to score. I think when we played the two of them up top with Coutinho behind them it was very effective. I can't see why we would sell either of them as the market doesn't look like one we can get an improvement on them. 

Because neither of them are really what Gerrard is looking for in a striker, so far as I can tell. I can see us spending big on a forward that's more in line with what he wants, with a cheap/free older head like Suarez as backup alongside Archer. I think the management team will be aware that they need to shift at least one of those 2 to bring in a new forward, but also that bringing in a new forward and relegating whoever is left to the bench will drain any resale value over the course of the season - so it might be best to shift both in the summer window if possible (as that window will likely represent the maximum price we'll get for either).

[nick76]

11 minutes ago, og1874 said:

Because neither of them are really what Gerrard is looking for in a striker, so far as I can tell. I can see us spending big on a forward that's more in line with what he wants, with a cheap/free older head like Suarez as backup alongside Archer. I think the management team will be aware that they need to shift at least one of those 2 to bring in a new forward, but also that bringing in a new forward and relegating whoever is left to the bench will drain any resale value over the course of the season - so it might be best to shift both in the summer window if possible (as that window will likely represent the maximum price we'll get for either).

I agree with this and I think it’s the same for midfield and I would argue it may be the same for defence.  

We have a lot of really good players but either don’t fit the system, play in the wrong position or two inconsistent.  

For me we need not only a change in midfield but new players, as you say the same with striker and arguably the same with defence.  I love both Mings and Konsa but we have a lot of nervy moments in defence that I wonder if we need that calming presence at the back, or maybe it is just as simple as sorting out the midfield to better protect the defence.  

So aside from Martinez, I think our spine of the team needs looking at in terms of not just quality but aggression when needed, calming when needed, a leader somewhere.  

To me our team is like a teenager, it needs to grow, needs guidance on the pitch, not be so moody that we don’t know which team will turn up and needs to fill out and stand up to the teams that it needs to stand up to but calm when it needs to be.

[HalfTimePost]

12 hours ago, paul514 said:

I highly doubt we agreed an option to buy of just 15m.... 20 odd I can believe.

£15m has been constantly mentioned. I'd imagine/hope they paid£4-5m for a loan fee

[GarethRDR]

On this April Fool's day, an obligatory **** You David Platt for that time him and Shoot magazine did a fake article (complete with photoshoot) that said he was coming back to Villa.

Still salty about, you Vic-Reeves-if-he-was-a-meth-addled-child-molester looking m'fer.

[og1874]

12 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I agree with this and I think it’s the same for midfield and I would argue it may be the same for defence.  

We have a lot of really good players but either don’t fit the system, play in the wrong position or two inconsistent.  

For me we need not only a change in midfield but new players, as you say the same with striker and arguably the same with defence.  I love both Mings and Konsa but we have a lot of nervy moments in defence that I wonder if we need that calming presence at the back, or maybe it is just as simple as sorting out the midfield to better protect the defence.  

So aside from Martinez, I think our spine of the team needs looking at in terms of not just quality but aggression when needed, calming when needed, a leader somewhere.  

To me our team is like a teenager, it needs to grow, needs guidance on the pitch, not be so moody that we don’t know which team will turn up and needs to fill out and stand up to the teams that it needs to stand up to but calm when it needs to be.

Yeah, it's just generally balance of players all over the squad that's completely out of whack. But that's find right now given that we've changed manager this season, so a lot of what we had isn't really long-term what it looks like he needs. While I'm not 100% certain we'll see a crazy summer, I think we might if it's doable to shift a LOT of players out and bring in more what we actually need based on role on the pitch. As it stands we've got a lot of talented players that simply aren't a fit. We're completely out of whack with personnel versus desired setup.

Getting the midfield right has to be the priority for this summer. If we do that, it's worth 15 points a season, minimum. It'll protect the defence better, as you say, and link up with the advanced players better. If we can get that sorted out, then there becomes less pressure on "fixing" the defence and attack, because they should improve by default.

There's a lot of bloat in positions we don't need, though. We've got Bailey, Traore, El Ghazi, Trezeguet who are predominantly wide players, yet we don't play wide players. Could see 3 of those out the door, with only Bailey kept IF we think we can turn him into a player that works. Up front we've got our two main strikers who don't really seem to fit either. Both of those could go. In the middle, JJ is probably the only one being played in his actual right position/style. Do we give McGinn the Scotland McGinn role? If so how does that affect things? If not, do we sell him and bring in a player who is a natural in the role McGinn is currently playing in (which I'll argue is NOT his natural role). Do we keep Luiz and play him in his proper role? If we do that, and we do the same with McGinn, there's only going to be one of them starting, so do we sell one and blood a younger player in there instead? (Moot if Luiz is sold and Carney doesn't want to stick around)

Sanson obviously isn't trusted to start, so we don't even know what his best role in the middle would be. Do we stick or twist with him? Do we risk McGinn and Luiz out, Sanson in as a starting 8 for next season? Or do we flog him as well?

Is the Coutinho/Buendia link up REALLY what we want moving forward or are we hedging our bets playing both in case Coutinho doesn't stick around and Buendia steps into that main man role? 

There are just so many questions around square pegs in round holes, and what exactly we're trying to do long term.

Made even more confusing, potentially, by the fact that we've got some (potentially) top class prospects knocking on the door.

Honestly, I have no idea what's going to happen in the summer... I don't even know what I want to happen because I'm not privy to what the manager or overall management team wants. All I know is that we could potentially sell 7 or 8 players and probably not be too out of whack because of it.

[TRO]

21 hours ago, nick76 said:

You seem confident of this.  

With a new manager, ambitious owners, a new system, a new philosophy, first major transfer window and a squad that has been incredibly inconsistent the last 18 months and the CEO saying it’s going to be a big summer I’m thinking there will be more surgery to this squad than you are saying.  

The manager will want to make this squad his own, wants the winning mentality and the owners wanting Europe…it just points to more change.

I think, a few players who we think, are ok......could be surprised, by the surgery.

I too think quite a few will be moved on. I think 3 will be wingers, keeping Bailey and JPB only.

Edited April 1, 2022 by TRO

[Pez1974]

2 hours ago, nick76 said:

So you just want to stay a midtable team? Adding just a midfielder really isn’t going to get us European place is it.

Nope. Want to progress.

But major surgery on the squad will probably mean another transition year, and we'll continue to stall.
And we appear to be just about compliant with FFP, so we may need to create a bit of breathing space.

Another year of Jacob Ramsey progressing should be a huge plus point.
Another year of some of the youngsters should given us options, and be a huge plus point.
A full pre-season on top of the 6-month loan experience for Coutinho will be a huge plus point.
Sort out a system, with both full backs prepared and in from the start will be a huge plus point.

Add a high quality CM to make that crucial area work properly - we could fly.
Look at who Leicester added before their title winning season - Kante.
Yes, they also added Robert Huth, Fuchs and Okazawa - but Kante turned them from relegation fodder to champions. That won't happen here, but adding a midfielder can get more than a European place - if it's the right one.
 

[Jareth]

Future's bright, despite what happens the rest of this season. Realistically, for FFP - we sell a few - £50m incoming, we write off £100mill on Covid just like Everton, we have most of the Grealish money in the bank - £100m. Add this summer's basic transfer kitty £40m, well we are on the way to spending best part of £300m if we want to. Could be an incredible window. 

[Phil Silvers]

8 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Future's bright, despite what happens the rest of this season. Realistically, for FFP - we sell a few - £50m incoming, we write off £100mill on Covid just like Everton, we have most of the Grealish money in the bank - £100m. Add this summer's basic transfer kitty £40m, well we are on the way to spending best part of £300m if we want to. Could be an incredible window. 

I think we will be aiming high talent wise, in small numbers though, 2/3 top rated players if getable. With the outgoings there will be a little padding too which might including promoting from youth. Can't wait for us to kick off next year.

[romavillan]

19 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Future's bright, despite what happens the rest of this season. Realistically, for FFP - we sell a few - £50m incoming, we write off £100mill on Covid just like Everton, we have most of the Grealish money in the bank - £100m. Add this summer's basic transfer kitty £40m, well we are on the way to spending best part of £300m if we want to. Could be an incredible window. 

First time I read that I thought £300m must be wrong, we couldn't spend that much. Then I thought how much money a real top class footballer goes for these days. You don't get many for £300m anymore!

[nick76]

56 minutes ago, Pez1974 said:

And we appear to be just about compliant with FFP, so we may need to create a bit of breathing space.

We actually have a fair bit of breathing space re FFP already and not just about compliant.  A few sales will obviously help that further.

58 minutes ago, Pez1974 said:

But major surgery on the squad will probably mean another transition year, and we'll continue to stall.

Minor change though and it’ll be another midtable finish.  We are still progressing but we aren’t at the stage yet that minor changes get us European football.  If we want European football in 3 to 4 years yes minor/slow change is preferable, but our owners don’t want that so upgrades will be very likely to a number of positions.

1 hour ago, Pez1974 said:

Add a high quality CM to make that crucial area work properly - we could fly.

Plus the comments above this, is great but incredibly optimistic.  We don’t have enough quality and so we’d be relying on having a very lucky season, everything clicking and the underdogs (us) flying.  Doesn’t sound like being prepared for an European place push, more like a fingers crossed and hope everything goes our way and everything clicks together which happens so rarely in life.  Being prepared is more like these owners way!

1 hour ago, Pez1974 said:

but adding a midfielder can get more than a European place - if it's the right one.

Dont think I agree, we are a lot more adrift than one player even if that was Declan Rice type/level player for example.  I think we are further away than that.

[Tomaszk]

I keep reading how we're really going big again this summer.

We're basically going to spend enough to succeed and go for top 4/6.

If it's spent correctly that is. And used correctly of course.

[Delphinho123]

44 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

I keep reading how we're really going big again this summer.

We're basically going to spend enough to succeed and go for top 4/6.

If it's spent correctly that is. And used correctly of course.

This Summer is going to be the most exciting yet because I think we'll focus on quality over quantity which hasn't always been possible due to the need for numbers and a squad.
I think we could see up to 10 players leaving, including a couple of first team players and we'll spend the money available on Coutinho and 3 others. Honestly, if we could sign Coutinho and 2 starting defensive midfielders, I'd be over the moon - anything else would be a bonus for me. We desperately need to improve in that central midfield area.

Here we go, Football Manager head on...

Philipps: 50m
Darwin Nunez: 50m
Bissouma: 27m
Coutinho: 33m
Total: £160m

It seems like a lot, but I think if we're smart, we can generate up to £90m in player sales. 

And then line up like this:

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
Buendia-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bailey
-----------------------------------------Coutinho----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or...

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
------------------------------Coutinho--------Buendia------------------------------------
------------------------------------------Ramsey-----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or a variation on any of the above.

It's all about quality this window, not quantity. 

[Laughable Chimp]

Just now, Delphinho123 said:

This Summer is going to be the most exciting yet because I think we'll focus on quality over quantity which hasn't always been possible due to the need for numbers and a squad.
I think we could see up to 10 players leaving, including a couple of first team players and we'll spend the money available on Coutinho and 3 others. Honestly, if we could sign Coutinho and 2 starting defensive midfielders, I'd be over the moon - anything else would be a bonus for me. We desperately need to improve in that central midfield area.

Here we go, Football Manager head on...

Philipps: 50m
Darwin Nunez: 50m
Bissouma: 27m
Coutinho: 33m
Total: £160m

It seems like a lot, but I think if we're smart, we can generate up to £90m in player sales. 

And then line up like this:

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
Buendia-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bailey
-----------------------------------------Coutinho----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or...

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
------------------------------Coutinho--------Buendia------------------------------------
------------------------------------------Ramsey-----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or a variation on any of the above.

It's all about quality this window, not quantity. 

Bissouma for 27m seems wildly optimistic. Also, Phillips and Bissouma?

[Delphinho123]

1 minute ago, Laughable Chimp said:

Bissouma for 27m seems wildly optimistic. Also, Phillips and Bissouma?

Why not? I genuinely think we need two defensive minded midfielders to allow us to play the double pivot and three attackers behind the striker. That's without mentioning the fact our full backs play like wingers. Our whole system falls down at the moment because we're so poor in the transition. As soon as we lose the ball, we're exposed and our back 4 struggles. We need to rectify that and I believe 2 defensive minded players would help with that. 

As for the £27m. He has 12 months left on his contract. He could obviously go for more, but we'll see. It's all fantasy anyway!

Edited April 1, 2022 by Delphinho123

[CVByrne]

1 hour ago, Tomaszk said:

I keep reading how we're really going big again this summer.

We're basically going to spend enough to succeed and go for top 4/6.

If it's spent correctly that is. And used correctly of course.

I'd say the issue we'll face is we won't get our first or 2nd targets. I'm resigned to our mid table place if we fail to land Phillips or Bissouma for the CDM position.

[duke313]

21 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

This Summer is going to be the most exciting yet because I think we'll focus on quality over quantity which hasn't always been possible due to the need for numbers and a squad.
I think we could see up to 10 players leaving, including a couple of first team players and we'll spend the money available on Coutinho and 3 others. Honestly, if we could sign Coutinho and 2 starting defensive midfielders, I'd be over the moon - anything else would be a bonus for me. We desperately need to improve in that central midfield area.

Here we go, Football Manager head on...

Philipps: 50m
Darwin Nunez: 50m
Bissouma: 27m
Coutinho: 33m
Total: £160m

It seems like a lot, but I think if we're smart, we can generate up to £90m in player sales. 

And then line up like this:

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
Buendia-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bailey
-----------------------------------------Coutinho----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or...

--------------------------------------------Nunez-----------------------------------------------
------------------------------Coutinho--------Buendia------------------------------------
------------------------------------------Ramsey-----------------------------------------------
----------------------Philipps----------------------------Bissouma-----------------------
Digne-------------------------Mings----------Konsa-----------------------------Cash
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Martinez---------------------------------------------

Or a variation on any of the above.

It's all about quality this window, not quantity. 

Nunez for £50m is a bit optimistic.  Benfica want at least £60m for him, and he is never coming to us over Champions League teams.

[Zatman]

22 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

Bissouma for 27m seems wildly optimistic. Also, Phillips and Bissouma?

Gareth Southgate transfer policy

[Zatman]

3 minutes ago, duke313 said:

Nunez for £50m is a bit optimistic.  Benfica want at least £60m for him, and he is never coming to us over Champions League teams.

Linked to West Ham 

[Zatman]

24 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Why not? I genuinely think we need two defensive minded midfielders to allow us to play the double pivot and three attackers behind the striker. That's without mentioning the fact our full backs play like wingers. Our whole system falls down at the moment because we're so poor in the transition. As soon as we lose the ball, we're exposed and our back 4 struggles. We need to rectify that and I believe 2 defensive minded players would help with that. 

As for the £27m. He has 12 months left on his contract. He could obviously go for more, but we'll see. It's all fantasy anyway!

Purslow will look foolish after saying he wouldn't pay 10 million for him and I agree with him