How Many Summer Signings?

[maqroll]

How many new signings will Villa make this summer?

[8pints]

I think (Possibly hope) there's going to be a mass clear out and then loads coming in. They may not all be high profile or expensive but there'll be over 7. 

 

EDIT - And maybe most of them won't go straight in to the first team.

Edited May 15, 2013 by 8pints

[Richard]

Not convinced there will be that many new players.

There am be a clear out but arguably those leaving havent been used this season anyway to any great degree;

Given, Ireland, warnock, dunne, delfouneso, Makoun, Bent being the 7 major ones and maybe even Albrighton, bannan, herd into that mix.

That's 10 out and why would you need 7 to replace them?

A back up goalie, defender or two, midfielder or wide man and maybe a striker that's 5 in for me.

[smetrov]

I think there will be 4 signings in around first team level.

 

2 defenders, 1 midfielder, and 1 striker

[Rodders]

Yeah ive gone for 4 in terms.of first team.

[Ginko]

I'm not convinced we'll clear as many players out as we might like. Stan, Warnock and Dunne are out of contract, but we've still got Given, Ireland, Makoun, Hutton and Bent all on large wages and lengthy contracts and I don't see many clubs coming in for them. I wouldn't miss Bannan or N'Zogbia if they went either, but I don't see Zog going, perhaps Bannan though. I could see that bell-end Holloway making an offer, especially if Palace win the playoffs.

For this reason I think we'll only get a maximum of three in, if that. Obviously I hope I'm wrong. LB, CB and another DM for me, thems the priorities.

[HalfTimePost]

Stan, Warnock, Dunne and Makoun are already confirmed gone or contracts expire. That is £170k a week of wages off the bill.

 

Lichaj's contract is running out and there is no noise about him being offered a new one.

 

Bent has already said to people at the awards night there is no chance he will be here this season and has already been in the papers talking about potentially leaving within about 5 minutes of us being confirmed as safe. 

 

In Given we have one of the few players willing to take a step down in wages in order to be getting first team football as he's already proved by coming to us.

 

Hutton, I think just wants to play, theres no way he could have enjoyed his time here. We will absolutely struggle to get rid of him but I think for £1m Mallorca, a championship team or a scottish team will take a punt on him. Will he really want to train with the reserves all season? Possibly a loan I guess.

 

Im 100% confident Given, Dunne, Warnock, Makoun, Lichaj, Hutton and Bent won't be here next season.

 

Ireland will be tougher. Hopefully we can get him to the MLS or maybe even QPR.

 

So, in their place we'll sign:

 

GK (backup),

CB,

LB,

RB (backup), 

CM/DM,

Striker

 

and then I think we'll also sign:

 

1 CM/AM

1 Wide Forward / Winger

 

8 signings.

 

However assuming those players mentioned above all leave (a difficult task in itself), a very quick look at players who will be 21 and over and possibly named in our squad next season:

 

 

KEEPERS

Guzan

Siegrist

 

FULLBACKS

Lowton

Stevens

Bennett

 

CENTRE BACKS

Vlaar

Baker

Clark

 

MIDFIELDERS

Westwood

Delph

Sylla

Herd

Bannan

Ahmadi

Gardner

 

WINGERS/ATTACKING MID

NZogbia

Albrighton

Bowery

Holman

 

STRIKERS

Gabby

Benteke

Weimann

Delfouneso

 

 

Is 23 players, leaving us with 2 slots for other players to fill. I think it is absolutely vital we sign 1 CB and 1 LB. Those are priorities 1 and 2.

 

Then we have to start looking at the rest and who can go. 

 

Siegrist hasn't done a lot this season from what I've seen, it mostly appears to be Brad Watkins (is Benj injured?) loan him out to the lower Championship and sign a young backup keeper.

 

Delfouneso has start 22 games for Blackpool, with 18 appearances from the bench and scored 6 goals. He can go too. Maybe another loan, he's still only 22 but I think thats it for him now to be honest. We can then sign a striker, my choice being Alfred Finnbogason to rival Benteke (or replace him if he leaves).

 

In Attacking Mid/Wingers I really wouldn't mind who left, none of them have done enough/aren't good enough. I expect Bowery will stay as he's Lamberts signing and brand new. Atleast one of the other 3 will go. First to be replaced by a Wide Forward a la Gabby. If we offload a second from this group then a new CAM please.

 

In midfielders Herd, Bannan and KEA can go, again I expect KEA to be kept as he's Lamberts signing, friend to Vlaar (I assume).  The other 2 can go, both to be replaced with some form of Midfielder, 1 DM and 1 AM ideally to slot around Westwood.

 

Stevens can also go to be replaced by a backup RB.

 

Players to Loan

Players that need to go for out on loan as they are nearing 21 and would take up a place in the squad list next season or in 14/15.

 

Johnson, Siegrist, Williams, Carruthers (rumours a while back he's leaving?), Burke. I would also like to see Graham loaned out.

 

(Disclaimer: Im going to say now that I probably shouldnt have made a post like this before I've eaten breakfast, I apologise if I've made some glaring error)

[omariqy]

I expect the usual suspects to leave and us to bring in a GK, LB, CB, AM or Winger, ST 

[Condimentalist]

Depends who leaves of course but i'll say 6 in.

[GarethRDR]

Depending on who goes, as many as 8 to come in.

[Shillzz]

Hopefully loads of unwanted players will be shown the door, to be replaced by a Centre Back, Left back and a forward player who could rotate with Weimann and Gabby.

 

If Bent goes, then replace him with a like for like player who's happy to play second fiddle to Benteke.

[CVByrne]

Think about it logically. It's about freeing up wage space.

So Dunne, Bent, Given, Hutton & Ireland to leave.

We'll replace those with players from the same general positions who will be contributing to the squad and we're in great shape

[CVByrne]

Bent needs to be replaced with a player who can step into Benteke shoes when he leaves next summer

[LondonLax]

I am guessing about 5 new faces and not all starters.

Evolution rather than revolution this season.

[AValon]

I've gone 5.

Three of those will be pretty much bargain basement (although with Lambo's eye for likely talent that could be a shrewd way to go) and the other two will be names. I think we will bring in a tough, experienced partner for Vlaar and a solid DM to use in rotation with the rapidly improving Sylla/Westwood/Delph trio.

Big, big clear out though.

[danceoftheshamen]

I too went 5 actually.

[Ironsid]

I think we need a L.B. C.B. a defensive minded midfielder, a box to box midfielder who can create and score goals and a striker to replace Bent. I'd put that as a minimum and if we could bring in a wide man as icing on the cake I'd be satisfied. The major outs would be those listed by the majority of posters on here. I wouldn't want us to go for players just to bulk out the squad like MoN did. I trust Lambert to unearth some more gems, probably from Europe.

So I'm going for 5 in.

[Houlston]

Might need midfield options to help the squad but the three that were in midfield competed very well against Chelsea and unless we buy some sort of superstar I dont see the need to change it or the front three a class CB is needed though.

 

I hope we stabilise and dont change too much, the team has been getting better and better, if we go and buy another 5 or so players there will be too much rotation again and I think we will struggle because I dont see us signing 5 superstars that might integrate more easily.

 

I like what we are doing and hope it continues.

[Pez1974]

Gone for 6.

A new, more experienced, CB and maybe the same for CM. Otherwise, a few up and comers to replace the ones we ship out, with the U21s having a few step up as well. Reckon we will give a new contract to Lichaj too.

[villa-revolution]

I think we will make a minimum of 6. This is going to be one of the most exciting Summers ever as a Villa fan in awaiting what lies ahead in the transfer Market. Lambert has shown that he can be more than trusted to spend money wisely & I'm certain that he is more than aware of the positions that we need to strengthen so I am happy to watch the joy unfold in his capable hands.

 

One thing that won't be predictable however are the names that Lambert will unearth but you just know for certain that he is the only  prospecter that is gonna strike gold.