Re: Summer transfers speculation thread (all links in here until it's official)

[smetro]

Townsend: £15m is £15m whether we finished 7th or 17th - that's a massive outlay for a player whose career imo has started to flounder.
Austin has been touted for around the same price - to me he would be the better addition (different position I know). If you consider we got Sinclair for £2.5m, I really think we need to look long and hard before shelling out £15m for Townsend....

Have Spurs announced its 15m then? I must have missed that one....

come on - even when the deals are done, we are never quite sure how much the final fee is. £15m is the figure I've seen banded about, in various reports. Lets cut to the chase AT will be considerable outlay, in fee and wages - he isn't going to be cheap. For that sort of money I think there are many question marks.
If he comes at hits top form, lays on and scores lots of goals then even at £15m it would have been worth it - I won't deny that. I just see the probability of this transfer backfiring ....that's all.

[Mazrim]

In fairness, I can see Levy trying to get that.

[Stratfordvilla]

Really glad that Weimans gone. Not because I want him to fail or I hate him, but like a lot of the current team, he had a chance and didn't take it. At some point we have to realise that there's a few constants over the last couple of years, and one of those is the players. Some of them need to go. There is a few on this site at the moment who lament every player going and dismiss every player coming in. My only factor for signing a player at the moment is will he go the first team? Yes - sign him, no - don't sign him. I just don't want squad players anymore.

[ViewFromT2]

Really glad that Weimans gone. Not because I want him to fail or I hate him, but like a lot of the current team, he had a chance and didn't take it. At some point we have to realise that there's a few constants over the last couple of years, and one of those is the players. Some of them need to go. There is a few on this site at the moment who lament every player going and dismiss every player coming in. My only factor for signing a player at the moment is will he go the first team? Yes - sign him, no - don't sign him. I just don't want squad players anymore.

Excellent post...sanity prevails!!

[smetro]

Townsend: £15m is £15m whether we finished 7th or 17th - that's a massive outlay for a player whose career imo has started to flounder.
Austin has been touted for around the same price - to me he would be the better addition (different position I know). If you consider we got Sinclair for £2.5m, I really think we need to look long and hard before shelling out £15m for Townsend....

Have Spurs announced its 15m then? I must have missed that one....

erm no, in a word.

another merchant of doom!!

No they haven't - its (as most possible transfers) an estimate - I can't see him coming for less for than £12m - .....and up to £15m I wouldn't have thought is out of the question. If it happens would you not agree the fee will be within that range ?

So Im estimating\assuming (we may not be interested in him at all !)

The fee would be in the range of £15m
Personally I would prefer Austin for a similar Fee
By comparison we have purchased another wide player for £2.5m - sure question marks - but at that price a gamble worth taking ?

If those opinions make me the merchant of doom - so be it !

[GadgetMan]

Haha!! You're a charmer aren't you?! I'd already said people see things differently, but thanks for agreeing too ha! If you read your own posts back without your head in the sand and a tad more realisictally you'd probably read a bigger pile of rubbish than my own

I think let's simply agree to disagree at this point and leave it there, you've had your 'pop' I've replied with my own little retort (be it tongue in cheek) I see no need to continue this. With the few posts you have so far I can see your approach is a "I'm right, everyone else is wrong" all the best with that   UTV

Fair play to you for remaining so calm bud....I've had to delete several responses throughout today to this guy!!!

Why bother? is all I keep thinking. I reckon he's on a wind up, but if everyone adds to 'foe list', he'll soon disappear. There are some people that are not interested in debate, as you rightly assessed...he is an "I'm right, everyone else is wrong" merchant.

Cheers ha! It takes a fair bit to wind me up. I'm putting it down to new poster nerves I'm sure he will see that we post in a respectful manner on here. We can disagree all we want, just keep it reasonably friendly and polite and it's all good.

We'll keep an eye on it as we don't want regular posters to not post. A few different perspectives are good and challenge our own views, key is being able to articulate yourself without being rude or offensive.

[kimbo]

Really glad that Weimans gone. Not because I want him to fail or I hate him, but like a lot of the current team, he had a chance and didn't take it. At some point we have to realise that there's a few constants over the last couple of years, and one of those is the players. Some of them need to go. There is a few on this site at the moment who lament every player going and dismiss every player coming in. My only factor for signing a player at the moment is will he go the first team? Yes - sign him, no - don't sign him. I just don't want squad players anymore.

That last part in particular is very much where I am at. Mind you, it's where I was last summer too!

[Villa_Dan]

In all fairness the pies and beer at the Villa are absolute dogshit

[GadgetMan]

Townsend: £15m is £15m whether we finished 7th or 17th - that's a massive outlay for a player whose career imo has started to flounder.
Austin has been touted for around the same price - to me he would be the better addition (different position I know). If you consider we got Sinclair for £2.5m, I really think we need to look long and hard before shelling out £15m for Townsend....

Have Spurs announced its 15m then? I must have missed that one....

come on - even when the deals are done, we are never quite sure how much the final fee is. £15m is the figure I've seen banded about, in various reports. Lets cut to the chase AT will be considerable outlay, in fee and wages - he isn't going to be cheap. For that sort of money I think there are many question marks.
If he comes at hits top form, lays on and scores lots of goals then even at £15m it would have been worth it - I won't deny that. I just see the probability of this transfer backfiring ....that's all.

Fair enough. I don't think we will pay that, but as Maz and you have said, I can see Levy wanting it. I don't get caught up in what they cost (I'm not paying) and TS will know his budget and what he can and can't get with the cash he has, so I'm happy at this stage to put my trust in him! I personally like him and think it sends the right signals out to other teams that we aim to be more competitive next season. You have to agree that signings like this and Richards are better than Luna and Tonev?! We have to start somewhere and if this summer is attracting a few off the back of TS and who he's worked with as long as they improve us then I've got no complaints. This may all be rubbish anyway. Or it could be within pre determined budgets and any sale may see that alter and add more to it and see one or two marquee signing since we're sold.

[NARLA24]

The French boy passed medical today. Who paid for that fecking signing ?
Oh , let the Trolls start rolling.
How do we get this info, how do we know so much beore everybody else ?
Because we fecking do, that's why. TBAR.

[AntJac]

I love the fact that Gil had one good game vs then Championship opposition and suddenly he is a Villa legend who got hard done by.

[Jamie Gray]

I love the fact that Gil had one good game vs then Championship opposition and suddenly he is a Villa legend who got hard done by.

This is where I'm at. Wonderful wonderful goal v Bournemouth reserves, and no doubting he had skills & good feet, but he had potential at best. I suspect it was either him or Jack & I'd go Jack as a longer term prospect every day of the week. Feel bad for him that he never really got going here, but that's football

[FoxyAV]

Really glad that Weimans gone. Not because I want him to fail or I hate him, but like a lot of the current team, he had a chance and didn't take it. At some point we have to realise that there's a few constants over the last couple of years, and one of those is the players. Some of them need to go. There is a few on this site at the moment who lament every player going and dismiss every player coming in. My only factor for signing a player at the moment is will he go the first team? Yes - sign him, no - don't sign him. I just don't want squad players anymore.

Weimann was great as a striker but rubbish out wide. He worked his bollocks off for the team and always looked like he gave a shit about the team and club but just isn't a winger. I think the move is great for all concerned because Sherwood doesn't want him and he gets a chance to start again (and hopefully play in his correct position). I think he's going to do well and we'll see him in the PL again.

Your last sentence is very true, we already have a squad of squad players, we need to trim out a few and buy in only first team players. If that takes a couple of years then so be it.

[ViewFromT2]

Did anyone watch the u21's last night?

I dipped in and out, but from the bits I saw I was really impressed with Tom Carroll. Heard from others that he faded as game went on...but he looks to be a really creative midfielder....would not surprise me in the slightest if he was on Sherwood's list!

Of the others, I though Lingard looked very good, and I also liked the look of Chalabah. Far from the finished article, but lot of potential in my opinion.

I have to be honest, the u21s are far better to watch than the main England side!

[Keyser Soze]

The French boy passed medical today. Who paid for that fecking signing ?
Oh , let the Trolls start rolling.
How do we get this info, how do we know so much beore everybody else ?
Because we fecking do, that's why. TBAR.

Looks a good prospect. Do you know if he was the only one having a medical as it was rumoured there were 3 players at BMH.

[Trotters]

The French boy passed medical today. Who paid for that fecking signing ?
Oh , let the Trolls start rolling.
How do we get this info, how do we know so much beore everybody else ?
Because we fecking do, that's why. TBAR.

We don't even have a thread for a french bloke but he's passed a medical? This is the kid from Nice, yes?

[ember]

The French boy passed medical today. Who paid for that fecking signing ?
Oh , let the Trolls start rolling.
How do we get this info, how do we know so much beore everybody else ?
Because we fecking do, that's why. TBAR.

We don't even have a thread for a french bloke but he's passed a medical? This is the kid from Nice, yes?

Jordan Amavi, presumably? If this is true I like the business we are doing and the way we are doing it.

Huddlestone, though! :x The player who looked like he was going to be a real player, the one that played for Derby, I would love to sign. But that was ten years ago, when he was being likened to Hoddle. These days, I imagine Hoddle still has the range and mobility Huddlestone now displays. TH looks like someone turning out in a seniors charity game to me. Still got a pass, shot and the odd turn on him but doesn't seem to run anywhere with any vim. "Timber!", to paraphrase John Gregory.

[Dgrizzle7]

I love the fact that Gil had one good game vs then Championship opposition and suddenly he is a Villa legend who got hard done by.

I also think the Liverpool game was a game changer tbgh

[kimbo]

Did anyone watch the u21's last night?

I dipped in and out, but from the bits I saw I was really impressed with Tom Carroll. Heard from others that he faded as game went on...but he looks to be a really creative midfielder....would not surprise me in the slightest if he was on Sherwood's list!

Of the others, I though Lingard looked very good, and I also liked the look of Chalabah. Far from the finished article, but lot of potential in my opinion.

I have to be honest, the u21s are far better to watch than the main England side!

My problem when I watch Lingard is that, whilst he is talented, he reacts to things rather than sees them; he's always feels a step behind what's going on to me. There are too many times he should be on his toes when balls are played forward but he's on his heels, or he lets defenders just step in front of him because they saw what was happening and he didn't. Of course experience may help with that, but that 'vision' is certainly not something that's even close to natural to him. Some people improve with things like that, some don't. He definitely has talent though, when he's on the ball he looks good.

Carroll did look good but yes did fade and it was no surprise when he got subbed; Chalobah is a bit raw but looks pretty darn exciting. It will be interesting to see what happens with him, he could easily fade into obscurity being on Chelsea's books, I certainly hope he doesn't!

Garbutt, the left-back, had an awful lot of chances to get crosses into the box - both in-play and from set-pieces - and was so wasteful he looked like a bloody Villa full-back 

[Aesorian]

If this Amavi transfer comes off then Sherwood has impressed me loads. How often under previous managers did we look at established players going cheap, but the club was put off by high wages?

Welcome to the club Micah Richards!

How many times did we see a young player who tore it up on the continent, was tipped for huge things and we made no attempt to get them in, despite filling a weakness in the squad?

Bring on Jordan Amavi!

Honestly, I had reservations about Sherwood in the transfer market, as we were linked with nothing but Spurs, and ex-spurs, players but if he can pull these two transfers off, apparently getting Amavi from under the noses of some decent clubs as well, then I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the summer.

[kimbo]

I love the fact that Gil had one good game vs then Championship opposition and suddenly he is a Villa legend who got hard done by.

Sorry but that's just not true, not true at all. Although I get you are probaly being deliberately facetious which is fine, I do that too, don't we all... :)

While the odd person may have fallen in love with him, the general consensus amongst most of us that have an issue with what's happened with Gil is that he showed enough promise against the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea to make a contribution for us, and seeing N'Zogbia run into defenders and give the ball away constantly - and plenty will say the same of Gabby, and some will even say it of Sinclair - or seeing Weimann on the wing, or seeing Joe Cole come on for Grealish (and Jack is another player that a fair section of fans don't rate) even when he's clearly not fit... the fact that he wasn't even given a chance when someone like N'Zogbia seemed like a guaranteed starter? That's peoples problem.

I'm bored of explaining this but some people just don't get it. It's NOT that we all love Gil, he was far from proven and may have a shit career. But he was an exciting prospect, and in just six games, his ONE goal meant he scored more goals than N'Zogbia and Grealish this season combined - in fact throw in Joe Cole and he still had as many as all three combined - and he had one assist. With all the extra football N'Zogbia played, do you know how many assists he had? Two. As did Grealish, for that matter.

Seriously dude. It's not about Gil, it's that we don't even know if he could have lived up to the hype, but we know for a fact what we was getting with N'Zogbia, Gabby, Weimann and so on. Okay Gabby played well in the two Albion games, but then he reverted to type.

If he moves on so be it, these things happen, maybe there is more to it than meets the eye. As long as we bring in quality to improve on that area of the field, people will be okay with it. It's not about people loving Carles Gil, it's just about people being sick of the same old shit in the final third.

[Guest]

I think let's simply agree to disagree at this point and leave it there, you've had your 'pop' I've replied with my own little retort (be it tongue in cheek) I see no need to continue this. With the few posts you have so far I can see your approach is a "I'm right, everyone else is wrong" all the best with that   UTV

Fair enough. Lets hope whoever we end up with performs better than what we are used too.

[Jamie Gray]

Some of the negativity is mind blowing. Given the signings we've made in recent years, some of the names being mentioned is a breath of fresh air. Andros Townsend is young, English & a current England International, of course he won't be cheap. I'd rather focus on the fact that it appears we are able to splash the cash, which seems a huge statement given the seemingly imminent take over. Who's money are we spending, who is authorising it? It's exciting! I spoke to my Dad the other night & the only barometer that should matter at the moment is 'are they better than what we have?' and so far it's a resounding yes. Enjoy the positivity people & stop crapping on everything & everyone!! We're on the up!!

[gdav]

Some of the negativity is mind blowing. Given the signings we've made in recent years, some of the names being mentioned is a breath of fresh air. Andros Townsend is young, English & a current England International, of course he won't be cheap. I'd rather focus on the fact that it appears we are able to splash the cash, which seems a huge statement given the seemingly imminent take over. Who's money are we spending, who is authorising it? It's exciting! I spoke to my Dad the other night & the only barometer that should matter at the moment is 'are they better than what we have?' and so far it's a resounding yes. Enjoy the positivity people & stop crapping on everything & everyone!! We're on the up!!

+1 

[GadgetMan]

Some of the negativity is mind blowing. Given the signings we've made in recent years, some of the names being mentioned is a breath of fresh air. Andros Townsend is young, English & a current England International, of course he won't be cheap. I'd rather focus on the fact that it appears we are able to splash the cash, which seems a huge statement given the seemingly imminent take over. Who's money are we spending, who is authorising it? It's exciting! I spoke to my Dad the other night & the only barometer that should matter at the moment is 'are they better than what we have?' and so far it's a resounding yes. Enjoy the positivity people & stop crapping on everything & everyone!! We're on the up!!

+1 

+2

Very well said Jamie! If this is who we're linked too whilst also dealing with a takeover situation, it can only mean good things for when it does finally go through!!

[Sponsored content]