Summer 2010 Transfer Thread: B*llsh*t, Rumours & Wishes

[Greg N'Ash]

guardian
 
Aston Villa could face further upheaval this summer after it emerged that Martin O'Neill may struggle to keep hold of Ashley Young as well as James Milner. Young has caught the eye of leading Premier League teams over the past two years, including Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as a number of top European clubs. Villa may well find it difficult to persuade the England international to stay if interest crystallises into a formal offer.

Young, 25, is happy at Villa but also fiercely ambitious and keen to regain his England place after missing out on the World Cup. With Milner set to join Manchester City, provided Villa's valuation is met, O'Neill will not want to contemplate losing Young in the same transfer window.

The former Watford winger remains one of the club's most influential players, despite failing to reproduce the form last season that saw him win the Professional Footballers Association's young player of the year award in 2009. O'Neill has long regarded Young as integral to his plans and would almost certainly value him at more than double the £9.6m Villa paid Watford three and a half years ago.

Tottenham have considered making a move for Young but felt it would be impossible to prise him out of Villa Park while the two clubs were operating on an equal footing in the Premier League. Whether that interest is rekindled after Tottenham's top-four finish last season remains to be seen. Harry Redknapp, Spurs' manager, is pursuing Joe Cole, who is available on a free transfer from Chelsea.

Manchester City inquired about Young before the end of the season but their pursuit of Milner and recent signing of the Spain international David Silva make it unlikely that they will take things further. Liverpool's interest would be dependent on possible departures from Anfield. There have also been suggestions that Young's name has appeared on Internazionale's radar since Rafael Benítez took over at the Italian champions.

Villa are expected to attempt to head off any interest by seeking to tie Young to an improved long-term contract. He has just entered the final two years of a four-year deal and talks over new terms are set to begin before the transfer window closes. How active Villa are in the market between now and then is likely to be strongly linked to what happens with Milner. Randy Lerner, the club's chairman, suggested at the end of last season that there would be a "sell to buy" policy.

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There's a bullshit Spurs ITK rumour every summer, but I don't see him going this year. As for the article, its hardly enlightening is it? Its basic premise is that Ashley Young is a good player and other clubs may like to buy him, but won't for varying reasons.

As for the sell to buy policy, again, as has been stated a few pages back, this is being spun into something it isn't. What club retains players that are of no use to it and simply drain wages? Who wouldn’t sell those players? That’s not the same as having to sell, its just common sense.

As for the Express story, I struggle to believe that a national tabloid would be able to get such precise information as “£15 million”, when even the local journalists cannot get even basic stories from the club. That’s a great big pile of bullshit to me.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Sign Jenas, give him a long haired wig and get him to change his name by dead poll to Jermainho or Jenasinho.

No point.
It would be like putting bay windows on a shithouse.

[charleeco7]

Over heard a couple of people talking last night, so its probably a load of rubbish but i thought id throw it in anyway...

Milner to Man City for £23 million plus Onuoha coming our way.

Keane and McGeady are done deals.

As i say probably rubbish but hay.

[Mr Diggles]

I can see the interest in A Young being more than tabloid talk, and also his interest in maybe seeking a move to the right club. But I would have thought Villa will fight desperately to hold onto him especially if Milner is sold too. But it could turn out to be one of MON's 'give me one more year' specials. Basically I can see Young agitating for a move either this summer or next, espcially if there is concrete interest in him.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Keane and McGeady are done deals..

How shit would that be?

One busted flush and the other not good enough for the Premier.

[Matt C]

Why doesn't the Express story have some sort of link to Princess Diana? I'm outraged.

[VillaZogmariner]

I think Keane could do well for us, but McGeady? Dear God no. I'd rather have Heskey in the side I think.

[Hookeysmith]

I think Keane could do well for us, but McGeady? Dear God no. I'd rather have Heskey in the side I think.

Go and wash your mouth out right now young man

[VillaZogmariner]

I think Keane could do well for us, but McGeady? Dear God no. I'd rather have Heskey in the side I think.

Go and wash your mouth out right now young man

That just tells you how shit I think McGeady is! (From the little I've seen and what people who have seen him a lot have told me).

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Young won't go this year but I wouldn't rule it out at the end of the season.

[eastie]

My main concern is that randy perhAps doesn't seem to have the belief we can make the top 4 as he had when he took over , and my worry is he can't compete financially or won't compete financially with our main rivals, I have no qualms about his previous spending , but am very concerned that maybe he has put a block on more high spending.

Randy so far has been great for us, but will that continue to be the case?

[VillaZogmariner]

Young won't go this year but I wouldn't rule it out at the end of the season.

Haven't we said that every transfer window since he signed!

[VillaZogmariner]

My main concern is that randy perhAps doesn't seem to have the belief we can make the top 4 as he had when he took over , and my worry is he can't compete financially or won't compete financially with our main rivals, I have no qualms about his previous spending , but am very concerned that maybe he has put a block on more high spending.

Randy so far has been great for us, but will that continue to be the case?

Something else that is said every transfer window. Now, I don't know what Randy's policy is on spending this summer, and neither do you I'd hazard a guess to say. So why don't we wait until the window closes and then look back and see how we've done? We go through this every window, and then it picks up.

[Concrete John]

Both those articles Greg posted seem to be the writer's opinion stated as fact, so not much more than us on here guessing at what's going on.  I trust Randy 100%, so IF it's true that he's cutting back the spending, I have every confidence he's doing it for the good of the club.  It's only right that we live within our means, so should it be correct that there's £15m to spend, then I think that's acceptable with the incoming fees expected:-

Davies - £5m
Young - £3m
Shorey - £2.5m
Beye - £1m
Sidwell - £3m
NRC - £3m
Randy - £15m
Total - £32.5m

That should be enough given the reported fees of the likes of Witsel and Bentley.  And if/when Milner goes there would be at least another £15m on top of that after we recruit his replacement.  

I think it's a chicken and egg situation right now and once one player goes/signs I think we'll see the other dominos start to fall also.