January Transfer Window - Rumours, Links, B*llsh*t and Made-Up Nonsense

[atomicjam]

One player not being sold in Jan, is our Ashley, so says the Guardian;

Aston Villa say Ashley Young must stay and may let contract run down
• England winger halted talks on new deal in October
• Contract of club's best-paid player ends in 18 months


Aston Villa will not countenance selling Ashley Young when the transfer window reopens next month and are so determined to prolong the England international's spell at the club that they have refused to rule out the possibility of allowing him to run down his contract and leave on a free transfer in 18 months' time.

Although Villa would ideally like to avoid that scenario, the club are prepared to give serious consideration to Young seeing out his deal if he refuses to sign improved terms when they seek to resurrect new contract talks in the summer. There is a school of thought within the club that another 12 months of Young's services could be much more valuable than the significantly reduced transfer fee they would receive for him at the end of this season.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are known to be interested in Young, who fuelled speculation about his long-term future at Villa when he broke off contract talks in October.

Young, the Guardian has since learned, pulled out of signing at the last minute after months of discussions culminated in him agreeing terms on a new four-year deal that would have given him a significant salary rise – he is already the highest-paid player at the club – and included a clause allowing him to leave for a pre-determined fee.

Although several clubs are expected to try to capitalise on Young's situation when the transfer window reopens, a senior figure at Villa has made it clear that there is no chance their most influential player will be sold next month.

Randy Lerner, Villa's owner, is anxious to dispel the idea that his ambitions have changed in the wake of Martin O'Neill's resignation as manager in August, and he has no intention of allowing Young to leave when he is deemed to be vital to the side's prospects between now and the end of the season.

Whether Young can be convinced to return to the negotiating table and commit his future to Villa, however, remains in doubt. This looks like being a transitional season for Gérard Houllier's side, who are only four points above the Premier League's relegation zone and 11 points adrift of the top four.

With sources close to Young suggesting he is keen to test himself in the Champions League after three seasons of finishing in the top six, Villa might struggle to satisfy his ambitions. Young, who is injured after suffering medial ligament damage in training last week, joined Villa from Watford for £9.65m a little under four years ago. He excelled in his first full season at the club, when he was described as a "genius" by O'Neill and named as the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year.

After struggling to recapture that form last season, Young was left out of England's World Cup squad but has since returned to the international set-up and featured in the 2-1 defeat by France at Wembley last month.

[atomicjam]

Link;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/20/ashley-young-aston-villa-contract

[JJ-AV]

He'll go in the Summer for about £12m to Spurs or Liverpool.

[atomicjam]

Sidwell is off, says the Mirror:

Sidwell close to Hammers move after agreeing terms
West Ham will sign Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa to help their survival campaign - with a cut-price move set up yesterday.

Experienced midfielder Sidwell was in London for a medical and is sorting out personal terms on a move that will end his stay at Villa and give him first-team football.

Boss Avram Grant has been pleading for reinforcements and the club’s negotiators have come up with the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Reading man after failing to land Joey Barton from Newcastle.

Sidwell is joining for the start of the window as Hammers know there is no time to lose in their bid to stay up. The cost of the deal will depend on their survival this season - and in the future.

Hammers will pay a small sum up front, with extras on bonuses. But the move makes sense if Sidwell can bring some extra drive and experience to their small squad.

Villa are happy to ship out Sidwell as they trim some of their big earners under the orders of owner Randy Lerner. He was one of their best-paid players after Martin O’Neill talked him into moving, one of many expensive legacies from the former manager’s time.

Hammers are willing to take on Sidwell’s whole package as they know the cost of relegation would be crippling. However insiders maintain that this does not mean the sale of Scott Parker.

Ironically Sidwell and Parker were in a similar boat in their times at Chelsea when both joined the Stamford Bridge club but failed to make an impact before swiftly moving on.

Sidwell’s exit will give Gerard Houllier more money to spend - and wages to add - to Villa as he plots his own changes.

However Villa are finding it hard to land their targets because of Lerner’s desire to keep the salaries in check - and there could be trouble ahead for the Frenchman as he tries to recruit better players.

[Mazrim]

Good. Hopefully he wont be moving too gingerly in his medical.

[pauliewalnuts]

Villa are happy to ship out Sidwell as they trim some of their big earners under the orders of owner Randy Lerner. He was one of their best-paid players after Martin O’Neill talked him into moving, one of many expensive legacies from the former manager’s time.

And, not denigrating his achievements here, that says it all about MON's deficiencies.

[The Left Side]

The BBC gossip column is saying this...

West Ham's current star striker, Frederic Piquionne, has rejected reports that he will leave the Hammers for Aston Villa when the January transfer window opens.
Full story: Goal.com

Meanwhile, Aston Villa are poised to make a £1m for Lokomotiv Moscow star Alan Gatagov.
Full story: talkSPORT

Piquionne could be worth a punt depending on his fee, I don't know anything about Gatagov? I shall have to google him!

[JJ-AV]

We should try and take advantage of Spam. They'll pay big wages and they're desperate. We could move alot of the shite there.

[Toronto Villa]

Villa are happy to ship out Sidwell as they trim some of their big earners under the orders of owner Randy Lerner. He was one of their best-paid players after Martin O’Neill talked him into moving, one of many expensive legacies from the former manager’s time.

And, not denigrating his achievements here, that says it all about MON's deficiencies.

Happy to see him go as he doesn't offer us much at all. Have a sneaky feeling though that a few weeks from now he might be playing decently and we'll all be wondering who the hell that is in what looks like a claret and blue shirt.

[Greg N'Ash]

If there were any west ham fans left still thinking they could stay up, that story has put the final nail in the coffin. I wonder what "small sum" means in real terms? Tenner?

[N'ZMAV]

There's some real wank signings there.

[richard moore]

Villa are happy to ship out Sidwell as they trim some of their big earners under the orders of owner Randy Lerner. He was one of their best-paid players after Martin O’Neill talked him into moving, one of many expensive legacies from the former manager’s time.

And, not denigrating his achievements here, that says it all about MON's deficiencies.

Happy to see him go as he doesn't offer us much at all. Have a sneaky feeling though that a few weeks from now he might be playing decently and we'll all be wondering who the hell that is in what looks like a claret and blue shirt.

Know what you mean, but basically you can say that about anyone who leaves. They will always have their moments. See 'Marlon Harewood'

Basically, Sidwell had one decent season, followed by spells with two much bigger clubs where he couldn't cut it

Funny how many of those Reading players turned out to be one season wonders

[PaulTheVillan]

Bye Sidwell.

You useless ******.

[PaulTheVillan]

Seems like West Ham are after Sidwell & Poulsen.

Do they think they can replace Parker with total shit?

[pablopicasso_10]

i would love it if sidwell went to the shammers...