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

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

No price is going to be released by the club. But i do think a substantial amount will be available. We really have to get rid of players who are very rarely in the first team Salouf, Davies, etc and replace them with players for the first team who will either compete or remove them .......

[JJ-AV]

Friedel, Guzan
Luke, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Cuellar, Clark, Lichaj
Petrov, NRC, Bannan, Delph, Ireland, Hogg
Ashley, Albrighton, Downing
Gabby, Delfouneso, Heskey, Weimann

Those are the players I'd expect are in Houllier's plans unless something drastic changes, and if we can ship the rest out and tie Ashley down I'd imagine those are the ones that will be here next season.

So I think in January and the Summer we need a fullback, a holding midfielder, a wideman and a centre forward.

I'd also like us to sign a centre half, better than anything we have, ideally. Dunne will be unmoveable - no one will pick up his wages, and he rates Collins. So unfortunately I'd look to sell Cuellar if there are any takers if a senior centre back that would improve us becomes available.

Lescott is still a good player, a Villa fan and left footed and could cover LB. But apart from that I can't think of anyone on these isles who is gettable.

[Matt C]

Some rumblings that Spurs might led Crouch go. I'd take him back.

[Rigadon]

Spurs would be mad to sell Crouch at the moment.  His knock downs (to Van Der Vaart mostly) are the source of most of their goals. 

[TimTheVillain]

Heard from a reliable source today that Parick Vieira will be joining in January.

What a difference a Vierra would make.

IF we are to become a big club, that's the kind of move we have to make.

[barrysleftfoot]

  No thanks to Crouch.


  The team is set up to play with pace, and have one mobile, all round foward up front, who has pace, can hold the ball up, and is big enough to cause problems in the air.Gabby is ideal.

  As a replacement/support for him, i still think Kallinic at BBurn is going to be top quality.


  Think we need a new RB, another defensive right sided midfielder, a LB, and replacements for anyone who is leaving.Still like Onohua tbh.

[Rigadon]

Heard from a reliable source today that Parick Vieira will be joining in January.

What a difference a Vierra would make.

IF we are to become a big club, that's the kind of move we have to make.

First instinct would be to counter with 'let's find the new Viera'.  But with the emergence of some pretty exciting options from our academy maybe a Viera-type signing would be a smart move.

[barrysleftfoot]

   Viera , coming off the bench yday, probably would have ensured 3 points yday.

  Looking at Hogg yday as well, he reminded me of a young Nicky Butt, the experience of Viera helping him along could make him develop into as good a player as Butt was, in that case Viera would be worth the money.

[Toronto Villa]

I really don't believe the Viera rumours. A magnificent player in his day, but not anymore. I haven't watched much of Man City this season, but does he really still offer anything? Aren't we better off finding 18-25 year old players from across the globe as opposed to signing aging players on massive wages. I thought we were putting an end to that era.

[JJ-AV]

Pienaar's situation resolved yet? He'd be such a good player for us.

[Captain Trips]

Pienaar for Ireland?

[JJ-AV]

Ireland will be a big player for us. We've just got an embarrassment of riches in that area compared to the rest of the squad.

Once Downing, Albrighton or Ashley get a nock and have a few weeks out and Ireland is given a run we'll see the best of him, I reckon.

[KevinGage]

No price is going to be released by the club. But i do think a substantial amount will be available. We really have to get rid of players who are very rarely in the first team Salouf, Davies, etc and replace them with players for the first team who will either compete or remove them .......

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending on what way you want to look at it) I don't necessarily think a substantial amount will be released. Not this January anyroad.

The club may take the long term view that we're unlikely to be in the hunt of top 4 this season and even top 6 may be beyond us. I personally don't think that. But if I did -and if it was my money- would I just spend regardless? Probably not.

They might reason that it makes sense to get the likes of Sidwell, JC and Davies definitely off the books before any major investment gets underway again. Clear the decks and have a really good dart at it next summer. Again, I wouldn't automatically go along with that as I think we should do everything we can to finish as high as possible this year. The consequences of a season of consolidation being perhaps the departure of Ash and maybe one or two others.

The emergence of a number of excellent young players may be more reason (or excuse) for the board not to invest.

I could understand that reasoning (even if it does sound vaguely Ellisian) but I'd hope that the manager is at least in the position to bring in the one or two players we clearly need this Jan. There should be a bit of room for manoeuvre in that regard with the likes of Harewood, Bouma and Shorey already off the wage bill and hopefully a few more to follow in the not too distant.

[Leighton]

Pienaar for Ireland?

Don't be silly. We all know that Pienaar has already played many times for South Africa.

[Karl Bridges]

Makoun is likely to be available for £5m which seems good for a player that cost them 14.