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

[JJ-AV]

I could see him at Barca, used as a left sided Dani Alves.

[Mazrim]

I could see him in Dudley Zoo, making his stupid heart shaped hand sign to punters and then throwing his own shit at them.

[TheSandman]

Good, good. I said he'd be off before long.

[PeterWithe]

An agent stirring up shit to flush out potential buyers and line his own pockets, whatever next.

[Des Little]

Spurs won't sell him until after they've won the Champions League, Prem, FA Cup, Grand National and Eurovision Song Contest this year.

[Monty]

The dollar signs in Levy's eyes can probably be seen from space.

[Clampy]

I'm not sure why Samba seems to be flavor of the month, it was Hangeland a year or so ago. Personally, i think we're ok for centre half's at the moment and we've always got Davies to fall back on if need be. In the summer it might change though.

Judging by his performance tonight, Dickson Etuhu is one i'd keep an eye on, he's stil only 28 and could be a decent ball winning player for us. Maybe a short term replacement for Petrov or Reo?

[WikiVilla]

Samba no thanks, just seems to be part of the usual Jan sales - all the shit, discontinued stuff comes out

[Monty]

I agree about Samba, Clampy, and the Hangeland comparison is a good one. Like Hangeland, he attracts attention because he can command the air in games (although he does so less well than Hangeland - I think he's just such a unit that people think he's doing better than he is). However, I think he is thoroughly limited on the ground, with or without the ball. His tackle timing isn't particularly special, and like Hangeland he has the turning circle of an oil tanker, and he is hardly the kind of game-reading, ball-playing centre-back which marks out true top 4 sides (and just so happens to be what we particularly need in our defence).

[curiousorange]

I wonder how long it'll take for 'Appy 'Arry to start banging on about respect and tapping up even though he can't finish breakfast without mentioning some player he wants to unsettle to The Currant Bun that 'we'd love to have here but won't leave'.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Think we should get Wheater in and sell Davies as long as we can get a decent price for him .......

[atomicjam]

The Guardian;

Stephen Warnock considers Aston Villa future after being dropped
• Defender unhappy at being left out for visit to Chelsea
• 'It's a football decision,' says Villa's assistant manager

Stephen Warnock is considering his future at Aston Villa after he was dropped from the starting XI and left out of the squad for the trip to Chelsea on Sunday without any explanation from Gérard Houllier. The England international, who has been a regular in the Villa line-up since he joined from Blackburn Rovers in a £7m deal last August, is the latest senior player to be marginalised since Houllier took over as manager.

The 29-year-old left-back has failed to recapture the form that he showed during the first half of last season, when he was outstanding and earned a recall to the England set up, but it still came as a surprise that he was not even named among the substitutes at Chelsea. It is understood that Warnock learned he would not be needed at Stamford Bridge when he received a phone call from Kevin MacDonald, Villa's reserve-team manager.

Ciaran Clark, a central defender by trade, was picked ahead of Warnock and headed home an injury-time equaliser to earn Villa a point. It was initially thought that Clark was playing because Warnock was injured but Gary McAllister today confirmed that the former Liverpool and Blackburn defender had been dropped. "It's a football decision," Villa's assistant manager said. "His form, looking at the way we have been conceding goals."

Warnock, who won his second England cap against France at Wembley in November, has two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract at Villa. He is one of several players Houllier has spoken to about moving closer to Villa's training base – Warnock commutes from the North-west – although it now seems likely that he will be changing club rather than moving house. Houllier, who has been targeting a new left-back, is unlikely to stand in his way.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/04/stephen-warnock-aston-villa

[TheSandman]

Good riddance if true.

Good decision from Hotlips and Garry Mac.

[atomicjam]

The Mail;

Monaco prepared to swap striker Dieumerci Mbokani for Aston Villa misfit Stephen Ireland

Stephen Ireland could follow in the footsteps of Glenn Hoddle and John Collins after Monaco made it clear they will consider a swap deal with Aston Villa for him and Dieumerci Mbokani.
Monaco made their interest in Ireland known last week with chief executive Marc Keller, a former West Ham and Portsmouth midfielder, a confirmed fan of the 24-year-old.
Ireland is attracting attention from Premier League clubs but is rated at around £7m by Villa which is prohibitive while the player himself is unsure whether to leave as speculation continues over Gerard Houllier's long-term future.

However, Monaco are ready to use 6ft 1ins striker Mbokani having decided to offload him and knowing that Villa are among a group of clubs to express interest.

Mbokani, who has attracted inquiries from Everton and West Ham, would fit into Villa's style with his pace and power and is keen to work with a French coach such as Houllier.

Meanwhile, Curtis Davies returned to Aston Villa yesterday, and was subject of an inquiry by Queen's Park Rangers.

Davies finished a loan spell at Leicester City and was waiting to hear whether their £2.5m offer would be accepted. QPR's request comes after Villa asked to take Kyle Walker on loan from Tottenham who has been key to QPR's promotion drive this season.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1344096/Monaco-prepared-swap-striker-Dieumerci-Mbokani-Aston-Villa-misfit-Stephen-Ireland.html

[SoccerHQ]

I'd get Samba in.

I too usually thought he was just a lumbering oaf but watched him a bit more and he is reasonably quick (although Gabby has got the better of him a few times).

I'd give them 3m + Davies.

Interesting to hear that on Romeu, we're not getting much luck trying to sign some of these promising young european players are we?