Ashley Young willing to sign a new contract.

[midnite]

PS. Why are footballers salaries still talked of in weekly terms ?
No other profession does this anymore !

Because the muppets in the press can't count high enough to work out what that would be a year

[Brend'Watkins]

PS. Why are footballers salaries still talked of in weekly terms ?
No other profession does this anymore !

Because the muppets in the press can't count high enough to work out what that would be a year

I think it's done like this so that the working man can then spout "It would take me two years to earn that" or executives of some failed bank can say "I wouldn't get out of bed for twice that".

[Dante Lavelli]

If he knows he can get £70k or more a week in London, why is it a crime for him to be asking us for the same ?

I read that he is on £65k.  Relatively speaking, if he "only" asks for £70k then I'd snap his hand off as he's effectively be signing up to give us the best years of his career (26-30).

My fear is that he'll be asking £100k plus a week.

[KevinGage]

If he knows he can get £70k or more a week in London, why is it a crime for him to be asking us for the same ?

If we're going to take steps forward as a club, we have to pay the likes of Ash the going rate or we'll be an 'also ran' club forever and ever,amen.

PS. Why are footballers salaries still talked of in weekly terms ?
No other profession does this anymore !

But what if he's asking for parity with the rest of the Club England muppets, say £120k+? Plus a release clause?

We just don't know what he's asking for.

I'm of a mind to think that he only agreed a new deal last year and that still has at least three years to run, so it's striking the balance between wanting him to stay and not being taken to the cleaners.

His agent will be making full use of recent circumstances, knowing we've lost two of our better players in the last two years and don't want to lose another.

[Rigadon]

It's easy to be cynical and I wouldn't put it past teh modern footballer / agent to use the uncertainty to their advantage.  The problem is that at some point, it Villa want to keep the better players we;re going to have pay the going rate.  Not doing so will result in them leaving.  If Man City aren't involved it always helps mind.

[Shrek]

We need to get his co tract done asap, he is having a good start to the season, so let's not give his agent any more excuses to ask for even more money!

[VillaAlways]

Reported on BBC Sport that Ashley on verge of signing 4 year contract

[TimTheVillain]

Reported on BBC Sport that Ashley on verge of signing 4 year contract

Excellent news...................

[TaxDodger]

This is great news. Sod off Redknapp and any media outlet who thought he'd sign for Spurs.

[Rigadon]

Yup - great news.  The poster child for 'new Villa' needs to stay put and a marker needs to be put down.  Until Man Cit come a-callin obviously

[eamonn]

I'm of a mind to think that he only agreed a new deal last year and that still has at least three years to run, so it's striking the balance between wanting him to stay and not being taken to the cleaners.

Pretty sure he's into the last two years of his deal (summer 2012?). If there were at least 3 more years to go there would be no need yet to try and get him to sign a new one.

[Shrek]

Why the he'll is he not signing a 5 year deal?

[TimTheVillain]

Why the he'll is he not signing a 5 year deal?

To be honest, I think the next 4 years will see the best of him.

5 years is a long term deal in football terms and it can be re-negotiated and extended at any time anyway.

[PaulTheVillan]

Signing Ash up for 4 years would be superb.

Let's build the team around him.

[pauliewalnuts]

The importance of this goes well beyond football.

It is a message to the witless media monkeys who spent the whole summer parroting that "selling club" nonsense and acting like it was a given we were selling Ashley.