Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[Dave]

Collins joined us for £5 million, hasn't particularly improved so, we'd do well to get anywhere close to our money back on him. £4 million might be about right.

We only got Collins so cheaply because of his poor injury record at West Ham, which seems to have improved no end. If we let him go (and we won't), it certainly won't be as cheap as £5m. Why would we?

[eamonn]

Fuck that, surely there's better value abroad.
I've never been overly impressed by Begovic.
Made a big clanger for West Ham's first at the weekend.

[TheSandman]

I like Begovic and also as another name to put out there the Belgian lad Mignolet at Sunderland.

I'm not keen on the idea of selling Collins. For my money he would be the perfect partner for Clarky. It is worth keeping him and Cuellar to avoid throwing good money after bad on the defence as we have done in the past. Signing a Shawcross or even a Gary Cahill will not come cheap and a defender from abroad who is unproven at PL level might prove to be more of a Squillaci or Koscelny than a Vermalen or Hangeland.

[KevinGage]

Collins joined us for £5 million, hasn't particularly improved so, we'd do well to get anywhere close to our money back on him. £4 million might be about right.

We only got Collins so cheaply because of his poor injury record at West Ham, which seems to have improved no end. If we let him go (and we won't), it certainly won't be as cheap as £5m. Why would we?

None of our CB's have covered themselves in glory this year. Dunne has been by far the worst of the two and -who knows- with a more reliable partner JC's form might not have plummeted so much. But plummet it has.  Ergo it would be hard to make a case in these (fictional) negotiations for the price of Collins to have increased on what we paid for him, I can't see many sides going for that.  We'd do well to get our money back on him, improved injury record (isn't he out injured at the moment BTW) or no. Plus he's x amount of years into his contract and so forth.

This is not a scapegoating type argument, I wouldn't necessarily say JC's decline in form is terminal. But if moving him on hypothetically gave us the chance to strengthen two problem areas (and Stoke were keen on him a while back) I'd look at it, is all.

[KevinGage]

... a defender from abroad who is unproven at PL level might prove to be more of a Squillaci or Koscelny than a Vermalen or Hangeland.

That would be my concern too.

Other positions you can get away with a mercurial talent, or someone who doesn't fit in/ adapt straight away. At the back you really can't.

We need to hit the ground running next year; if GH is still here - to protect his job, If it's someone else in the dugout - to distinguish next season from this one, to foster a belief that things will be different. A strong backline will have a big part to play in that either way.

[SoccerHQ]

Collins would be a good back up CB on the bench. Get rid of Dunney, he's over 30 now so can see him declining further, keep Carlos aswell and sign Samba if Blackburn go down.

[Shrek]

I'd sell Dunne and Collins, Dunne is getting old and will only go down in value tge longer he stays and Collins is injury prone at the moment.

I have no idea who I'd buy to replace them though.

On a GK I would be very Happy with Kieron Westwood as our number one next season.

[Risso]

Collins joined us for £5 million, hasn't particularly improved so, we'd do well to get anywhere close to our money back on him. £4 million might be about right.

We only got Collins so cheaply because of his poor injury record at West Ham, which seems to have improved no end. If we let him go (and we won't), it certainly won't be as cheap as £5m. Why would we?

I'd say his injury record with us is fairly unreliable, and would be enough to put people off from paying any more than £5m.

[spangley1812]

I'd sell Dunne and Collins, Dunne is getting old and will only go down in value tge longer he stays and Collins is injury prone at the moment.

I have no idea who I'd buy to replace them though.

On a GK I would be very Happy with Kieron Westwood as our number one next season.

Shek are you Westwood's agent/brother .......He is very highly rated but is very inexperienced @ the top level bring him in as a No2 yes but as No1 no............

[SoccerHQ]

Collins has probably on the whole been more consistant for us than Zat Knight was and we got 5m back for him...Collins is still fairly young for a centre half aswell at 27.

He has his limitations turning against pace but I'd probably keep him next season and play him against the physical teams.

[SoccerHQ]

Collins joined us for £5 million, hasn't particularly improved so, we'd do well to get anywhere close to our money back on him. £4 million might be about right.

We only got Collins so cheaply because of his poor injury record at West Ham, which seems to have improved no end. If we let him go (and we won't), it certainly won't be as cheap as £5m. Why would we?

I'd say his injury record with us is fairly unreliable, and would be enough to put people off from paying any more than £5m.

In 4 years at West Ham, he played 54 games between 2005-09.

In 18 months here he's already played 48 games so I think it's fair to say from that he hasn't been that injury prone for us.

[Shrek]

I'd sell Dunne and Collins, Dunne is getting old and will only go down in value tge longer he stays and Collins is injury prone at the moment.

I have no idea who I'd buy to replace them though.

On a GK I would be very Happy with Kieron Westwood as our number one next season.

Shek are you Westwood's agent/brother .......He is very highly rated but is very inexperienced @ the top level bring him in as a No2 yes but as No1 no............

No but we haven't got a bottomless pit, we are a totally dependent on Randy's cash.

I just think Westwood being free is a great opportunity and will coincide with our plan for younger players on lower wages(that's my impression of the situation).

It's a gamble but in my opinion it's one I'd take, instead of 5-10 million on a Robinson on 40k+.

[Dave]

By all accounts Guzan has looked better for Hull than Westwood has for Coventry this season.

I'm fairly sure that if we put all our faith in Westwood we'll be hearing exactly the same complaints that people currently have about Guzan.

[atomicjam]

Is the price right? Aston Villa quoted £4.8m price-tag for USA international Micheal Bradley

Borussia Monchengladbach have quoted Aston Villa £4.8million for their midfielder Michael Bradley.

The USA international is on loan at Villa Park but has played just twice for Gerard Houllier's men.

Bradley, 23, is keen on making his temporary move permanent. Villa midfielder Barry Bannan, 21, has moved to Leeds United on loan and will be in the squad to face Preston on Tuesday night.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1363953/Micheal-Bradley-cost-Aston-Villa-4-8m-complete-permanent-swicth-Borussia-Monchengladbach.html

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Is the price right? Aston Villa quoted £4.8m price-tag for USA international Micheal Bradley

Borussia Monchengladbach have quoted Aston Villa £4.8million for their midfielder Michael Bradley.

Fucking hell, no.

Look elsewhere.