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

[KevinGage]

From the Daily Mirror

Villa and Sunderland chase Kirkland on free transfer

Chris Kirkland is heading for the exit at Wigan on a free transfer – with Aston Villa and Sunderland set for a scrap to sign him.
 
England international goalkeeper Kirkland has been told by Roberto Martinez that he can leave the DW Stadium for nothing at the end of this season.
 
Kirkland has a year left on his contract but will be allowed to quit after being shunted down to the Latics’ No. 3 behind Ali Al-Habsi and Mike Pollitt.
 
And Villa and the Black Cats are both preparing for a battle to snap up the 29-year-old in the summer.
 
Villa boss Gerard Houllier signed Kirkland for £6million during his spell at Liverpool, while his assistant Gary McAllister is also a huge admirer.
 
But Steve Bruce will also be in the race as he wants to provide Scotland star Craig Gordon with more competition at the Stadium of Light.
 
Kirkland has been fit for most of the season but Martinez and chairman Dave Whelan want his £30,000 wages off the books.

Without his injury problems he'd be a lot better than second choice at Wigan.

As a free it wouldn't be the worst bit of business. When fit (which you can't always guarantee) he's one of the better keepers in the league. Certainly better than Robert Green, Carson and some of the other error prone numpties that have made the England squad in recent years.

[TheSandman]

From The Express

ASTON VILLA are the latest English Premier League club to declare an interest in player of the year nominee Emilio Izaguirre.

Express Sport has learned that Villa manager Gerard Houllier recently had the Celtic full-back watched and followed that up by checking him out with some influential contacts north of the border.

Houllier is preparing a clearout at Villa Park this summer and is willing to pay around £8million to land the Honduras international, who was shortlisted for PFA Scotland’s Player of the Year award yesterday.

Izaguirre has had a dream first season in the SPL and his swashbuckling displays have already brought him to the attention of some of England’s biggest clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Houllier knows he faces a fight to land the 24-year-old but is prepared to pull out all the stops to fill his problem left-back position.

The Frenchman is also aware that Celtic may be forced to sell if they fail to win the title and gain entry into the Champions League qualifiers.

Houllier has kept a close eye on Scottish football since he returned to management in England, with Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor another name on his radar.

Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/240839/Aston-Villa-preparing-Izaguirre-raid-Aston-Villa-preparing-Izaguirre-raid-#ixzz1JZjLbPvW

Oh the irony if Gezza's comprehensive network and knowledge of world football lead us to sign a player from Celtic!!

Ironic? yes. A bad move? No. The lad really is quite excellent. We should also try and get his team mate Kayal though Man United and Liverpool are having him watched.

My hope is that we can spot these guys before the likes of Celtic and get them on nominals before Celtic ask us for £8-10million a season later.

Kirkland? No. Too injury prone.

Camp? Seen him play a few times. Never has disappointed me badly but isn't he in his thirties.

[eamonn]

McAllister, Heskey, Owen and Kirkland all at the Villa next season? I'm sure we could even snap Nick Barmby up on a free from Hull in the summer and party like it's 2001 again.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Not so sure about Kirkland, he only has to cough heavily and something breaks.
Fine keeper, but terrible injury record.

[barrysleftfoot]

  When fit , i rate Kirkland above every English goalie apart from Hart.

  But is he going to remain fit for long enough?Mind you there is the Macca experience that suggests sometimes you take a gamble.Hargreaves could be another one who falls into that category.

[KevinGage]

I think Hargreaves needs to be put down at this stage.

[peter w]

I think Hargreaves needs to be put down at this stage.

Pay as you play deal?

[hartman_1982]

I think Hargreaves needs to be put down at this stage.

Pay as you play deal?

Surely when you are looking to reduce the wage bill you need to get value for money from every player at the club. The only way i would touch these two is with a pay as you play deal.

[TheSandman]

I still wouldn't.

You only have 25 senior players under the squad rules. With the amount of games those two would play we'd have a two player handicap.

[hartman_1982]

We have plenty of kids, that do not have to be registered, which means we do not have to worry about the 25 man rule.

[dicedlam]

I'm not sure we need player who is having phycological problems returning to the game.
Shame really, he was a really good player at Bayern.
Maybe a new start and a change of treatment room is just what the doctor ordered.

[Dave]

Players like Hargreaves will always have someone willing to give them a proper contract. Even if it is someone mental like West Ham or Blackburn.

There would be no point him signing a pay-as-you-play deal regardless of the club and we would be daft to give him anything more than that.

Non-starter.

[paul_e]

Don't like the idea of Kirkland.  He was a great keeper when he was little but he just doesn't look mobile enough now, if you watch highlights of him he concedes far too many that are close to his body (normally a problem with keepers the age of brad).

[KevinGage]

I think Hargreaves needs to be put down at this stage.

Pay as you play deal?

I'm guessing his agent/ bank manager would probably advise against that.

[Mazrim]

If Hargreaves was a horse he'd be bonding two flat surfaces together.
A shame because he's a hell of a player. Or was.