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

[Olneythelonely]

£70,000 a week for a ticking time bomb. No thanks.

[Concrete John]

This, from The Sun via SportingLife.com:

"Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish admits his club cannot afford Joey Barton's £70,000-a-week wages."

With all the players already gone this summer, surely there's room for at least one more? If not, forget that new DM we desperately need!

Any direct quotes?

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

I bet similar wages would be made available for someone else?...

I know what your syaing but the club would, most probably, have to find a transfer a transfer fee for someone else.

Its stupid really as the power that be are chancing their arm that the squad can cope but if they don't they will have to spend in January anyway!

[ADVILLAFAN]

This, from The Sun via SportingLife.com:

"Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish admits his club cannot afford Joey Barton's £70,000-a-week wages."

thank God for that

[UsualSuspect]

I bet similar wages would be made available for someone else?...

I bet they wouldn't

[Concrete John]

They will be next summer, once Beye and Heskey have gone.

[ROBBO]

I can't see any club except the top three or four paying those sums anymore, we've all been burnt, Heskey 60.000 a week how ridiculous is that, Beye even more stupid. You pay high wages the player turns out to be duff and you have to keep paying him for four years.

[BedsVillain]

£70,000 a week for a ticking time bomb. No thanks.

Have to agree in full here. I would be seriously worried if we were prepared to pay Barton 70k a week. I'm hoping that we're moving away from the MON-esque business strategy of crippling ourselves with massive wages on ageing average british players.

[PeterWithe]

Scott Dann at the rabble down the road might be a likely candidate for that kind of move.

I'm sure the tramps would prefer money up front. But they probably wanted that with Foster too. The longer into the window we go with the rags facing the prospect of having to fork out prem wages, the more receptive they might be to such an arrangement.

My nose aquaintence, I cant bring myself to say mate, reckons that Dann will go after playing their first two games as he hasn't played since February and the clubs interested in him are waiting for him to come through a game or two without reaction.

[BedsVillain]

They will be next summer, once Beye and Heskey have gone.

I don't think they will be John, unless it's for an exceptional signing. I think once the over paid likes of Beye and Heskey have departed next summer along with Luke Young and Cuellar we will see a more value for money style of purchasing as we move forward.

[Merv]

I'm not sure we'll be paying anyone £70k a week, anytime soon. I certainly wouldn't pay Barton £70k a week. There are far sharper deals to be had out there this summer.

[Caiphus]

Why would we want to make Barton our highest paid player, he's a decent player, but he isn't worth more than Bent or N'Zogbia.

[Clampy]

They will be next summer, once Beye and Heskey have gone.

I don't think they will be John, unless it's for an exceptional signing. I think once the over paid likes of Beye and Heskey have departed next summer along with Luke Young and Cuellar we will see a more value for money style of purchasing as we move forward.

I think Luke Young has been worth his wages to be fair and if Cuellar had been given more of a run in his proper position, we may have seen what a good centre half he is. Beye and Heskey i would agree with though.

[ROBBO]

This is really going to be a wake up call for some players, what is appropriate for someone who is good on the field but a total nob off it? i will set a new benchmark
of 30.000 a week.

[Concrete John]

They will be next summer, once Beye and Heskey have gone.

I don't think they will be John, unless it's for an exceptional signing. I think once the over paid likes of Beye and Heskey have departed next summer along with Luke Young and Cuellar we will see a more value for money style of purchasing as we move forward.

That's pretty much what I meant.  Bent and N'Zog will be on around that and I think for playesr of that calibre we'll still be willing to pay around that amount, but from now on it'll (hopefully!) only be for those that warrant it.