Downing Completes Liverpool Transfer

[boboonthecorner]

So we need to sign players equal to Young, Downing and Friedel to consolidate 9th place. Players are leaving Villa because they want success, something they will never achieve staying at Villa Park.

[Mazrim]

Downing for N'Zogbia plus Parker plus Given (more or less)? Bang on.

Fuck him. Spare no thought to him. Just another millionaire drifter passing through.
Onwards to bigger and better things (or to storm the gates if that cash,plus more besides, isn't reinvested in the squad Rikki fucking tick!).
A big clusterpositive wouldn't go amiss about now Villa.

[richard moore]

TonyBarretTimes Tony Barrett
#LFC make another statement of their intent by agreeing a £20m fee for Downing who was outstanding last season.
18 minutes ago

Oh dear. I think I've wet myself.

I don't think that's very fair Bentman. They have clearly made a statement of their intent to finish somewhere between 5th and 7th by buying mediocre, over priced British talent which is never going to break the top four in a million years. All this must be as sobering a wake up to reality for bindipper fans as it is for us

[Smithy]

I really hope the money we've raised this summer goes into a rebuilding programme similar to those seen post-Platt and post-Yorke.  I don't want to see like-for-like replacements, I don't want just to two new wingers and a goal-keeper, I want to see half a dozen new, exciting players - even if one or two might seem like a bit of a risk.

[bertlambshank]

I agree with KG, I don't blame Downing at all.  It's pretty clear what the extent of our ambition is so at his age he wants a better chance of winning something.  What price Bent still being here in 18 months?

I don't think he will be here next week.

[Lucky Eddie]

It's gonna take one hell of a season not to lose Darren Bent next summer. 

[hilts_coolerking]

Lots of work to do now just to get the holes in the first team filled, let alone improving on last year's players.  Scott Parker would be a good start.

[JJ-AV]

Here's one for the cynics... Wasn't the last day for renewals today?

[Villafirst]

Well thanks again Mr Lerner - happy now with the £20M in your pocket? Thats it, sell off all of the best players - who's next? Darren Bent? Disgrace the way the squad - sorry ''small'' squad has been ravaged. Is this the start of the new 5 year plan, I wonder?

[l_mckay]

good riddance to Downing the little worm,aslong as we get Nzogbia ill be happy!

[villajk]

Just had a text saying that he had handed in a transfer request. Anyone else heard anything?

Matt Kendrick saying he handed in a transfer request yesterday (on Twitter)

[Clampy]

He's asked for a transfer request, he did'nt want to stick around after we paid his wages while he got himself fit and back in the england side, and while it's frustrating, we have got a very good price for him. It's up to Randy to give Eck the money to bring some replacements in.

[Chris Smith]

Here's one for the cynics... Wasn't the last day for renewals today?

No, tomorrow.

[KevinGage]

One thing I will say is, does it take a circa £80 million spend to even just ensure the heady heights of 5th-7th now?  Top flight football in this country really is in La La Land.

[Chris Smith]

Well thanks again Mr Lerner - happy now with the £20M in your pocket? Thats it, sell off all of the best players - who's next? Darren Bent? Disgrace the way the squad - sorry ''small'' squad has been ravaged. Is this the start of the new 5 year plan, I wonder?

Bit harsh when the player asked for a transfer. The test is if he allows McLeish to spend it.