Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[TheEgo]

His agent is saying that Gent want way way above what we have offered (5.5m) so it appears to be a no-go this window.

I just hope PL has other targets as time isn't on our side here.

Where have you read this? Could you point me to it please? Thank you

[Doorbell]

How do you pronounce Benteke by the way?

Bentecker?
Benteekey?
Bentehkee?
Benteek?

Hopefully it will followed by "You beauty!"

Bentekgetinyerbeautyyyyyyyyy!

Has a certain ring to it.

Hopefully used so much it'll appear as a new word in the Oxford English dictionary.

[RussellC]

Didn't somebody on VillaTalk claim that Benteke was at BH last week? Considering that none of us had heard of him at that point I reckon this one's further down the line than it currently appears.

As for N'zonzi, I'm genuinely split. He's very good on the ball as a deep-lying playmaker, comfortable with receiving the ball from HUD centre-backs in tight spaces and moving it in on, but always looks really lazy off it. Maybe he'd be ok alongside the energy of a KAE or Herd though...

[ozzjim]

NZonzi is an improvement on what we have at the moment. If we signed NZonzi and this Stephens fella it would show how limited in real options we are in the centre. Ireland and Bannan can't play centrally in a 4-4-2, Herd and Delph are lacking in real quality. Would be interesting to see if we could get 4-5 players in then 2-3 out on decent loan deals.

[MoetVillan]

Herd is not lacking quality in  my opinion.  good player, great tackler

[Ron Manager]

NZonzi is an improvement on what we have at the moment. If we signed NZonzi and this Stephens fella it would show how limited in real options we are in the centre. Ireland and Bannan can't play centrally in a 4-4-2, Herd and Delph are lacking in real quality. Would be interesting to see if we could get 4-5 players in then 2-3 out on decent loan deals.

Not often I disagree with your postings ozzjim but I believe Delph has got real quality and Lambert will make something out of him.

Having said that I thought Stephen Cooke had the talent but  I was proved wrong.

[dave.woodhall]

NZonzi is an improvement on what we have at the moment. If we signed NZonzi and this Stephens fella it would show how limited in real options we are in the centre. Ireland and Bannan can't play centrally in a 4-4-2, Herd and Delph are lacking in real quality. Would be interesting to see if we could get 4-5 players in then 2-3 out on decent loan deals.

Not often I disagree with your postings ozzjim but I believe Delph has got real quality and Lambert will make something out of him.

Having said that I thought Stephen Cooke had the talent but  I was proved wrong.

He was talented, but he wasn't big enough. The fact that he slid through the leagues so fast also might show something else was aglay.

[UK Redsox]

Can't blame them for trying to push the price up...As soon as anyone wants to buy in the last week of the window the silly money starts getting quoted....wouldn't say it was dead...the player seems to want out if he's on strike..

I thought that he was ill rather than on strike

Is he? Just going on what others have said on here, so no idea.
At least we are being active, although would have hope it would have been before now. Let's hope a fee can be sorted...

From da Beeb

Kismet played down claims that his player, who scored 16 goals last season, has gone on strike after learning Genk had turned down Villa's offer.
He said that Benteke is ill but is expecting to feature in Genk's Europa League match with Lucerne on Thursday night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19397066

Listening to his agent, I think that its fated that Benteke will end up at Villa

[Merv]

I quite like NZonzi. Obviously a big lad but decent on the ball, too.

I'll be honest - this midfield of ours terrifies me and has done for a couple of years. When you think about the talent that we've lost from the middle of the park in recent seasons, we're weak. Really think we need a bit of experience in there.

I like KEA and still think Delph can succeed with us. Not so sure about any of our other midfield players though. Bannan's drifting further and further away from the promise he once showed, Ireland still flits in and out, Herd's okay but rough round the edges and quite limited - a squad player, really.

[PeterWithesShin]

Has the OS always done this?

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2902439,00.html

The Sun: Aston Villa are ready to launch a £4million bid for Genk's giant Belgium striker Christian Benteke. Villa boss Paul Lambert sees the 6ft 5in 21-year-old as the perfect partner to bring out the best in England star Darren Bent. And Lambert is ready to swoop in the next 24 hours as he looks to see off interest from Fulham before Friday's transfer deadline.

Birmingham Mail: Belgian international striker Christian Benteke has emerged as a leading target for Villa as Paul Lambert looks to strengthen his squad before Friday's transfer deadline. Villa's scouts have watched Benteke in action several times and Lambert is believed to be pursuing a deal for the 21-year-old powerhouse who plays for Belgian top flight club Genk.

Guardian: Aston Villa have responded to their dismal opening to the season by stepping up their pursuit of new signings, starting with a €7m (£5.5m) offer for the Genk striker Christian Benteke. The 21-year-old Belgium forward, who scored his first international goal in the 4-2 win over Holland this month, has attracted interest from several English clubs, including Fulham and Everton, but it is understood that Villa have been monitoring the player for some time and have jumped to the head of the queue.

Daily Mirror: Aston Villa are closing in on a £4million swoop for striker Christian Benteke. Villa boss Paul Lambert wants to strengthen his attack and likes the look of Genk forward Benteke. The powerful 6ft 3in target-man is a 21-year-old Congo-born Belgian international.

Daily Mail: Paul Lambert has tried to avert an early-season crisis for Aston Villa by bidding for powerful Genk forward Christian Benteke. The manager has made an offer of around £6m for the 21-year-old. Fulham have also been monitoring the Congolese-Belgian striker's impact for club and country and see him as the ideal replacement for Clint Dempsey, should the American make his expected departure from Craven Cottage. Benteke has scored 18 goals for Genk in 33 appearances and opened his account for Belgium in their 4-2 win over Holland earlier this month.

Telegraph: Paul Lambert is stepping up his attempt to gain reinforcements at Aston Villa with a £6 million bid for Genk striker Christian Benteke. Lambert, the Villa manager, has been given the green light to make new signings this week by chairman Randy Lerner and wants to complete a deal for the Belgium international before Friday's deadline.

ESPN: Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert looks set to bolster his strikeforce with the signing of Genk striker Christian Benteke, ESPN can reveal. Benteke, 21, has been linked with a move to Fulham in recent weeks, but a £4m offer from Villa looks set to clinch his signature and the Belgium international will be charged with forming a potent scoring partnership with Darren Bent.

Sky Sports: Sky Sports understands Aston Villa have launched a bid to sign Charlton Athletic midfielder Dale Stephens. Villa boss Paul Lambert is hoping to improve his squad before the transfer window closes, if the right opportunity becomes available, and is now thought to have made a move for Stephens.

The Sun: Wolves striker Kevin Doyle is a £6million target for Everton and Aston Villa. Both Toffees boss David Moyes and Villa chief Paul Lambert want to tie up a deal before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

Goal.com: Aston Villa midfielder Karim El Ahmadi has called for his team-mates to show "character" as they look to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season. The Villans suffered an opening-day defeat to West Ham before losing to Everton 3-0 at Villa Park on Saturday and are currently bottom of the Premier League. But the 27-year-old summer signing from Feyenoord has rallied his new team-mates to forget about previous results as they prepare to face Tranmere in the League Cup.

Sky Sports: Summer signing Karim El Ahmadi has called on his Aston Villa team-mates to show some character ahead of Tuesday's clash with Tranmere. Villa host the League One side in the second round of the Capital One Cup looking to kick-start their campaign after losing their first two Premier League games of the season.

Daily Star: Kevin Doyle is a £6m target for Premier League rivals Everton and Aston Villa. Doyle's Wolves strike partner Steven Fletcher left in a £12m switch to Sunderland last week, while winger Matt Jarvis joined West Ham for £10m. Republic of Ireland striker Doyle cost Wolves £9.5m from Reading three years ago. Villa boss Paul Lambert is desperate to bring in a striker as well as a left-back before Friday's transfer deadline.

*The extracts on this page are taken from various newspapers and media outlets. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Aston Villa.

[dave.woodhall]

Yes.

[pedro25]

I quite like NZonzi. Obviously a big lad but decent on the ball, too.

I'll be honest - this midfield of ours terrifies me and has done for a couple of years. When you think about the talent that we've lost from the middle of the park in recent seasons, we're weak. Really think we need a bit of experience in there.

I like KEA and still think Delph can succeed with us. Not so sure about any of our other midfield players though. Bannan's drifting further and further away from the promise he once showed, Ireland still flits in and out, Herd's okay but rough round the edges and quite limited - a squad player, really.

I think we need two solid centre mids with 2/3 attacking mids and 1/2 strikers in front.  For attacking midfield we have Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bannan, Holman, Carruthers, Albrighton, Delph and Johnson.  If Ireland and N'Zogbia flatter o deceive again we could struggle here but I think we must give them both at least till Christmas to perform before thinking about replacing.  For the holding midfield spots we have Herd and KEA, the latter I guess we lose for 6 weeks in the New Year to the African Cup.  So i think another body in here, such as N'Zonzi is more a priority than another creative/attacking midfielder right now.

[Merv]

Agreed, that's the type we're missing. I think we should be playing three in midfield. We need someone strong and influential alongside KEA. I'd like to see Delph as the attacking midfielder in that trio. It's sometimes forgotten, but he's got terrific skills and shouldn't be exclusively used as a ball winner.

Then I'd have Holman right and CNZ left, Bent through the middle. Until Albrighton's fit, when I'd have him on the right and Holman left. Industry and creativity down both flanks then.

[Risso]

I thought N'Zonzi was their best player at the away game last season.  Decent touch for a big chap.

[avfcpg]

NZonzi...yes please. Very decent player....