Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[supertom]

Anyone know of Belhanda was on Moroccos bench for fitness reasons or selection. Is he a first choice for them normally? Might he potentially not be as good as some people think?

[eastie]

Regards belhanda difficult to know what to believe - French radio reports and people sayin villa reps in talks. I wonder why any other English clubs aren't linked esp as become more public he is available. Hope to get lucky with this one pull a major coup and sign him. Prince boateng is leaving Milan and not sure why belhanda would nt want to go there.. Well i think i just wait for next rumoured news on belhanda from those hear and the world media.

I've seen him linked to arsenal and  spurs but we are the only english club to firm up any interest so i understand.

Don't you mean according to the internet media etc?

According to the Montpellier chairman!

[eastie]

Anyone know of Belhanda was on Moroccos bench for fitness reasons or selection. Is he a first choice for them normally? Might he potentially not be as good as some people think?

How many of those championing his signature had actually heard of him a fortnight ago?

Lambert seems to have a good scouting network and we will be linked with a few players many of us haven't much knowledge of .



What I've seen of belhanda on clips looks good but i don't really follow french football.

[onje_villa]

Anyone know of Belhanda was on Moroccos bench for fitness reasons or selection. Is he a first choice for them normally? Might he potentially not be as good as some people think?

How many of those championing his signature had actually heard of him a fortnight ago?

I lived in Montpellier for a good while and he's extremely popular there. In fact it's amazing what they have done as a team (they've come from nowhere). I just can't help thinking this is another Juninho, or more recently Coutinho - someone who is just too good for us. It would be a great statement of intent for the club but surely some other clubs will come in for someone of his calibre.

Don't want to get too excited.... (by the way, where's Dan's sudden knowledge come from?)

[cdbearsfan]

I don't think you can say Juninho was "just too good for us", bearing in mind he signed for Middlesbrough.

[onje_villa]

Not that he was really "too good" for us, just that it seems we don't ever seem to go all the way with these signings.

[pottervillain]

Would have been one hell of a signing at the time!

[PeterWithesShin]

Regards belhanda difficult to know what to believe - French radio reports and people sayin villa reps in talks. I wonder why any other English clubs aren't linked esp as become more public he is available. Hope to get lucky with this one pull a major coup and sign him. Prince boateng is leaving Milan and not sure why belhanda would nt want to go there.. Well i think i just wait for next rumoured news on belhanda from those hear and the world media.

I've seen him linked to arsenal and  spurs but we are the only english club to firm up any interest so i understand.

Don't you mean according to the internet media etc?

According to the Montpellier chairman!

That is some ITK claim. You speak to the Montpellier chariman, i'm impressed!

[eastie]

Regards belhanda difficult to know what to believe - French radio reports and people sayin villa reps in talks. I wonder why any other English clubs aren't linked esp as become more public he is available. Hope to get lucky with this one pull a major coup and sign him. Prince boateng is leaving Milan and not sure why belhanda would nt want to go there.. Well i think i just wait for next rumoured news on belhanda from those hear and the world media.

I've seen him linked to arsenal and  spurs but we are the only english club to firm up any interest so i understand.

Don't you mean according to the internet media etc?

According to the Montpellier chairman!

That is some ITK claim. You speak to the Montpellier chariman, i'm impressed!

Come now pws, nothing to do with iitk or claimed to be , you know the Montpellier chairman has been quoted in several sources mentioning villas interest, which seems more credible than some unquoted rumours on here  - anyway off topic the tv thread has something to tickle your fancy


The Midlands club is the only Premier League side to have made a concrete offer for the Moroccan, but faces competition from AC Milan, Inter, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray.

Montpellier president Louis Nicollin claims Aston Villa has made a bid for Younes Belhanda.

The Moroccan playmaker is thought to be keen on a move to the Premier League, but of the five clubs that have made bids, Villa is the only side from England.

After winning the Ligue 1 title in 2012, Belhanda enjoyed another impressive season in France, scoring 12 goals in 35 appearances for a Montpellier side that struggled to replicate its heroics of last season. The club has confirmed that Belhanda will depart one way or another.

"He is leaving," Nicollin told LeSport10. "There are four or five clubs that have come in. It is now down to the player to choose now, because we are almost in agreement with the clubs. He will leave for 14-15 million euros."

Asked if the offers were concrete, Nicollin replied: "Yes. From AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray and Aston Villa.

Belhanda had been set to leave the Ligue 1 side for some time now and Nicollin admitted that the 23-year-old can now choose his destination.

"We have no problem now, he [Belhanda] has the authority to agree with whoever he wants now," Nicollin said.

[paul_e]

Anyone know of Belhanda was on Moroccos bench for fitness reasons or selection. Is he a first choice for them normally? Might he potentially not be as good as some people think?

How many of those championing his signature had actually heard of him a fortnight ago?

Lambert seems to have a good scouting network and we will be linked with a few players many of us haven't much knowledge of .

I know dave in bath seems to follow a lot of European football and he is someone who is mostly on the money with European players.

What I've seen of belhanda on clips looks good but i don't really follow french football.

I've seen quite a bit of french football from last season, I watch spanish, german, dutch and french football far more than English, because it's far better as a neutral.  Belhanda is one of the best prospects in the league, him and Aubameyang are worthy of the praise they get.  In the dutch football I'm a huge fan of Adam Maher and Kevin Strootman, the latter is looking at the big teams this summer though.

[Dave]

Come now pws, nothing to do with iitk or claimed to be , you know the Montpellier chairman has been quoted in several sources mentioning villas interest, which seems more credible than some unquoted rumours on here

So "so I understand" would be better phrased as "so I read in a newspaper article that was posted on this website"?

[eastie]

Maybe mark Hughes pitching up at stoke could be interested in Ireland - he got the best from him at city during his time .

[eastie]

So "so I understand" would be better phrased as "so I read in a newspaper article that was posted on this website"?

So I understand from quotes widely posted and reported in several places- i didnt say so i was told or even suggest anything of the sort !

Quotes have been reported from owner and player which wouls suggest there's something in it.

[Billy Walker]

I don't think you can say Juninho was "just too good for us", bearing in mind he signed for Middlesbrough.

Ditto Coutinho.  The only clubs in world football after him for the price he went for were Liverpool and Southampton.  He's undeniably looking a good player but "too good for us" really is putting down Villa. 

[ciggiesnbeer]

If he signed for us, how do people feel as us only being seen as a stepping stone to a bigger club?

Personally I feel this is now the reality and we should embrace it.  Besides if such players are "too good for us" then they'll have raised our game sufficiently that there will be less and less better clubs that they can join from us.  Not to mention the profits made will allow further speculation.

The only person I am worried about using us as a stepping stone is Lambert. Silly I know for a bloke who nearly got us relegated but I think he is the most important asset at the club.