Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[LukeJames]

He'll go from being our main midfield man, too Citys bench, too Sunderlands midfield in under 2 years.

[pauliewalnuts]

He'll go from being our main midfield man, too Citys bench, too Sunderlands midfield in under 2 years.

I suspect you might be right. I hope you are, in fact. Bitter though it sounds. Mostly because it is.

[Rigadon]

Really disappointing. 

[PaulWinch again]

He'll go from being our main midfield man, too Citys bench, too Sunderlands midfield in under 2 years.

I suspect you might be right. I hope you are, in fact. Bitter though it sounds. Mostly because it is.

Yep me too to be honest. His statement was one of the most outrageous things I've heard in football given current events. The clause also meant he knew what he was doing.

[UK Redsox]

So Ron fucks off for nothing and hardly a wimper.

Delph gets us £8m, helps us stay up and is a pariah? 

And yes, I understand the 'my club' bit, but I'll take the £8m thanks.

It's not him leaving, its the way that he and the club handled it.

There was no need for either party to make such a fuss when he signed the new contract.

Likewise if either party had any belief that he'd be leavinf, he shouldn't have been front and centre for the marketing campaign.

[OCD]

He had us over a barrel. We need to make sure we sign players up to long-term contracts (without clauses) more than 2 years before they run out.

I agree with the comments about poor PR and that he didn't need to say what he said, though the PR department might have asked him to do that.

If we're every to progress we need a damned good recruitment department that can identify players that with time can become better than the players they're replacing. That's been obvious for a while and is no less obvious now.

[villadelph]

What happened to all the "exciting times ahead" from all the villa alums?

[Des Little]

Sad, yes but no surprise. Anyone taken in by his passionate bullshit after he re-signed must be angry, however it's very clear (if it wasn't before) that there is no such thing as loyalty in modern top flight football.

Still, we move on. All hail Idrissa!

[LTA]

Sadly it appears to be petering out to a predictable conclusion.  But let's be honest City are better placed to offer him success and cash than we are.

For what it's worth, I believe Delph intended to stay when he signed his deal, but something has happened since then which has changed him mind. 

[luke95]

Not surprised,not botherd

5 or so years down the line & itll be another player who walks out on villa after telling us how much he loves the club

[dave shelley]

Sadly it appears to be petering out to a predictable conclusion.  But let's be honest City are better placed to offer him success and cash than we are.

For what it's worth, I believe Delph intended to stay when he signed his deal, but something has happened since then which has changed him mind. 

Yeah, his agent touted him.

[eamonn]

Sad, yes but no surprise. Anyone taken in by his passionate bullshit after he re-signed must be angry, however it's very clear (if it wasn't before) that there is no such thing as loyalty in modern top flight football.

Still, we move on. All hail Idrissa!

Until he fucks us off in two years to go to Arsenal.

[Ormy Droid]

Reasons to be cheerful, one, two, three

1 - Least we didn't go down.
2 - His replacement's already in place (almost).
3 - Delph spent 90% of his time at the club either injured or shit, least we got our money back.

[Villatillidie25]

Without wanting to be too doom and gloom because it surely can't be this shambolic of a summer is anyone else worried or see things like this:

Out

Vlaar - a previous captain and on his day a very good player. Admittedly, too injury prone and takes a while to get back up to speed but probably a decent player around the club and certainly a decent enough squad player if we can keep him fit. Gone on a free
Given -  while I don't rate him, finished last season's No. 1. Gone with no replacement (unless Guzan gets a new lease of life) in sight.
Delph - less said the better give my current sentiments towards him
Cleverley - had his faults but finished the season well and plays the sort of football Tim seems to want to instil in the team
Benteke - surely going late July/early August with little chance to buy a replacement

 In

Richards - very good on his day but very injury prone

At least getting rid of a lot of the latest bomb squad, which makes a change. Just beginning to wander if we will have a first 11, let alone a squad!

So based on the end of last season's first XI, we have lost 1 GK, 1 CB, 2 CM and will probably lose our best player.

Trap door well and truly open

[PaulWinch again]

Sadly it appears to be petering out to a predictable conclusion.  But let's be honest City are better placed to offer him success and cash than we are.

For what it's worth, I believe Delph intended to stay when he signed his deal, but something has happened since then which has changed him mind. 

Sorry he's not an idiot he knows the going rate for England internationals. He inserted an £8 million clause because he knew it'd likely be triggered. You just wouldn't include a clause that low if you didn't want to go.