Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[WestleyArmsAV]

Some people are missing the point. Vlaar is class with class players around him. I  wouldn't think players like Baker, Bennett and KEA are class. Vlaar spends too much time covering for others. Vlaar looked very good against the current World Cup holders.

It's the FA cup of world football. The champions lost their first game four years ago.

[Dave]

What I don't get is why some of our best players have been allowed to get within 1 year of their contracts ending. Shambolic leadership imo. As soon as any player worth keeping gets to w years left there should be every effort made to tie them up.

Agreed, but had there been talk this time last year of Vlaar (and possibly even Delph) being given a new contract there would have been a lot of shouts of "what has he done to deserve a new contract?"

I expect that if N'Zogbia has a brilliant season this time around, then this time next year we'll be annoyed that he'll be going into his final year, but I don't think anybody would suggest that we sign him now.

[Steve67]

I am guessing that Randy won't offer any new contracts as yet until such time that he realises he isn't able to sell quickly enough. Sell, and make it someone else's problem. Don't sell quickly enough, protect the investment, by offering contracts, as losing players of their quality only increases the risk of relegation and losing value.

[supertom]

I am guessing that Randy won't offer any new contracts as yet until such time that he realises he isn't able to sell quickly enough. Sell, and make it someone else's problem. Don't sell quickly enough, protect the investment, by offering contracts, as losing players of their quality only increases the risk of relegation and losing value.

Once we get to January, whatever the situation we've got to address the contracts. Losing Vlaar for nothing would be bad. Losing Delph for nowt will be extremely bad.
Both players need to be tied down if we've got any sort of ambition left to rebuild and compete at the right end again.

[KevinGage]

I like Ron Vlaar but anyone who thinks Manchester United would want him needs to step back and think for a second. Ron Vlaar. Manchester United. Do they really go together?

Not as their longterm CB solution, or even someone who would feature in the majority of their games. no.

But he'd be an instant upgrade on Jonny Evans and some of the other goons they've had playing at the back for the last few years.

[dave.woodhall]

I like Ron Vlaar but anyone who thinks Manchester United would want him needs to step back and think for a second. Ron Vlaar. Manchester United. Do they really go together?

Not as their longterm CB solution, or even someone who would feature in the majority of their games. no.

But he'd be an instant upgrade on Jonny Evans and some of the other goons they've had playing at the back for the last few years.

They could get better, cheaper and younger.

[pauliewalnuts]

Vlaar isn't good enough to play for Man United, but that's not really the point. The point is that he is easily, easily good enough to play for us.

Seeing him and Delph being allowed to enter the last year of their contract strikes me as mental. However, it also strikes me as exactly the sort of thing our exalted leaders would allow to happen, and I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see them both sold this summer.

[KevinGage]

Their form was good enough by the midway point last season to both be offered new deals.

Now it probably makes more sense for them to see out their respective contracts and go for nowt. 

[pauliewalnuts]

Indeed.

The one thing we have consistently failed to understand since 2006 is the importance of managing our squad as an asset of the business - players fucking off for nothing after seeing out their contracts is hardly a new thing for us.

[Gregorys Boy]

To be fair I don't think we can really comment if Vlaar is good enough to play for Man Utd.  He has only been at Villa two seasons one of which was mostly injury hit, but by all accounts and considering he has played along side poor players he has been impressive.  Also, his performance the other night against Spain was class.

Point is the press are going to link anyone with any kind of name value who is Dutch to Utd, but the point is we can't afford to lose Vlaar so they can all fuck off

[LeeB]

Whether he's good enough for United is irrelevant.

The point, as pauliwalnuts points out, is that thanks to our hopeless asset management, we have our best defender on display at the World Cup with a big sign on his head saying "look at me, I've only got a year left on my contract, you can get me for next to fuck all, and there's hardly any great reason for me to stay where I am"

[OzVilla]

You're depressingly right I'm afraid.  Just when you thought all aspects of their incompetence had been exposed we realise this.

Just thank McGrath didn't take Delph with him.

[Clampy]

Whether he's good enough for United is irrelevant.

The point, as pauliwalnuts points out, is that thanks to our hopeless asset management, we have our best defender on display at the World Cup with a big sign on his head saying "look at me, I've only got a year left on my contract, you can get me for next to fuck all, and there's hardly any great reason for me to stay where I am"

It's also possible that the club have already offered them new contracts and they have both refused.

[Malandro]

Whether he's good enough for United is irrelevant.

The point, as pauliwalnuts points out, is that thanks to our hopeless asset management, we have our best defender on display at the World Cup with a big sign on his head saying "look at me, I've only got a year left on my contract, you can get me for next to fuck all, and there's hardly any great reason for me to stay where I am"

It's also possible that the club have already offered them new contracts and they have both refused.

true and who could blame them?

[RussellC]

I see, after telling Lambert he 'needed to sign him', Hitzfeld decided to leave Senderos on the bench for 90 minutes. Not exactly a glowing endorsement!