Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[dave.woodhall]

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?

I could. After years of injuries and substandard performances the least they owe us is a bit of loyalty.

[silhillvilla]

Loyalty ? What's that then

[MoetVillan]

Loyalty is filed under Downing. S.

[onje_villa]

Vlaar still has a lot to prove at PL level. I've no doubt he's got a lot of quality about him and he's had a tough introduction playing alongside the Chuckle brothers but he's had some extremely average at best performances himself.

[dave.woodhall]

Loyalty is filed under Downing. S.

We blamed him, so what would be the difference?

[ozzjim]

I would be very disappointed in both Vlaar and Delph if they turned down new deals to run their contracts down and walk away for nothing. If they have been offered of course. The club has spend fortunes on getting them both into the club and then on their fitness etc. Vlaar is captain too, I would hope some loyalty would be given back. That is of course if they are offered deals, but I can't for the life of me see why they would not be before the summer is out.

[Dave]

I would be very disappointed in both Vlaar and Delph if they turned down new deals to run their contracts down and walk away for nothing. If they have been offered of course. The club has spend fortunes on getting them both into the club and then on their fitness etc. Vlaar is captain too, I would hope some loyalty would be given back. That is of course if they are offered deals, but I can't for the life of me see why they would not be before the summer is out.

Does it not depend what they are offered?

If we offer them £20,000 each and somebody else decides they'll offer three times that amount then however much they might want to stick around, they're still going to go to somebody paying much more.

[MoetVillan]

Loyalty is filed under Downing. S.

We blamed him, so what would be the difference?

I stuck up for him from the moment he arrived.  His final season for us was pretty much his best ever, broke into the England team, and he said he would stick by the team that had looked after him through his injury.  Then he gets photographed with Andy Carroll and fecks off that summer.  Loyalty schmoyalty.

[RossLeach]

Loyalty is filed under Downing. S.

We blamed him, so what would be the difference?

I stuck up for him from the moment he arrived.  His final season for us was pretty much his best ever, broke into the England team, and he said he would stick by the team that had looked after him through his injury.  Then he gets photographed with Andy Carroll and fecks off that summer.  Loyalty schmoyalty.

We got £20m for him. And we was rubbish afterwards.

[Gregorys Boy]

Delph out of two possible owns us more than Vlaar, we did take a chance on him at a young age and have stuck by him through some very hit and miss footballing years.  Also, apart from a newly promoted or Championship club I don't know if there would much better options for him than staying at Villa.  Vlaar is different because of his age, and that he may still have that one big move in him.  But you  know as long as he stays at least for another season I would be happy to take my chances, because at the moment without him we could be in the shit.

[Dave]

Also, apart from a newly promoted or Championship club I don't know if there would much better options for him than staying at Villa.

That's utterly absurd.

I don't think Chelsea will be calling for him to partner Fabregas anytime soon, but you don't think that any current Premier League team would want to take Delph on a free transfer given the thoroughly decent season he's just had?

[Gregorys Boy]

Also, apart from a newly promoted or Championship club I don't know if there would much better options for him than staying at Villa.

That's utterly absurd.

I don't think Chelsea will be calling for him to partner Fabregas anytime soon, but you don't think that any current Premier League team would want to take Delph on a free transfer given the thoroughly decent season he's just had?

Maybe but it is only one good season, he needs to do it much more consistently.  Also from his point of view being at the young age and still needing much improvement to his game then it might better to development his game with us before looking elsewhere.

[KevinGage]

Delph out of two possible owns us more than Vlaar, we did take a chance on him at a young age...

You make him sound like he was Ravel Morrison or some other liability. 

When we signed him, Citeh, Tottingham and Everton were all keen.

5 years at any club is practically long service material now, if he goes, I'm sure he won't think he owes us. 

Downing was a wee bit different, as we signed him as a crock (after we had crocked him, in fairness).  But I wouldn't blame any attacking player for leaving once it was made clear McLeish would be joining us.

[ADVILLAFAN]

To be fair to Downing he did get us 20M and play shit ever since leaving us.

[silhillvilla]

Can't get too worked up about any of them leaving to be fair. As for downing, £20m was way too much to turn down, especially from them. Good move by us.