Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[ozzjim]

I hope if we do sign him that we give Ayew a run in front of any permutation of the 4-5 attacking midfielders we will then have. Gil Grealish Traore, Ljajic makes a pretty creative group in an area that last Christmas we were bereft. Having invested in Ayew I hope he gets a shot at being the focal point.

[LukeJames]

Ljajic can play as a forward to.

[RussellC]

Still think we need a centre forward!

I can see a loan deal for James Wilson appealing to Sherwood.

[ozzjim]

Have we not got any young centre forwards coming through the system?

[kippaxvilla2]

Get Lescott and Charlie Austin and I believe we will have a good season.

[onje_villa]

Ljajic looks awesome, I'd be seriously excited if we signed him. The attacking midfielders thing is a bit weird though. I've been crying out for just one decent one for years then we go and sign about 5.

The downside is we don't yet appear to have figured out how to use them properly. We need a proper striker or two at the top (I'd like to see Ayew given a chance) then a couple of these creative players being played in a fluid formation around them.

When you see we have Grealish, Gil, Sinclair, Traore and Veretout we have real options for the first time in forever.

[RussellC]

Have we not got any young centre forwards coming through the system?

I think Robinson has always been the most prolific of the youngsters currently on our books. Of the even younger ones there's Hepburn-Murphy, but he looks to be about 9 years old.

[brontebilly]

Buongiorno John. I follow Roma quite a lot too, and I think your assessment is pretty much spot on. However, Ljajic's faults are the reason we're signing an attacking midfielder from Roma, because otherwise we wouldn't be able to - and him 'flattering to deceive' for Serie A chasers and Champions League perennials leaves him still miles above our current standard.

I'm not sure he is all that better than the options we have for the same positions, three of which have been bought this summer - Gil, Grealish, Veretout, Sinclair, Traore

Lets just assume that last season's options Cole, Richardson, Nzogbia and Tonev are on the way out and that Ayew and Gabby wont ever play supporting the main forward again (unlikely)

Ljajic is definitely a talented player with a decent goals return but not the most mobile and could fall into the new "all fart and no shit" category at the club.

After witnessing the tactical car crash over the last two weekends, bringing in another attacking midfielder without any semblance of a plan to integrate the options we already have is bonkers. If we have spare cash get in a quality right back and a new keeper.

[onje_villa]

Ljajic can play as a forward to.

Having watched the videos he looks like he could definitely be a proper striker. Not massive but a quality finisher.

[PeterWithesShin]

We should gazump Manure and their supposed £140m bid for Neymar.

[Monty]

That's a rather dark view of it I think, brontebilly. Both Grealish and Adam are extremely talented but also very young, and between them and Grealish we've seen that it takes very few absences for our creativity to essentially vanish. Veretout I am not certain will end up in an advanced position for us, and Sinclair, while a different type of player, is nowhere near as good as Ljajic in my view.

[old man villa fan]

We should gazump Manure and their supposed £140m bid for Neymar.

What and double the value of the club!  Not good for trying to find a buyer.

[Villafirst]

You beat me to it Phil. So long as you don't fall foul of FFP the door should always be open to quality players regardless of position.

FFP? Does that apply to Man City & Chelsea?

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

Gervinho did initially look good when he first got into the team after joining from Arsenal but seemed to go completely off the boil when he returned from the African Nations Cup and has been looking for a team all summer without sucess. Maybe a last minute deadine day purchase if nothing better comes up.
Forza Villa

I really hope we don't sign Gervinho. If Wenger and Garcia can't get an end product out of him, who can? Ljajic is better than him IMO.

[Lobsterboy]

Still think we need a centre forward!

I can see a loan deal for James Wilson appealing to Sherwood.

Given Man Ure's lack of striking options I am not sure this loan move would appeal as much to Van Gaal...

Would personally prefer us to go for someone with experience of scoring at the top level but appreciate players of this calibre don't exactly grow on trees!