January Transfer Window Rumours/Suggestions/Hearsay/Heresy/Horseplay

[brian green]

Delph? Mmmmm Westwood? Mmmmm.

[passitsideways]

Also, it totally makes sense that on one hand we were so eager to cut costs so as to force our second best player out, but at the same time we were spending generous chunks on the likes of Gueye and the Jordans.

[aj2k77]

What's this forced him out by accepting an offer shit? He had a release clause that was met.

Also, if we were so keen to chuck him out, why did we include him in our kit promos, and change our social media to lionise him in that week right after the first refusal and before the backflip? Also, why would he agree to make that statement about how much he valued loyalty if he was allegedly being told to do one? He could've just turned around and gone back to accept City's offer instead.

It's a massive crockload of shit made up by City as a PR exercise to distort the fact that Delphi is a little shitcunt who couldn't be straight with us.

Is the correct answer. Forced out my arse. He chased the arab riches and has spent a few years scratching his arse counting his notes on the bench. Lying, winking, smarmy little twat.

[The Edge]

Delph being forced out has got to be complete bull. He would have certainly piped up about it, or at least hinted.

Anyhoo....we move on, any realistic rumors today? I see Hogan is being linked to west ham, I like him a lot.

But that's not true. If a club accepts an offer for a player then that player isn't going to want to stay is he? And let's not forget the abject state that the club was in off the field. The club had allowed the ridiculously low buy out clause in his contract in the first place. All im saying is if he is not the villain of the piece as has been portrayed we should know as it would make all the difference.

On the other hand, he should never have come out and said he was happy to stay when he was quite clearly interested in another club.

Well we don't know for sure do we? That's what im saying. We should know the truth because purely from a footballing point of view he would be a fantastic signing for us. If he really is the snake in this then fuck him. But I for one would like to know the truth. 

[Chris Smith]

Delph being forced out has got to be complete bull. He would have certainly piped up about it, or at least hinted.

Anyhoo....we move on, any realistic rumors today? I see Hogan is being linked to west ham, I like him a lot.

But that's not true. If a club accepts an offer for a player then that player isn't going to want to stay is he? And let's not forget the abject state that the club was in off the field. The club had allowed the ridiculously low buy out clause in his contract in the first place. All im saying is if he is not the villain of the piece as has been portrayed we should know as it would make all the difference.

On the other hand, he should never have come out and said he was happy to stay when he was quite clearly interested in another club.

Well we don't know for sure do we? That's what im saying. We should know the truth because purely from a footballing point of view he would be a fantastic signing for us. If he really is the snake in this then fuck him. But I for one would like to know the truth. 

We know the truth, you are looking for a conspiracy that does not exist.

[KevinGage]

Gueye came in when it looked like Delph was off first time.

Sherwood might have been asked if he actually needed both of them when Delph changed his mind, or whether he'd prefer the transfer money to bring in a different type of player.

There was also the little matter of the aborted takeover in the summer of 2015.  Delph had signed on again earlier that year excited by big plans at the club, apparently (as he said himself).  So he stays, thinking new era and Villa actually trying to compete again.

Only for all that new promise to evaporate, and the club returning to a holding pattern of spending circa £10 million net just to stay in the top flight.

Or it could have been as simple as Citeh offered Delph quite a lot of $ first time round, but even more when he played hard to get.

There might be elements of truth in some of that or none of it. But there is enough doubt there for me to not immediately cast him out with the H0dge/Southgate/ other tosspots who viewed the club as beneath them (it still amazes me whenever I see people earnestly putting Mouthgate's name forward as a potential manager).

In Delph's case, he was at least indecisive when it came to leaving, suggesting it was a dilemma for him.  As opposed to bailing with the  determination and zeal of a German soldier on the last plane out of Stalingrad.

[dave.woodhall]

I forget who it was that told me - I think it was a Manc-based reporter - Delph changed his mind because City's move for a top-rated midfielder broke down (again I forget who) and they told him he'd therefore be getting more games than expected. That one worked out well.

[Old Kodjia]

What's this forced him out by accepting an offer shit? He had a release clause that was met.

Also, if we were so keen to chuck him out, why did we include him in our kit promos, and change our social media to lionise him in that week right after the first refusal and before the backflip? Also, why would he agree to make that statement about how much he valued loyalty if he was allegedly being told to do one? He could've just turned around and gone back to accept City's offer instead.

It's a massive crockload of shit made up by City as a PR exercise to distort the fact that Delphi is a little shitcunt who couldn't be straight with us.

Is the correct answer. Forced out my arse. He chased the arab riches and has spent a few years scratching his arse counting his notes on the bench. Lying, winking, smarmy little twat.

I don't claim to know the answer but my gut feeling is that he was not forced out.  If it was for 20/25 million, then maybe, but not for £8 million.  We paid almost that out again on his replacement, so whilst there was a saving in wages, there was no saving in the actual transfer and replacement.

I remember at some point, either Sherwood (or possibly Lambert) announced that Delph had turned down "a top 4 club" in the January before he left.  I also believe that the statements about him moving for the security of his daughter were honest and that had he been forced out, he would have not come out with such a bold statement when there was no need to.

I personally don't hold the grudge against Delph that many do.  He was wrong to give us all that nonsense about this being "his club" when he had negotiated such a flimsy contract that gave us no bargaining power whatsoever.

Another point I would make, is, is he ever going to be the same player again, now that he has made all this money, been involved with a squad at the highest level  and been out of action for so long?  Lescott is an obvious example of this.  I'm not saying that Delph will go the same way but it is a possibility.  He only needs to drop that hunger, desire and determination by 2 or 3% and he will lose the edge that he once had.

For me, I don't begrudge him that move and had my son been in the same position, I would have advised him to do exactly the same.  By the same token, I don't particularly want him back here and doubt he's a realistic target in any case.

[The Edge]

Delph being forced out has got to be complete bull. He would have certainly piped up about it, or at least hinted.

Anyhoo....we move on, any realistic rumors today? I see Hogan is being linked to west ham, I like him a lot.

But that's not true. If a club accepts an offer for a player then that player isn't going to want to stay is he? And let's not forget the abject state that the club was in off the field. The club had allowed the ridiculously low buy out clause in his contract in the first place. All im saying is if he is not the villain of the piece as has been portrayed we should know as it would make all the difference.

On the other hand, he should never have come out and said he was happy to stay when he was quite clearly interested in another club.

Well we don't know for sure do we? That's what im saying. We should know the truth because purely from a footballing point of view he would be a fantastic signing for us. If he really is the snake in this then fuck him. But I for one would like to know the truth. 

We know the truth, you are looking for a conspiracy that does not exist.

I like a good conspiracy theory don't you? I only got involved in this when I read a comment earlier. It was from ASHTON VILLA who said his uncle works for a Man City player and had been told something different to what is commonly thought about Delphs about turn transfer there. The truth is out there.....

[peter w]

Having a release claude doesn't mean a player must move. It's just that he has the option. It's more likely that the club, and maybe Sherwood, wanted the money to spend elsewhere as he knew he wouldn't be given a lot to spend. He had the Benteke and Delph money and backed himself to make the signings - I can't remember him decrying Delph's change of mind so it seems most likely to be have been driven by us.

Plus it was clear Delph was happy at Villa. He described us as his club. Why then would he spill the beans and paint us in a very embarrassing picture?

[barrysleftfoot]

McCarthy, if serious, would be a great buy, and a real "statement" signing.Only 26, and could be, top class.

Still think Tish would be a good signing, and another midfielder alongside these 2, be it Delph, Lansbury or Houirhane, would be 100 times better than what we have now.

Quicker Westwood is out the club the better for me.Nothing against him, but in having watched Villa for the last 40 years he is the worst player i have seen in a Villa shirt.

[The Edge]

McCarthy, if serious, would be a great buy, and a real "statement" signing.Only 26, and could be, top class.

Still think Tish would be a good signing, and another midfielder alongside these 2, be it Delph, Lansbury or Houirhane, would be 100 times better than what we have now.

Quicker Westwood is out the club the better for me.Nothing against him, but in having watched Villa for the last 40 years he is the worst player i have seen in a Villa shirt.

Delph,Lansbury and Houlihane would be a hundred  times better than our current line up but highly unlikely to happen. Although just reading that caused a little stir in my boxer shorts.

[The Edge]

McCarthy, if serious, would be a great buy, and a real "statement" signing.Only 26, and could be, top class.

Still think Tish would be a good signing, and another midfielder alongside these 2, be it Delph, Lansbury or Houirhane, would be 100 times better than what we have now.

Quicker Westwood is out the club the better for me.Nothing against him, but in having watched Villa for the last 40 years he is the worst player i have seen in a Villa shirt.

Cue tons of suggestions for that dubious honour. I'm nominating Eric Djemba Djemba. 

[Old Kodjia]

Having a release claude doesn't mean a player must move. It's just that he has the option. It's more likely that the club, and maybe Sherwood, wanted the money to spend elsewhere as he knew he wouldn't be given a lot to spend. He had the Benteke and Delph money and backed himself to make the signings - I can't remember him decrying Delph's change of mind so it seems most likely to be have been driven by us.

Plus it was clear Delph was happy at Villa. He described us as his club. Why then would he spill the beans and paint us in a very embarrassing picture?

A release clause of £8 million for a player of Delph's standing is akin to having no release clause whatsoever.  How many PL teams wouldn't have paid £8 million for an England midfielder?  You'd probably find that several are still prepared to do so today, despite the backward turn in Delph's career.

Why would the club want to sell Delph for peanuts, risk relegation and replace him with someone who was unproven?  There is absolutely no way on God's planet that Sherwood would want to let the linchpin of his midfield go so that he could have £8 million to spend.  He already had £40 odd million available.

[JUAN PABLO]

At Villa, Delph was playing and really improving which got him into the England squad. At City, he rarely plays and has faded from the international scene, but is a lot richer.

most of us on here knew this would happen .


Anyway Leeds will probably go up through the Play offs and then Delph can go back there .