Summer transfer, gossip, speculation thread

[paul_e]

The positive in me says, great signings we really are building a something good here. The other (smaller) bit is thinking, are we just building a really good Championship squad?

I'll be honest, I am a bit worried about that, too.

I had the same conversation last night.
Every single player we have signed so far ( except Targett), plus most of the existing squad, needs to make a massive step up in standard.
Whilst I am delighted with the signings so far, we really need a couple of quality, experienced players.

It pains me to say it but players like Sturridge and (really sorry) Delph could do a job for us.

If you believe that the premier league is the best in the world then it will always be a step up in quality for anyone (bar players from 6-7 clubs in Europe) and I'd rather we signed players on the way up rather than on the way down.

I totally understand the concern but with the number of signings we're making I think it would be difficult to add that experience without drifting into signing guys looking for a last contract. I'm not entirely against that but I think you have to be very careful with those players as they can quite easily hit a wall early on and realise they've gone a season too far, it's what happened with Lescott for example.

[Ads]

Players step up all the time, as long as they're good enough. It's why we will be playing Brighton, Watford, Bournemouth and Burnely next season.

We need four more for me. A central holding midfielder, a wide player, a forward and a goalkeeper.

[paul_e]

Players step up all the time, as long as they're good enough. It's why we will be playing Brighton, Watford, Bournemouth and Burnely next season.

We need four more for me. A central holding midfielder, a wide player, a forward and a goalkeeper.

I could go with that, the first 2 are important, they're gaps in the squad as it stands, the other 2 are adding quality and depth where we might be a bit lacking.

[Mister E]

I'd hope the squad as is would finish 14th/15th with no major injuries. If the squad ends up like this, i would hope it would finish 2/3 places higher...
Heaton?, Steer, Kalinic
Elhammody, Guilbert, Chester, Konza, Mings, Hause, Targett, Taylor.
Grealish, McGinn, Phillips?, Hourahane, Bjarnasson, Lansbury
El Ghazi, Trezeguet?, Jota, Green
Wesley, Davis, Kodjia, Hepburn Murphy.
25 players

Who knows, it might end up stronger still the way we're going.

My main concern there is the continued presence of Ange and Barney: both have shown themselves to be peripheral in a Chumpionship squad.

Re lack of Prem experience: Heaton, Mings, Taylor, Targett, Grealish is a decent core.
Plus Terry.

[Ads]

Players like that go last though. There is a rhythm and a pattern to the market. The bigger deals happen, the cash rich spend and then Championship clubs start to pick up loans and smaller fee players.

[danno]

It certainly doesn't seem that any club other than us has been particularly busy so far.

[VILLA MOLE]

we also have had a bigger rebuild than most so we needed to,  I am  happy we might have some potential gems on the books 

[jwarry]

Talk of £9.9m agreed for Trezeguet

[Ger Regan]

I'd hope the squad as is would finish 14th/15th with no major injuries. If the squad ends up like this, i would hope it would finish 2/3 places higher...
Heaton?, Steer, Kalinic
Elhammody, Guilbert, Chester, Konza, Mings, Hause, Targett, Taylor.
Grealish, McGinn, Phillips?, Hourahane, Bjarnasson, Lansbury
El Ghazi, Trezeguet?, Jota, Green
Wesley, Davis, Kodjia, Hepburn Murphy.
25 players

Who knows, it might end up stronger still the way we're going.

My main concern there is the continued presence of Ange and Barney: both have shown themselves to be peripheral in a Chumpionship squad.

Re lack of Prem experience: Heaton, Mings, Taylor, Targett, Grealish is a decent core.
Plus Terry.

Not saying that BB is a world beater by any stretch of the imagination, but was his problem not injuries last year? It wouldn't surprise me if Smith could get a tune out of him, I just don't think he's been given the opportunity yet. Definitely need a starting DM though, regardless.

[sid1964]

I can guarantee if it all goes horribly wrong, and Smith gets the sack prior to Christmas, the new Manager will want experience premier league players

i think and hope that we are buying the right type of players for our club, I don't want the older players (Cahill / Delph type) who join just to top up their pensions, football is a young mans game.

Smith for me is yet to put a foot wrong in the transfer market and the players he has let leave at the end of last season where all the correct decisions.

[UK Redsox]

Bjarney is ok to have in the squad.

[Smirker]

Talk of £9.9m agreed for Trezeguet

Source?

[jwarry]

Talk of £9.9m agreed for Trezeguet

Source?

https://readastonvilla.com/2019/07/11/villa-reportedly-have-9-9-million-bid-accepted-for-winger-trezeguet/

[Clark W Griswold]

Yeah I don't think Thor and particularly Lansbury would play much. I think if Phillips / McGinn were out Hourahane would come in and if Grealish were out Jota would play there.
That said, I think if Thor had to play a few games, particularly against the lesser teams I wouldn't be too concerned, he's played in Euro champ finals and a World Cup.
Of course the ideal would be to off Lansbury and get another decent one in there but if it doesn't happen this summer then so be it.

[Toronto Villa]

I won’t believe anything now until that Wolf Pack cock tells me his dog heads have signed him.