Summer transfer, gossip, speculation thread

[mallo]

There's not even a sniff of interest in Belotti anywhere online. If he were to sign, him + Wes would be challenging for the main striker place - would an Italian international come to Villa to sit on the bench with no European competition?

I'll file this under wishful thinking.

[Villafirst]

Where's the update from VillaTransfers ?

[Steve67]

Where's the update from VillaTransfers ?

Benrahma is having a medical this afternoon.  Actually, if twitter is to be believed, that medical commenced at 4pm.

[Malandro]

There's not even a sniff of interest in Belotti anywhere online. If he were to sign, him + Wes would be challenging for the main striker place - would an Italian international come to Villa to sit on the bench with no European competition?

I'll file this under wishful thinking.

I'd file it under total bollocks.

[dave.woodhall]

One thing is guaranteed about online speculation - get one guess right and everything you say for ever more will be believed.

[Steve67]

It'll probably turn out to be Andy Carroll on a years contract.  If it was, I'd trust Dean, Richard O'Kelly and JT to bring the best out of him, once they got him off the injury table that is!!

[brian green]

Once they got him off something sure.

[Small Rodent]

Was it under John Gregory we had the Christian Vieri rumours?

Was he the last Italian linked with the club?

[Dave]

Was it under John Gregory we had the Christian Vieri rumours?

Was he the last Italian linked with the club?

There were probably links to Gollini when we signed him. Carbone would have been after the Vieri links as well.

[Small Rodent]

Was it under John Gregory we had the Christian Vieri rumours?

Was he the last Italian linked with the club?

There were probably links to Gollini when we signed him.

It’s not going to be long before I’m taken out the back and put down like Old Yeller

[mallo]

Jean-Kevin Augustin the latest link apparently - us and Crystal Palace supposedly.

[FatSam]

Short(er) striker who's mobile and can play across the front, I guess there's no chance of getting Werner? He looks a very good player.

They've got some good players, the kind we'll be shopping for next summer I think.

Interestingly, Arsenal have today been linked by The Guardian with Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig for around £70m. I thought he looked good, but you can really see the EPL and/ or CL premium that gets added to player values:

Arsenal have been informed that they must pay around £70m to sign Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig as they step up attempts to recruit defensive reinforcements before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

After completing the purchase of Nicolas Pépé from Lille last week for £72m, the France Under-21 international has been identified as the club’s preferred defensive target, although the Bundesliga side are understood to be reluctant to allow him to leave despite only having two years left on his contract. Reports in Germany have claimed that a €60m (£55m) offer was rejected by RB over the weekend, although it is believed that Arsenal have yet to submit an official bid for the 20-year-old central defender, who moved to Germany as a teenager in 2015 from Valenciennes having rejected an appraoch from Manchester United.

Considering they bought him for €2.2M as a 17 year old in 2015, I'd prefer we were doing that kind of business to be honest.

[JUAN PABLO]

Jean-Kevin Augustin.?

[Malandro]

Did he play in the friendly for Leipzig?

[thick_mike]

Did he play in the friendly for Leipzig?

Yes, he looked very physically strong against Wesley and our other forwards.

Sorry, thought you meant Upamecano, not Augustin.