Squad-building for 2019-20

[passitsideways]

Apologies if this is unnecessary, just toss it into the rumours thread if it is, but I thought it'd be worth a separate thread for talking about how the squad ought to shape up going into next season, in terms of who should go, who might go, which positions need filling, and so on.

Having had a look, it does seem like a ton of cleaning up will be taking place. From how I see it:

Contracts expiring: Hutton, Whelan, Jedinak, Richards, Elphick, Bunn, De Laet, Adomah - can't see us retaining most of them, maybe Adomah, Whelan or Hutton at varying rates of probability.
Gone/no realistic future at the club: Tshibola, McCormack.
On the outside looking in, good chance of being sold if even a slightly decent offer comes in: Bjarnason, Lansbury, Hogan, Bree, Gardner, maybe Nyland, maybe even Kodjia.

Just gathering together some of the posts made in the transfer thread (and across the Internet, really), and assuming El Ghazi and Mings and maybe Hause are made permanent, it's pretty much been universally agreed that an upgrade at LB, a striker (assuming Tammy won't be back), and at least one more winger aside from El Ghazi is needed. Secondary to those, it seems like there's also openings for another CB option, an athletic ball-playing defensive midfielder, and a no. 10 type player who can operate between the midfield and defensive lines.

What is everyone else thinking in terms of who should be going out and the positions to target?

[jwarry]

I suspect we were in for a major squad overhaul even if we hadn’t gone up, in fact probably bigger. I am expecting at least 6 but wouldn’t be surprised to see 9 or 10

[UK Redsox]

According to this, Albert has another year on his contract

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/berateruebersicht/verein/405

[PeterWithesShin]

Albert does have another year, the club announced it as a 4 year deal when he signed in 2016.

https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/08/31/adomah-signs

[wittonwarrior]

He couldn’t manage the championship properly last season let alone the premier

[Monty]

Yep left back, possibly right back, deep midfield, attacking midfield, up front and possibly goalkeeper are areas we have to look at - and that's after the assumed signings of Mings and El Ghazi which are by no means certain. There's a big job on here.

[danno]

Assumed outgoings: Jedinak, Richards, Hutton, Elphick, Bunn, De Laet, Lansbury, Bree, Hogan, Tshibola, Gardner, McCormack.

Leaves:

Steer Nyland Kalinic

Mings Hause Chester Tuanzebe
Taylor Elmohamedy Guilbert

McGinn Grealish Whelan Hourihane
El Ghazi Green Adomah

Abraham Kodja Davis

If we got our loanees permanently that's five signings already.
But I'd add a left back a central midfielder a winger and a striker.
Nine signings. That's a lot of business to try and do.

[SaddVillan]

Not sure if this fits into this thread, but here goes anyway:

We now have owners who are proper money men, in terms of how the've made their fortunes, the amounts of dosh available and their financial abilities.

In the modern business world there is huge kudos in being linked with/owning a successful EPL team and I think we can be certain that these 2 haven't bought Villa for it to be a plaything or a distraction.

Looking back, it's now obvious that despite what we thought at the time (wishful thinking?) that their predecessors:  Lerner - inherited Daddy's money, no business acumen and Dr T - nice guy, but out of his depth financially;  didn't really have sufficient financial firepower or executive skills for the modern game - hence last summer's crisis.

In contrast our current owners have made serious money and have shown their intentions to support the club from the day they came in - see the numerous injections of money on the balance sheet

Let's hope that Edens has used his American connections and seen/learned from how the Glazers, Kroenke and John Henry have managed things at ManU, Arsenal and Liverpool and Sawiris will has also picked up on Man Citeh and PSG etc. and they have formulated have plans in place to capitalise on Monday's result.

Dean Smith has proven to be a shrewd operator in the transfer market - not overpaying, but finding players who he can improve and,  who at the same to time fit in with both his overall tactical philosophy whilst not upsetting the strong team spirit he creates.

I'm sure that the club has already started the rebuilding process - Dean has already pruned out the Academy players and will, no doubt be moving on a number of the first team squad.

He knows who he wants to re-sign from our loan players and depending on the success or failure there will have targets already lined up.

For once we have directors who have the money to back him.

I don't expect us to be spaffing (thanks Boris) £100m+ like Fulham did last year on a bunch of players who won't fit in we all saw how that has ended.

I think we'll be both pleased and surprised by some of his signings  - her's to finding several more SJMs.
 
We've had too many false dawns over recent years - we need to ensure that this isn't another one.

[Mister E]

Assumed outgoings: Jedinak, Richards, Hutton, Elphick, Bunn, De Laet, Lansbury, Bree, Hogan, Tshibola, Gardner, McCormack.

Leaves:

Steer Nyland Kalinic

Mings Hause Chester Tuanzebe
Taylor Elmohamedy Guilbert

McGinn Grealish Whelan Hourihane
El Ghazi Green Adomah

Abraham Kodja Davis

If we got our loanees permanently that's five signings already.
But I'd add a left back a central midfielder a winger and a striker.
Nine signings. That's a lot of business to try and do.

I don't see Kodjia sticking around; and, I suspect that if we get an offer for Adomah we'll take it.
Which means the attacking need is high up on the priority list.
Add to that some more athleticism at CMF, a left back and a replacement for Tuanzebe - as a minimum.

[danno]

You might be right, but I expect Kodja to see out his contract as I don't think he's played in the premier league before and I doubt another club will match what we're paying him.

Expect McCormack to stay too, but just put him with the outgoings more in hope than expectation.

[KRS]

Hope we can get rid of McCormack...according to an article his wages will increase to £70k per week after promotion. Boils my piss.

https://www.balls.ie/football/ross-mccormack-contract-411300

[AllanW]

A few principles that need to be used to base the build upon;
-   It’s Dean Smiths team so he will want it to be attacking not just surviving.
-   Much will depend on a persons personality and fit with the team and management not just their skill.
-   We need a Premiership team not a Championship team+. The big difference is SPEED. Strength is fine but SPEED is the X factor at every position.
-   Skills are important but worth nothing if the footballing brain is weak; Smith picks those who desire to be better footballers every day and can cope with tactical nuance and flexibility.
-   Structurally we will need the flexibility Dean has built in already and this will be increased next season. Lets’ specify the squad for a 4-3-3/4-4-2 regime because it can morph into lots of diamond, attacking wing-back and attacking midfielder schemes if the players are good enough.

Goalies
Steer deserves to be in the starting mix in the Premiership; he’s deserved it, worth it and we should value him.
Kalinic has been a valuable investment which needs to pay off now. Give him a chance. If he sees himself as automatic Number 1 he won’t fit in and I’d expect him to be sold if so.
Nyland will be fit again over the Summer but won’t get games as third choice so he should be sold for the benefit of his career.
Sarkic needs to be told he will be squad backup to top 2; developing young players for the future is what our club can be about. Here’s an example; ask him to step up and see if he does.
Bunn to go.

Centre Backs
Richards and Elphick to end contract and leave.
Chester will not be the player he was, we’ve now been told. Best we can expect here is a squad backup player for next year.
Mings needs to be snapped-up quickly. He wants it, we need it; get it done!
Tuanzebe would be great but won’t be available as a purchase and loans will not be our best priority in this position, it’s too important so reluctantly we won’t see Axel at VP next year, in my opinion.
Hause has not earned being purchased IMO and I’d expect the VP team to have a range of options from Cahill to who-the-hell-else-might-be-available but we need AT LEAST 2 in here who fit in, are speedy and technical ball-playing centre backs mainly because Suliman has not become a candidate.

Right Backs
Hutton to go with our best wishes.
Bree to be squad backup if the VP team assess him as worthwhile; we don’t know yet. If not, he’ll be sold.
De Laet; see below.
Elmohamady to fight for his place at RB alongside Guilbert who will join us now.

Left Backs
Taylor to stay and fight for a place against whoever we bring in because we need to bring someone in for this position, no doubt. There is no squad backup so we need to address that at U23/U20 level as well.

Defensive Midfield
Whelan may be given a one-year contract but solely as squad backup. Speed, remember?
Tshibola and Jedinak to go.
We have no-one else who can adequately play DM in the premiership so we need at least 2. If Fabian Delph is available as hinted at (he only has 1 year left on his contract at Citteh) I’d wrench him here as a priority; he could be the difference between surviving and kicking-on versus being relegated. He’s that good. Other possibilities are available as well but this is a priority now and will be fascinating to see.

Centre Midfield
McGinn is a diamond and a real Premiership-quality player already. Worth his weight in gold and an automatic selection.
Hourihane is useful and gets a place normally as well. I’m not as down on him as others; he will be useful in the prem.
Gardner can go.
We therefore need at least one good player here. No suggestions yet but the VP team will have candidates already. Watch this space unless they decide Bjarnason will fit the bill.

Attacking Midfield
Grealish is a diamond and a real Premiership-quality player already and he’s staying for next year so an automatic selection when fit.
Lansbury is my surprise here; I think he can be useful and deserves a squad place. You may hate him and if the VP team agree he’ll be moved-on. Me, I’d give him a chance IF his personality fits with the team.
My squad backup option here is O’Hare who I think has real potential and should be developed as a priority. We’ll need him.

Attacking Right
Adomah is not good enough so if not moved-on will be a squad backup only.
Green has not impressed so can only get a squad backup role if Adomah is not sold. Expect to be loaned next season until he improves, I’m sorry to say.
Here’s another surprise for you; Richie De Laet has been banging goals in in Belgium for 6 months and has always had a nose for goal as a genuine attacking right winger. So use him there if he wants the gig.
Of course, if Smith has already got a real plan to buy Lolley then the position is sorted.

Attacking Left
El Ghazi would be worthwhile but I’m not as wild about him as some other people but he’s good enough for next season.
We have no-one else so I’m looking for candidates to emerge. One to follow.

Strikers
Tammy will be going back to Chelsea not stay with us under any plan so needs to be replaced. Mitrovic has been mentioned, Maupay has been mentioned and I expect a bunch more will mention themselves. This is the other main priority; goalscoring striker. It will cost us real money but if we get it right we’ll stay up if not, we’ll really struggle.
Davis is a young development star and should be asked to push for a regular place. Keep and push-on.
Kodjia will stay for at least a year and be an option; I hope he takes the chance to get back to where he was. It’s his last chance IMO.
Hepburn-Murphy is no more than a possibility and loanee-in-waiting at the moment but I hope he improves.
McCormack is a hack who deserves to burn in hell and we don’t need him under any circumstances.
Hogan to be sold.

Which leaves our basic 23/24/25 squad members plus squad backups in brackets as;

GK; Steer, Kalinic, (Sarkic)
CB; Mings, Chester, +2
LB; Taylor, +1
RB; Guilbert, Elmohamady, (Bree)
DM; +2, (Whelan?)
CM; McGinn, Hourihane, +1
AM; Grealish, Lansbury, (O’Hare)
AL; El Ghazi, +1
AR; De Laet, (Green)
Striker; Kodjia, Davis, +1, (Hepburn-Murphy)

That’s all the current squad, losses taken into account and 8 purchases. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of observations 😊

[aj2k77]

We need to keep the nucleus of the dressing room together. There is a good spirit there but obviously add additional quality. However there is a financial necessity to offload some players because too many times in the past we have got lumbered with players right until the very end. If we can we should be looking to sell some of the more sale able championship players, even if it means wage subsidies to a degree.

[walsall villain]

Great first post that! I think it’s an accurate assessment of how things stand as far as we all know. Not sure about Lansbury personally but can’t see us shifting him.

[brontebilly]

Great first post that! I think it’s an accurate assessment of how things stand as far as we all know. Not sure about Lansbury personally but can’t see us shifting him.

Season long loan I expect to a mid table championship club, Lansbury somehow still has 2 years left on his contract with us hence selling him is very unlikely. Milk turns faster than Lansbury whose agent really pulled the pants down on Xia/Wynnes.

Assuming this is accurate - https://astonvillacentral.com/squad/contracts/ ....it's paints a picture of a squad, a few gems aside that's very average without the loan players.

A fair chunk will go off our wage bill from those out of contract this season alone. I'm assuming that's all of them.

The guys with a year left - Steer and Hourihane will almost certainly stay on. Elmo deserves another year but is 32 in Sept so I wouldn't be surprised to see him move on given we have a new right back signed alreadya. Chester will stay too as backup particularly after his recent injury comments. None of the other experienced guys will be in Smith's plans, though shifting them will take work. Of the kids, I'm utterly unconvinced by Green and the others are likely to continue loan spells elsewhere.

None of the 2021 crew are top division standard but shifting them will be a real challenge. James Bree is another one whose agent deserves serious kudos. Bruce's first transfer window was a real shitshow.

I don't see anything other than a complete transformation of our playing squad this summer. Hopefully we get a few signed up quickly, likes of Mings, El Ghazi. Would have no problem with former loanees Snodgrass and Johnstone permanently returning either.