Summer transfer, gossip, speculation and the usual butter ollocks thread

[Clampy]

Watkins is an interesting one. It's a lot of money (if the £18m buy clause is true) so they have to decide if they think he could make the step up. He's had one really good goalscoring season in the Championship but so did Che Adams and Gestede. On the other side of the coin, it looks like Konsa was a good bit of business so it can work. I'd say go for it as long as he wasn't the only striker coming in.

I know - you could get two Scott Hogans for that price!

No, you could only get one.

[Dave]

Wasn’t the brief for a proven Premier League striker? Is Ollie Watkins really going to come to play as a 2nd or 3rd fiddle centre forward?

What is a "proven Premier League striker" though? We're obviously not buying Kane or Aubameyang anytime soon.

So we're either trying to buy:

(a) the main striker from a club slightly higher up than us. Wood? Maupay? Benteke? Calvert-Lewin?

(b) a reserve striker from the same. Iheanacho? Gayle? Rodriguez? Adams? Barnes?

(c) a relegated striker. Deeney? Wilson? Pukki? Mitrovic?

I reckon that any of the above are probably good for (at best) around ten league goals. And Wesley has probably shown that he's good for around ten league goals. So we're not really upgrading.

The best you can probably hope for is that a player coming back from serious injury suddenly clicks at a new club (like Ings), so that would probably be Wilson. Maybe Iheanacho suddenly thrives being the main striker at a club for the first time. But is a punt like that any more nailed on to succeed than Watkins or a £25m striker from France or Germany?

I'd argue not.

Abraham is probably the only "gettable" player that doesn't fit the above. And even then I reckon he'd be more keen to stick around for another year.

[Toronto Villa]

According to Percy we will be triggering Watkins’ release clause. I think we will also sign Benrahma for a bit of a knock down price. But we need to get in another so good to see we are being linked with the Celtic lad.

[AsTallAsLions]

That's the end of my laptop now, just spat coffee all over it.

[LukeJames]

According to Percy we will be triggering Watkins’ release clause.

Good stuff, hopefully we get it done before anybody can out bid us.

[Holy Trinity]

That's the end of my laptop now, just spat coffee all over it.

This post just almost got me sent home from work. The laughter that erupted followed hy a raspy laughing cough had the h&s bloke sprinting at me with the contact less thermometer

[Duncan Shaw]

According to Percy we will be triggering Watkins’ release clause.

Good stuff, hopefully we get it done before anybody can out bid us.

Yes it's one thing taking a punt on an expensive Brentford striker (our track record of that is second to none) but another thing altogether if we get dragged into a bidding war!

[WilliamStanding]

Apologies if I’m being slightly obtuse, but if he has a release clause surely all interested will be bid the same then it will come down to the players personal terms?

[SoccerHQ]

Would be o.k as a signing for out wide or cover for main striker. If he comes as number 1 striker I fear we're repeating mistakes of the last decade as I just don't think he's that good, certainly not from what I've seen in the last 5 games when Brentford totally bottled promotion.

He scored 26 goals last season. Pretty good. Worth remembering though that Rudy Gestede scored 22 goals for Blackburn in 14/15 season. Main concern is he dosen't really create much for himself.

[Smoke]

Apologies if I’m being slightly obtuse, but if he has a release clause surely all interested will be bid the same then it will come down to the players personal terms?

[really old H&V Joke] Doesn't account for a bidding war though. [/really old H&V Joke]

[mr underhill]

 Watkins used to play out wide and scored pretty regularly. He has the advantage to us of  being able to play wide or centrally, after a very successful season as a lone striker. I rate the guy highly as I know Brian Green does!

[JJ-AV]

I like the look of him alot. Didn't have the best games last night but tactically smart and held the ball well.

Smith knows him and at £18m looks value. Even if he completely flops you'd be able to get most of that back from a Championship side who needs someone proven at that level.

3-4 years ago Hogan, McCormack and Kodjia were going for £12m+

[RamboandBruno]

Would be o.k as a signing for out wide or cover for main striker. If he comes as number 1 striker I fear we're repeating mistakes of the last decade as I just don't think he's that good, certainly not from what I've seen in the last 5 games when Brentford totally bottled promotion.

He scored 26 goals last season. Pretty good. Worth remembering though that Rudy Gestede scored 22 goals for Blackburn in 14/15 season. Main concern is he dosen't really create much for himself.

Rudy Gestede is the single worst centre forward I’ve ever seen down villa park, followed closely by Simon Stainrod (even though he did score a few goals).
I get the comparison or analogy, Tammy also scores 26 for us and did just ok to decent last year in a very good team. Watkins looks like he’s got far more in his locker than a Gestede, but it would be a risk if he was our main man. Depends how close they think Wesley is to bring back. If we are getting Watkins, I would like us to cut our losses on Samatta and get an older head in, Rodriguez type.

[eamonn]

The thing is I could well-imagine Tammy winking at you and putting you in a headlock if asked whether he was coming back. He does have that rogueish charm to him. Not sure about the toilet cubicle shenanigans or the McGinn bit though.

[oldhill_avfc]

Watkins is an interesting one. It's a lot of money (if the £18m buy clause is true) so they have to decide if they think he could make the step up. He's had one really good goalscoring season in the Championship but so did Che Adams and Gestede. On the other side of the coin, it looks like Konsa was a good bit of business so it can work. I'd say go for it as long as he wasn't the only striker coming in.

I know - you could get two Scott Hogans for that price!

No, you could only get one.

Perhaps they're trying to start a bidding war with £18m as the starting price .................