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

[eamonn]

Dean rates Conor and Hourihane said recently in an interview how buoyed he was by his first proper run of starts in the PL after the restart. He actually seemed to have improved his off the ball work a lot.

He also is a father to a young baby, I can't imagine him uprooting to a country where most British/Irish players last two weeks before everything goes to shit.

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Stalemate in the Milot Rashica transfer situation: the player would still like to move to RB Leipzig to play international football, but Red Bull's unlovable marketing trinket refuses to bid more than €15m + €3m in bonuses. Werder Bremen are looking for a fee of ca. €25m and are now claiming that they don't need to sell Rashica this year anyway, which no-one quite believes due to their financial worries.

An unnamed London club has apparently also expressed an interest in Rashica, which may meet his need for moving to a 'cool city'. The player has doubts about Leipzig and Birmingham (sacrilege!) in that regard.

the more info you give us about this fella the more i feel not arsed about him

I don't know that I agree. I think there is a difference between hoping for what you think is the best option and having a poor attitude - and from his perspective Leipzig (same country, more familar, etc.) is probably a better bet.

If he doesn't get that deal and, say, 'settles' for Villa it doesn't automatically follow that he will sulk. If he is ambitious then he is more likely in my view to work hard to showcase his ability in the PL and if he does well, it is down to us to match his ambitions with the progress we make (or cash in if he increases in value).

All that said, six weeks ago I'd never heard of him but there appears genuine interest from people who are paid to know this stuff - and I know the club's track record is not brilliant, but 'glass half full' for me this time round. UTV

[PaulWinch again]

lets hope that it is true that Conor is on his way - apart from taking the corners and the odd free kick I do struggle to see what he does during the game - in fact I forget that he is on the pitch - as the guy who sits by me (pre-covid) calls him the "hider".

I think he’s a very useful squad player.

[Tebepaul]

Stalemate in the Milot Rashica transfer situation: the player would still like to move to RB Leipzig to play international football, but Red Bull's unlovable marketing trinket refuses to bid more than €15m + €3m in bonuses. Werder Bremen are looking for a fee of ca. €25m and are now claiming that they don't need to sell Rashica this year anyway, which no-one quite believes due to their financial worries.

An unnamed London club has apparently also expressed an interest in Rashica, which may meet his need for moving to a 'cool city'. The player has doubts about Leipzig and Birmingham (sacrilege!) in that regard.

the more info you give us about this fella the more i feel not arsed about him

Yeah, I know it doesn't sound good, but no-one at Bremen has ever questioned the player's attitude or personality. Rashica's a level-headed professional on and off the pitch (collecting Werder's old shirts from the squad to distribute in his home town, for example) and never stopped trying even when Bremen's season went downhill. Unusually for a wide player, he also works very hard defensively and tracks back well.

At the age of 24, Rashica is understandably concerned that his next career move needs to put him in the shop window. We can't offer him that at the moment. RB Leipzig also has a coach in Julian Nagelsmann who is well-known for developing young players tactically and Red Bull has a fluid attacking style into which Rashica would fit well. With the exception of Liverpool, Man City (and possibly Chelsea), English clubs really don't have a reputation for developing young players' skills, which is why Sancho, Bellingham etc. have moved the other way in order to break through.

For overseas players, Villa is a club who narrowly avoided relegation last year and who struggled badly to score goals. That's also a perfect definition of Werder Bremen, the team that Rashica is trying to leave. From the player's perspective, Leipzig sadly offer him far more.   

[darren woolley]

I wish we would sign somebody soon it's getting close to the season start and I would like the new players to bed in before the season starts.

[pauliewalnuts]

Rashica is doing nothing wrong if that's what he is after, then that's fair enough.

I just think we should steer well clear and not get into begging him to come - we need players who want to play for the club, and this guy clearly doesn't.

[LeeB]

Rashica is doing nothing wrong if that's what he is after, then that's fair enough.

I just think we should steer well clear and not get into begging him to come - we need players who want to play for the club, and this guy clearly doesn't.

Get him here and he'll soon change his mind.

[Damo70]

Stalemate in the Milot Rashica transfer situation: the player would still like to move to RB Leipzig to play international football, but Red Bull's unlovable marketing trinket refuses to bid more than €15m + €3m in bonuses. Werder Bremen are looking for a fee of ca. €25m and are now claiming that they don't need to sell Rashica this year anyway, which no-one quite believes due to their financial worries.

An unnamed London club has apparently also expressed an interest in Rashica, which may meet his need for moving to a 'cool city'. The player has doubts about Leipzig and Birmingham (sacrilege!) in that regard.

Charlie Nicolas wanted a move to a cool city when he joined Arsenal instead of Liverpool or Manure in 1983. He then enjoyed the London nightlife and won one league cup in five years whilst Manure won two FA Cups and got to a European semi final and Liverpool won a treble in 1984 and a double in 1986.

[kippaxvilla2]

Rashica is doing nothing wrong if that's what he is after, then that's fair enough.

I just think we should steer well clear and not get into begging him to come - we need players who want to play for the club, and this guy clearly doesn't.

Sounds like a modern day Sasa Curcic to me.

[AllanW]

I'd be happy with;

Marco Grujic - centre mid £18-20m from Liverpool

Tammy Abraham - striker £32-36m from Chelsea

Said Benrahma - striker/winger £26-29m from Brentford

Ollie Watkins - striker/winger £18-21m from Brentford

All very possible. Total cost £94-106m.

Oh, and of course a replacement for Jack going to Yanitid for an initial £60m. No idea who his replacement should be.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Was thinking today, what is Milner up to these days? Assuming he's at Liverpool, he doesn't seem to play much.

He'd be a good squad player.

[SoccerHQ]

lets hope that it is true that Conor is on his way - apart from taking the corners and the odd free kick I do struggle to see what he does during the game - in fact I forget that he is on the pitch - as the guy who sits by me (pre-covid) calls him the "hider".

Why?

He's probably our best squad player just ahead of AEM. I wouldn't want him starting 20 + games next season but we know he can come in for a few games and make an impact.

Seems a bit naive to think we won't get many injuries next season given what happened last year and the schedule is going to be even more condensed. Central midfield dosen't even seem to be an area that we're looking to strengthen and he can play in all three positions.

[SoccerHQ]

Stalemate in the Milot Rashica transfer situation: the player would still like to move to RB Leipzig to play international football, but Red Bull's unlovable marketing trinket refuses to bid more than €15m + €3m in bonuses. Werder Bremen are looking for a fee of ca. €25m and are now claiming that they don't need to sell Rashica this year anyway, which no-one quite believes due to their financial worries.

An unnamed London club has apparently also expressed an interest in Rashica, which may meet his need for moving to a 'cool city'. The player has doubts about Leipzig and Birmingham (sacrilege!) in that regard.

Fulham or West ham I'd imagine.

[Randy Gurner]

Throwing Loftus-Cheek in the hat again, based on nothing more than daydreaming.

Keep Jack, buy Tammy, Loftus Cheek, Trippier, Benrahma, Watkins, Eze --- is what I'd do if this was Championship Manager.

[Damo70]

I'd be happy with;

Marco Grujic - centre mid £18-20m from Liverpool

Tammy Abraham - striker £32-36m from Chelsea

Said Benrahma - striker/winger £26-29m from Brentford

Ollie Watkins - striker/winger £18-21m from Brentford

All very possible. Total cost £94-106m.

Oh, and of course a replacement for Jack going to Yanitid for an initial £60m. No idea who his replacement should be.

I like Benrahma and Watkins but fifty million quid for two Championship strikers totally unproven in a top league?