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

[Ian.]

Hopefully this is the first of a few very good signings. I like the look of Matty Cash and it may be a lot of money, which every we seem to say the same now. Being in the top flight of the English league means you have to spend big. If Taggart is now deemed a 12 million man, the next step is even more.

[rob_bridge]

It's says much that we have reached the point of discussing a player at a party that doesn't play for us and we haven't been linked with. Considering the importance of this window, it's a bit rubbish so far.

Everton are going to have a very decent team if it clicks aren't they.

Could have said that before the start of all of the last 3 seasons. Yet have struggled to finish in top half.

If there is a squad who is less than the sum of its' parts then Everton are it. 100k per week Walcott. Bad enough though I thought they had got him on a free - paid 20m for him

[chrisw1]

Brentford want 28m for Watkins.

Wow.  Wouldn't that make him the most expensive player ever from the Championship? (not from relegated teams)  If true then no wonder we're baulking.

[Gareth]

Brentford want 28m for Watkins.

Wow.  Wouldn't that make him the most expensive player ever from the Championship? (not from relegated teams)  If true then no wonder we're baulking.

According to the bastion of truth Wikipedia the new Brentford ground construction cost is 71m....if they get the fees they want for Watkins & Benrahma they should name stands after the pair of them :-)

[paul_e]

Watkins will happen for about £22-23m, it'll just take a few more days. Brentford have already signed his replacement so I don't think they'll want to risk the deal not happening.

[Dick Edwards]

Nobody will pay that much for Watkins.

[chrisw1]

Watkins will happen for about £22-23m, it'll just take a few more days. Brentford have already signed his replacement so I don't think they'll want to risk the deal not happening.

Sounds a sensible deal at that level.  26 goals playing up font and 10 from the wing the previous two seasons.  He knows where the net is for sure.

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Does anyone saying "we need to get players in ... get them settled ... work the squad and coaches ... be ready for the first game" etc. seriously think the same thought has not occurred to DS and the people managing recruitment?

Not to mention, everyone else on H&V.

It is self-evidently the right thing to do, if you can. But:
1. It is not in our gift (unless we pay way over the odds)
2. There is not likely to be a settled list of targets
3. It will be influenced by interest in our fringe and first choice players

There will be 2 or more being targeted for every position we want to recruit for and all will be being progressed with varying degrees of urgency.

Say, for example, we are encouraged by Chelski to bid for Tammy for £40m+ we probably have to adjust the other recruitment we do - either cheaper options or decide against bringing a new keeper (or whatever).

Then if people want to pay above our valuation of our players, it will likely change again.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Brentford want 28m for Watkins.

Wow.  Wouldn't that make him the most expensive player ever from the Championship? (not from relegated teams)  If true then no wonder we're baulking.

I think we need to avoid dealing with Brentford, they seem to add £10m on whenever Villa are involved. Did Smith annoy them or something!
 I always remember how excited I was when we signed Guy Whittingham when he was scoring an insane amount of goals in Division 2, and like most players stepping up from that level he never reproduced it in Div 1. We would be insane to pay that much.

[aj2k77]

The international break is now the excuse, lol. So first it was a few teams haven't finished their season yet, now it's the break, then what? Too close to the season to get reinforcements in so no one will sell. Then we hit January and it's the old January window excuse.

We are full of excuses. And that is why we don't do any good any more. Talk of acting like we mean business and acting like we are a big club is just that, talk. We don't walk the walk and haven't done for a long time. We come up with reasons why we can't.

Why are you losing your rag over what someone has posted on a forum? The window closes in five weeks, calm down.

It's Ok, I'll keep expressing my opinion and if you don't like it or aren't capable of reading it without forming a childish ''ooooo calm down'' response  then you are free to ignore.

[Tuscans]

Aston Villa are hoping to sign Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson after opening talks in a deal worth around £20m.

[Clampy]

The international break is now the excuse, lol. So first it was a few teams haven't finished their season yet, now it's the break, then what? Too close to the season to get reinforcements in so no one will sell. Then we hit January and it's the old January window excuse.

We are full of excuses. And that is why we don't do any good any more. Talk of acting like we mean business and acting like we are a big club is just that, talk. We don't walk the walk and haven't done for a long time. We come up with reasons why we can't.

Why are you losing your rag over what someone has posted on a forum? The window closes in five weeks, calm down.

It's Ok, I'll keep expressing my opinion and if you don't like it or aren't capable of reading it without forming a childish ''ooooo calm down'' response  then you are free to ignore.

But you lost your rag about what a poster said about the international break being an excuse. The club haven't said that, a bloke on the internet you don't even know said it. Point taken though, i'll ignore in future and let you wallow in constant misery.

[SheffieldVillain]

Brentford want 28m for Watkins.

Wow.  Wouldn't that make him the most expensive player ever from the Championship? (not from relegated teams)  If true then no wonder we're baulking.

I think we need to avoid dealing with Brentford, they seem to add £10m on whenever Villa are involved. Did Smith annoy them or something!
 I always remember how excited I was when we signed Guy Whittingham when he was scoring an insane amount of goals in Division 2, and like most players stepping up from that level he never reproduced it in Div 1. We would be insane to pay that much.

Yeah, I like the idea of signing Watkins but £28m would be ridiculous. Especially since they fleeced us for Scott Hogan.

[Drummond]

So Phil McNulty (BBC Sport Editor and Liverpool fan) has an article suggesting Wilson for £20m and Cash for £14m.

[Joshua Fineman]

Callum Wilson - 7 in 35 last season.  Wesley - 6 in 22..  Not sure he's quite the answer...