Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[curiousorange]

Ash Preece has just done a live Q&A thing, and in his view statement signings don't sound very likely. No interest in Abraham, rather we'll see 6-7 incomings to replace the fat being trimmed away and more use of the academy. NSWE want to make Villa sustainable, hence the academy investment. No mention of transfer spend, and no real denial that they wouldn't make big signings if needed, but Preece did say that if we went for Buendia, it would have to smash our transfer record, with the inference that we wouldn't. Bulk of business mid-late July.

Found it a little deflating, tbh.

[tomd2103]

Celtics Dvid Turnbull for 7 mill in the daily Record..  never heard of him

Same here. Looks like a 7m punt on one for the future which is peanuts really. Hard to judge given its' Scotland.

I know we have a couple of resident Scottish football experts, but I worked up in Glasgow for a while a number of years ago and still follow Scottish football a bit.  Turnbull is very highly rated up there, but not sure he would be coming as anything but squad option at this point.

[sickbeggar]

Ash Preece has just done a live Q&A thing, and in his view statement signings don't sound very likely. No interest in Abraham, rather we'll see 6-7 incomings to replace the fat being trimmed away and more use of the academy. NSWE want to make Villa sustainable, hence the academy investment. No mention of transfer spend, and no real denial that they wouldn't make big signings if needed, but Preece did say that if we went for Buendia, it would have to smash our transfer record, with the inference that we wouldn't. Bulk of business mid-late July.

Found it a little deflating, tbh.

What I've been expecting really. The big spending was to get us relatively safe from relegation. I just see a gradual build-up from now on and the ongoing replacement of old players and duff signings

[Monty]

Ash Preece has just done a live Q&A thing, and in his view statement signings don't sound very likely. No interest in Abraham, rather we'll see 6-7 incomings to replace the fat being trimmed away and more use of the academy. NSWE want to make Villa sustainable, hence the academy investment. No mention of transfer spend, and no real denial that they wouldn't make big signings if needed, but Preece did say that if we went for Buendia, it would have to smash our transfer record, with the inference that we wouldn't. Bulk of business mid-late July.

Found it a little deflating, tbh.

That is a little deflating. Sounds like the kind of plan that involves selling Grealish.

[tomd2103]

Ash Preece has just done a live Q&A thing, and in his view statement signings don't sound very likely. No interest in Abraham, rather we'll see 6-7 incomings to replace the fat being trimmed away and more use of the academy. NSWE want to make Villa sustainable, hence the academy investment. No mention of transfer spend, and no real denial that they wouldn't make big signings if needed, but Preece did say that if we went for Buendia, it would have to smash our transfer record, with the inference that we wouldn't. Bulk of business mid-late July.

Found it a little deflating, tbh.

To be honest, if those 6-7 include a starting defensive midfielder like Berge and a starting winger along with a few upgrades in the squad, then I think we will be set for next season. 

[Monty]

'Sustainable' - one interpretation could be 'be like Borussia Dortmund/Southampton', which would be a message not to get too attached to any homegrown heroes.

[Brazilian Villain]

I'm not too bothered about trying to get a "bargain" either. Everybody knows we are one of the richest clubs in the richest league on Earth. Just accept that you might have to pay a bit over the odds and don't bother with the penny pinching. Pretty much everyone thought we overpaid for Watkins, it has been more than worth it.

Many observers said we'd overpaid for Mings at 20m (rising to 25m) and even a few (not on here) claiming the same for us buying Arsenal's "reserve" keeper. Both have turned out to be bargains.

[curiousorange]

In Preece's defence, he did say we'd be looking to improve key positions, which to me will cost a considerable amount of money, but also that Smith believes the first eleven are a match for anyone and it's about improving that. Also, he mentioned they want to strike while Spuds and Arsenal are flailing. It's a huge summer and what we do in it will set the tone for years to come - personally I would be looking at bigger names but none have really been mooted. Surprised the Tammy link has been dismissed, but Smith wants us to press and they don't rate Abraham in that regard.

[Monty]

In Preece's defence, he did say we'd be looking to improve key positions, which to me will cost a considerable amount of money, but also that Smith believes the first eleven are a match for anyone and it's about improving that. Also, he mentioned they want to strike while Spuds and Arsenal are flailing. It's a huge summer and what we do in it will set the tone for years to come - personally I would be looking at bigger names but none have really been mooted. Surprised the Tammy link has been dismissed, but Smith wants us to press and they don't rate Abraham in that regard.

That sounds better? Though we all have our opinions about Tammy I'm sure.

As for the first 11 being a match for anyone - sure, they *can* be, but how often are they? And are they really good enough to beat Spurs, Arsenal, Leicester or Everton into the top 4, never mind Chelsea, United or Liverpool?

[Brazilian Villain]

On the flip side if you had 200m to spend you're not going to advertise the fact and didn't Smith say he was excited by the Summer targets. If it's similar to the last 2 summers' spend I think most would be happy enough.

[curiousorange]

Depends on how you take it I guess. Is a £20 million player a bargain buy these days? Smith did say earlier in the week that the players they had in mind excited him and would the fans, but that might be because they're slotting into an exciting style of play rather than exciting in and of themselves.

IMO, NSWE have put a lot of money in and will continue to do so, so I don't view bargain hunting in the same way as the latter Lerner years. Villa are probably looking, like many clubs, at Leicester. I'd say the 6-7 names might not be Messi, but by and large we've probably heard their names raised as potential stars.

[sickbeggar]

Well the spurs/arsenal reference is a good point to make. They definitely seem to have overextended themselves in the quest for CL riches whether that's debt or building stadiums etc..  We don't want to go the same way.

[ChicagoLion]

In Preece's defence, he did say we'd be looking to improve key positions, which to me will cost a considerable amount of money, but also that Smith believes the first eleven are a match for anyone and it's about improving that. Also, he mentioned they want to strike while Spuds and Arsenal are flailing. It's a huge summer and what we do in it will set the tone for years to come - personally I would be looking at bigger names but none have really been mooted. Surprised the Tammy link has been dismissed, but Smith wants us to press and they don't rate Abraham in that regard.

I hope smith does not believe that.
We have to seriously strengthen central midfield and the wide players.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Who's our man in Poland? I see Porto, who know a thing or two about buying cheap-selling high, are sniffing around striker Aleksander Buksa of Wisla Krakrow. Only 18 but very highly rated and available on a free next month. Wolves were also reported to be interested in him a couple of months back. Do we really want the ‘new Robert Lewandowski’ coming on next season for the last 10 minutes to give Ollie a breather?

[curiousorange]

I dunno...last player we signed from Poland was Tonev.