Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[johnny from donny]

Salah and  De Bruyne were both deemed not good enough for Chelsea if memory serves.

[N'ZMAV]

Salah and  De Bruyne were both deemed not good enough for Chelsea if memory serves.

around the same time as Lukaku too.

[paul_e]

It's all good naming those players but does anyone think there aren't a lot more examples of players struggling after leaving thise clubs.

[algy]

For me, Tuanzebe would've been a decent signing (at the right price) when we came up. 2 years on, I don't see why we'd sign him. He'll be 4th choice centre back, and so just blocking a route in to the first team squad for the U23s rather than doing anything productive. He'd be playing, what, half a dozen games a season at most...

RLC - no.

Tammy is the difficult one. I'm veering towards the "no" side because I'm not sure how you'd fit him & Watkins in to our formation, I'm not sure we could sell Wesley, and Davis I think is fine as a #3 striker in a team that just plays 1 striker. Don't gst nee wrong, I'd be quite chuffed if we signed him because I think he'd do well for us ... I'd just wonder if it's the most useful signing we could make for £40m+.

[sickbeggar]

I suggested Tuanzebe not because i'm a massive fanboy of him but because he'd provide competition at right-back and centre half and give us cover for injuries at possibly the right price. End of the day we need some numbers in defence with the departures with maybe more to come and  he seems like someone who could possibly be a 1st team regular given his age. The other option is either play kids who you can't rely on to make the grade, or buy dedicated squad players if your happy with the 1st choice centre halfs/right backs. Or buy someone who will replace one of the 1st choice centre halfs/right backs if your not. As for the current defensive reserves, well they're hardly pushing the current 1st teamers for a spot

[SoccerHQ]

I think this is the window we should go for some top quality experience. A gnarly old pro from a routinely established Champions League team. Someone in front of the defence who everyone learns from and that can point the way to a sustained top 6 lifestyle.

Would hate for us to shit the bed as it gets closer because we don’t have that experience.

If we're after someone like that I'd like us to go for Matic.

I'd have had someone of that ilk in our near relegation season but really not sure know. Judging from his sub cameos this season he'd be way off the pace. When we played up there all he did when coming on with 5 minutes left was kick Jack (and he obviously didn't get booked until the 4th one playing for them).

Currently Mings, Konsa, Emi, Jack and McGinn are all growing as a group at prem level and a fair few of them are close to 100 prem games now so think we aren't as dependent on experienced heads as a year ago.

Axel being mentioned again. To me it actually makes sense given he'd push the current two far more than Engels has done in last year.

Can also fill in at RB if needed.

It will actually be interesting what we do with the full back positions now we've released our main back ups. See people demanding we sign Rico Henry but I really don't see the logic in signing someone for 15-20m who'll just play cup games up to xmas.

That's a decent chunk of the budget, would much rather get a versatile CB who can also fill in one of the full back positions when required so yes Axel will be in that category and feels like he needs to move on from Man. United now and get his career going.

Worst thing is do nothing and then someone like Konsa gets a bad injury early next season so we lose top class CB and someone who can fill in at RB when required.

[eamonn]

Shouldn't we be thinking of a pair of new full backs now that Elmo and Taylor have left?

Guilbert coming back to fight for his place and Kesler putting pressure on him and Cash would suggest the right-side is ok. On the left, Targett was probably the league's most improved player this season but he needs competition. Not sure who we have at U23 there and if they are up to challenging him.

[tomd2103]

I think we need to be looking forward rather than going back for players who did well for us in the second division.

On the subject of former players, what about Benteke?  Anyone coming in is likely to be second choice to Watkins, so he would likely be starting on the bench and working from there.  If (and it’s a sizeable ‘if’) he could recover his form then he would be an asset and if not, he’s out of contract so wouldn’t cost us a transfer fee. 

Can I shock you? I like wine.

He was on daft money at Palace. If he was happy to come as a backup on £30k per week (I still can't believe that that would be considered a derisory wage for any human) then it could be worth considering if there are no up and coming players who'd do the same.

Reports in some papers are suggesting that Palace are looking at re-signing him on a reduced wage.  I just think it might be a difficult job bringing in a quality forward who knows they will be coming in as second choice.

Bring one in as first choice then 

Would be nice, but think it would have to be a big name to shift Watkins from that spot.  It is going to be hard to strike a balance, as any new striker coming in is likely to be starting as second choice.  I think we do need someone, but think we would probably be potentially looking at a promising lower league or younger striker who would come in as second choice.  I think more established strikers would have options to be first choice somewhere. 

[SoccerHQ]

Shouldn't we be thinking of a pair of new full backs now that Elmo and Taylor have left?

Guilbert coming back to fight for his place and Kesler putting pressure on him and Cash would suggest the right-side is ok. On the left, Targett was probably the league's most improved player this season but he needs competition. Not sure who we have at U23 there and if they are up to challenging him.

They don't have to always cost 15-20m though that's the point. We could just sign someone on season long loan for example or get in a CB who's fine there, pretty sure I read Wolves might move on Saiss so he's the sort of versatile defender you can pick up for a couple of million and who'll add experience and reliability if we get some injuries.

Leicester signed James Justin for about 7m in summer 2019 from Luton so that's example of clever thinking, had him as backup for six months before he started breaking into the team.

There's a bigger world out there than just signing Rico Henry for about 18m.

[brontebilly]

Shouldn't we be thinking of a pair of new full backs now that Elmo and Taylor have left?

Guilbert coming back to fight for his place and Kesler putting pressure on him and Cash would suggest the right-side is ok. On the left, Targett was probably the league's most improved player this season but he needs competition. Not sure who we have at U23 there and if they are up to challenging him.

Is Guilbert realistically going to want to stay to be an unused sub for months at end? Unlikely I would have thought without some assurances given around playing time. Engels will surely move on, did he even kick a ball for us last season? I think we have seen the last of both in a Villa shirt to be honest.

In the circumstances, Tuanzebe would be a no brainer for me. Hause never lets us down but playing a guy RCB that is unable to kick a ball with his right foot won't work out well bar the odd game. Not sure at left back, I guess Mings or Hause could step in if required on occasion.

[ROBBO]

The worry i have with Buendia is that although he had a great season in the championship, the season before in the Prem he only managed one goal (if reports are correct). Can he handle the extra pressure?

[jwarry]

I think we should put a Bid in for Jack Harrison just to wind those northerners up

[sickbeggar]

This Belotti we keep getting linked to doesn't seem a bad option if the price being quoted is right. If they're all skint over there because of COVID finances it would make sense to take advantage,

[Lescottstweets]

Just because the latest in a long line of Chelsea managers doesn't rate Abraham doesn't mean he can't make himself a success elsewhere. Teams that have more money than sense, like Chelsea, will always go for the latest flavour of the month especially in forward positions.

Exactly, I’m sure it was Chelsea that didn’t think Mo Salah or Kevin De Bruyne were good enough either.

[robbo1874]

I’m not sure Chelsea could realistically expect to get $40m for Tammy now. I reckon $20-25m may be enough to get him, maybe plus add ons for appearances/goals. He’d come in as 2nd string to Ollie presumably, but he’d offer something different say if we were chasing a game and needed to maybe go 2 up front. He could also slot in if Ollie was moved out wide during a game. Plus touch wood Ollie doesn’t get injured, but he would’ve played every game (I think, but for his suspension). Realistically he’s likely to get the odd niggle maybe next season. Abraham may not feature in every game for Villa next season, but he could expect to feature much more than he has at Chelsea and if he grabs his chances to cement his place when they come it can only be good for Villa. If we could get him, I’d maybe send Davies out on loan in the championship to get some confidence and hopefully find his scoring boots and have Tammy and Wes scrap to get in the side. Another option is season long loan for Tammy with an option to buy.