Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[sickbeggar]

Can't imagine Brighton would sanction a sale at that price. They've sold white and like Southampton with JWP it would take a massive bid to weaken their team further

[Risso]

We don’t have a quality DCM and there’s no real sign of one emerging from the kids yet. You can see the difference the likes of Bissouma and Ndidi make, just buy one please Villa.

[ozzjim]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

[aev]

Most of the clubs that finished above us will have had greater net spend than us. I think we will do well to finish higher than we did last season.

It's not about net spend in my opinion,  we've added depth in attacking positions and have more flexibility and options.  There's no point buying players for the sake of it and we don't want to block the pathway for our youth players coming through.

It's about materially improving on our league position from last year. It's not about bringing in players for the sake of it, it's about bringing in the right quality, in sufficent numbers, to reach a European spot.

I don't think we have done that as things stand today and, as CD points out, commercially this window seems like such an obvious opportunity to take a massive leap forward when so many other clubs are suffering financially.

It is a bit odd.

Maybe the amounts spent since promotion necessitate a pause.

I think the squad is probably stronger, but those clubs above us are stronger too.

I think European football is still a way off. We have too many samesy midfielders, and too few good defensively minded ones that make up a solid 3.

Maybe the coaches see it differently, and of course they seem them all day in day out. To me it seems a glaring gap, and many other fans seem to be of the same opinion.

[Lastfootstamper]

I don't think FFP applies any more. It is being replaced with a different thing. They are taking advantage of that.

And, for no reason anyone can possibly fathom, we aren't.

Yes it seems very odd.

I wonder if it just a case of our owners being a little cautious with spending and trying to plan ahead and build a bit slower than we as fans would like and not to throw everything at it now?

I do think us not being considered a *grits teeth* big global name in the contemporary game is a bit of a drag factor when it comes to signing players that'll clearly send us into the upper echelons. I don't imagine it was any parsimony on our part that ended our alleged pursuits of Smith-Rowe and Ward-Prowse. Look at the stories coming out now about McKennie. I bet we've offered him a huge pay rise, yet he's not bitten. Spurs in for him now, it seems. Let's see what happens.

[VinnieChase84]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

This

[Risso]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

This

You were saying he wasn’t being truthful and we’re not done a couple of weeks ago.

[SoccerHQ]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

Think he's gambling Luiz will hit some form similar to most of 2020. Plus he's still probably waking up at 3am most nights thinking how he's going to fit all of Watkins, Ings, Buendia and Bailey in when all fit.

Can't see us turning over many top half teams compared to last season if we do go with Luiz-McGinn regularly.

[N'ZMAV]

one injury to McGinn or Luiz and we'll struggle against decent sides.

[Drummond]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

But that's just it, we don't have a 'piss-poor midfield'. Far from it.

[N'ZMAV]

Smith has said again this morning he's happy with the squad. I think it will bite him firmly on the arse, one win against a dog awful Newcastle doesn't change our piss poor midfield.

But that's just it, we don't have a 'piss-poor midfield'. Far from it.

just a lack of quality depth?

[PaulWinch again]

If Nakamba ends up needing to play a significant number of games we’ll be in trouble.

[aev]

If Nakamba ends up needing to play a significant number of games we’ll be in trouble.

I think he is better when he is just expected to break up play, so against the better teams.

When we have more of the more ball and we need him to do something with it is when he struggles.

[DrGonzo]

Click baity Axel Witsel story out there.  Juve, Roma and Villa at just over £4m.

[TonyD]

If we don’t sign a quality ass kicking DCM, then I would see this window as step backwards given the loss of Jack.  It should have been the first signing and lined up well in advance.