Summer 2022 Transfer Thread

[Smithy]

It was either a Berge or a Winks and Dennis.
So £40-45m for two players, but there we go.

On players who would improve the first team well
the Lyon president confirms club have received offers from Premier league clubs for Lucas Paqueta. Now that would be great if Villa were in for him!

Sander Berge looked really good in his first season at Sheff Utd.  Very comfortable in the middle of the park in the Premier League, even at 22, and pretty mobile for a big unit.  He does however seem to have stalled somewhat in the last year or so.  I fully expected him to leave when they got relegated, but he stayed and doesn't appear to have set the Championship alight (where you'd expect someone of his size and ability to dominate games)

I'm not sure he's better than what we have now.  Certainly not at £20m.

[Dave P]

One of £25m Sander Berge, £20m Harry Winks at midfield
And £20m Emmanuel Dennis, as a forward.

They would all likely increase the fight for first team positions and ensure that there was no quality loss when they are rotated in and out. They would be  providing a challenge to what we have in the squad and are realistic targets, who are available at suitable transfer prices.

Have I woke up in 2019?

[Risso]

Well Cash is developing really well and Digne is a French international and was signed as the starting left back. I don’t think the intent is to sign better than our first choices here.

That's a really good point actually.  The aim with recruitment should always be to improve the first eleven, BUT, there does come a point where you're not going to get better than the player already in the first eleven without European football.  We now have a few of those in place.  We're not getting better than Digne, Cash, Big Emi, Coutinho, Kamara, and a few others without offering European football (I don't believe so, anyway).  That's at least half the first eleven it would be difficult to improve on at our current stage of development

In other positions, absolutely, we can get better than we have right now, but in those positions where our first-choice is already very strong, it makes perfect sense to recruit back-ups, who won't demand a first-team place.  It strengthens the squad, if not the first-eleven.

I know you said a few others but Martinez deserved a specific mention there.

[paul_e]

It was either a Berge or a Winks and Dennis.
So £40-45m for two players, but there we go.

On players who would improve the first team well
the Lyon president confirms club have received offers from Premier league clubs for Lucas Paqueta. Now that would be great if Villa were in for him!

Sander Berge looked really good in his first season at Sheff Utd.  Very comfortable in the middle of the park in the Premier League, even at 22, and pretty mobile for a big unit.  He does however seem to have stalled somewhat in the last year or so.  I fully expected him to leave when they got relegated, but he stayed and doesn't appear to have set the Championship alight (where you'd expect someone of his size and ability to dominate games)

I'm not sure he's better than what we have now.  Certainly not at £20m.

I like Berge but he looks like a player who realised he made a mistake with the transfer and is a bit pissed off they made him stick around and is going through the motions. Unfortunately that attitude puts me off so I think he'd be a massive risk now.

[Drummond]

We really don't need Berge at all. He wouldn't add anything.

[paul_e]

We really don't need Berge at all. He wouldn't add anything.

He'd add some height and physicality, which could be useful, but he'd be a fair way down my shopping list for that and I'd worry that Tim would take his spot within a year anyway because he is a bit one-dimensional.

[Percy McCarthy]

Well Cash is developing really well and Digne is a French international and was signed as the starting left back. I don’t think the intent is to sign better than our first choices here.

That's a really good point actually.  The aim with recruitment should always be to improve the first eleven, BUT, there does come a point where you're not going to get better than the player already in the first eleven without European football.  We now have a few of those in place.  We're not getting better than Digne, Cash, Big Emi, Coutinho, Kamara, and a few others without offering European football (I don't believe so, anyway).  That's at least half the first eleven it would be difficult to improve on at our current stage of development

In other positions, absolutely, we can get better than we have right now, but in those positions where our first-choice is already very strong, it makes perfect sense to recruit back-ups, who won't demand a first-team place.  It strengthens the squad, if not the first-eleven.

I know you said a few others but Martinez deserved a specific mention there.

He mentioned Big Emi.

[paul_e]

Well Cash is developing really well and Digne is a French international and was signed as the starting left back. I don’t think the intent is to sign better than our first choices here.

That's a really good point actually.  The aim with recruitment should always be to improve the first eleven, BUT, there does come a point where you're not going to get better than the player already in the first eleven without European football.  We now have a few of those in place.  We're not getting better than Digne, Cash, Big Emi, Coutinho, Kamara, and a few others without offering European football (I don't believe so, anyway).  That's at least half the first eleven it would be difficult to improve on at our current stage of development

In other positions, absolutely, we can get better than we have right now, but in those positions where our first-choice is already very strong, it makes perfect sense to recruit back-ups, who won't demand a first-team place.  It strengthens the squad, if not the first-eleven.

I know you said a few others but Martinez deserved a specific mention there.

He mentioned Big Emi.

With the signings we've made there's only really 3 spots that I think are in question right now (and not by everyone) as our 'best' 11.

Emi
Cash
Carlos
Mings *
Digne
Kamara
McGinn *
Ramsey
Buendia
Coutinho
Watkins *

Personally I think Mings is fine and I'd like Watkins to get a chance in front of a proper midfield where his movement is read better and he's spending less time controlling balls punted into him from the defence. McGinn is a tyough one, I stil lreally like him as a player but I'm not sure how well he fits in alongside the other 2 who are definite starters in most games for me.

[Drummond]

I think the difficulty is that we've no idea whether Carlos and Kamara will be shoe-in for a place yet. It's more likely with Carlos I think, but Kamara will take time to settle in.

[paul_e]

I think the difficulty is that we've no idea whether Carlos and Kamara will be shoe-in for a place yet. It's more likely with Carlos I think, but Kamara will take time to settle in.

No, of course but we have to consider them as such until we see how they do, both were clearly signed to be first team players not cover or players to develop over a year or 2. Kamara gets  abit more time to settle given his age but Carlos needs to settle fast and become undroppable to justify the signing.

[eamonn]

I'd give Sanson a run of 10 starts in place of McGinn to finally see what he can do. Unlikely to happen, unfortunately.

[chrisw1]

I'd give Sanson a run of 10 starts in place of McGinn to finally see what he can do. Unlikely to happen, unfortunately.

It was frustrating last season he wasn't even getting a game when we looked short or payers were out of form, so I just can't see it happening.  It's a shame as he looks very good to me.

[Hookeysmith]

I'd give Sanson a run of 10 starts in place of McGinn to finally see what he can do. Unlikely to happen, unfortunately.

100% this

[john e]

Yes I am another who can’t understand the Sanson thing

[paul_e]

It must be something off the field because every time he's played he's looked more than good enough to be a regular.