January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[Baldy]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

Agreed.

For the remainder of this season, we have enough attack minded midfielders (and defenders) to compensate for the lack of an experienced 'back up' striker.

We also have eight players out on loan, five of which are attack minded (Wesley, Philogene, Davis, Traore, Archer). Subject to the terms of each loan, the option might exist for the parent club to terminate the loan subject to a small fee being paid. I say this based only on a Google search and checking our first team squad on our official website.

I'm not panicking. Unai has playing football in mind and less hoofball.

[Scott Nielsen]

It has been very clear that the money and the will has been there to buy a couple of Emery targets but that has not materialised for whatever reason, but it's Lange and Purslow who should have been backing that through.

If the money was actually there, surely we would then have gotten Emery's target?

[kippaxvilla2]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

There was a time at this club where top 6 and/or Europe was the minimum expectation.  Now all we are asking for is a chance in the Conference League.

[Toronto Villa]

It has been very clear that the money and the will has been there to buy a couple of Emery targets but that has not materialised for whatever reason, but it's Lange and Purslow who should have been backing that through.

If the money was actually there, surely we would then have gotten Emery's target?

Yeh I don’t see where Purslow or Lange are to blame here. We clearly have targets and the owner is the one who appointed Emery. There is no way that the money has been restricted. But I can also imagine Emery being very specific and asking for players on behalf of the club but doing so responsibly. For example on Guendouzi, if the price set by Marseille is ludicrous now but much more reasonable in July then Emery might have said let’s delay it. There is a balance between getting what we want and being carefree about it. I still want players in like all fans but I also now trust the manager more than I have in many years to get that bit right.

[paul_e]

We can’t leave this window without improving our midfield and attacking options. Be it permanent or loans. And they need to be players that are genuine first team starting options not squad options. I am sure there is going to be quite a number of players added in the summer and if we get the right players in then, that’s fine. But the types of player we might attract improves markedly if we are playing in Europe next season. I don’t want us to miss out on the opportunity of qualifying this season.

Midfield is fine.

Kamara + Luiz is doing well. Can drop Ramsey back there if needs be and I presume McGinn is back in next few weeks. Dendoncker cost us in FA cup but he also started v Man. United and Brentford (our two best attacking performances of the season).

5 options for 2/3 seems enough to me.

See I don’t think the midfield is fine. While we’ve done well recently been overrun vs Leeds and weren’t exactly convincing vs Southampton. I’m not saying it won’t do but if there is a way to improve what is around Kamara then I want us to do it. We just might need to wait until the summer but Luiz, JJ, McGinn, Dendoncker can all be improved upon. And I know they are a little more attacking but not out and out strikers, Coutinho and Bailey can certainly be improved upon.

I don't agree with your view on Southampton, we absolutely dominated midfield against them until they changed shape and even then they only came into the game by targeting Moreno, they never got a hold of the centre of the park. Leeds outnumbered us in there and is the sort of game where McGinn would've been more useful than Ramsey in that tucked-in right side role.

In my opinion we could do with 1 more midfielder who can play right across the 4 positions but if that has to wait unti lthe summer it won't be what ruins this season for us. The 2 big problems are up front, w have no cover for Bailey (other than Young who's only 17 and not made a single appearance) and Duran as the only cover for Watkins is a risk. I like the look of both of those young players so I'd be happy with someone coming in who could cover both positions, potentially even as a loan to get us to the summer when we'll have Archer back and hopefully ready to compete and then we can add a long term option or 2 to really round out the attack.

[Neil Hawkes]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

There was a time at this club where top 6 and/or Europe was the minimum expectation.  Now all we are asking for is a chance in the Conference League.

That time will come again - but not just yet.
We're not ready and when it does happen it must be sustainable, not qualification by the skin of our teeth and yoyoing thereafter.

[brontebilly]

Is FFP a bit of a farce considering what the likes of Chelsea or even Forest are up to? Forest are already letting go players they bought in the summer.

Huge decision by Guardiola to let Cancelo go, he wasn't in great form lately but just shows in football fortunes can change very quickly. Good news for our former talisman I'd say.

We will surely still get at least one more player in?

[algy]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

For me, qualifying for Europe can NEVER be a bad thing. Sure, we would definitely struggle playing twice a week with our current squad, but it would mean more revenue, better sponsorship and therefore more and better players coming through the door. Then there are the Villa Park European nights under the lights. Plus, Unai has a knack for winning the whole bloody thing.  How could you NOT want that?

The whole "Jam tomorrow" philosophy is one that never, ever pays off where Villa are concerned.

I want us to qualify for European, strengthen significantly in the summer with Europe to dangle under the noses of prospective recruits, and then fight on all four fronts next season.  I realise this is completely unrealistic, and Europe is very unlikely, but I absolutely want it, in the same way I want Villa to win every single game they play.

I agree.  The only way to assemble a squad that's large enough & strong enough to compete in Europe is by being in Europe.  The only way to attract players of a higher calibre than the ones we already have is by being in Europe.  Competing in Europe has to be the target, we can't move forward without it.

[Martyn Smith]

According to BBC Football gossip, we're maybe possibly looking at getting a striker on loan till the end of the season. Meanwhile Forest are signing another 27 players just to be sure (someone there must know how to work FFP to its limit)

[Martyn Smith]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

For me, qualifying for Europe can NEVER be a bad thing. Sure, we would definitely struggle playing twice a week with our current squad, but it would mean more revenue, better sponsorship and therefore more and better players coming through the door. Then there are the Villa Park European nights under the lights. Plus, Unai has a knack for winning the whole bloody thing.  How could you NOT want that?

The whole "Jam tomorrow" philosophy is one that never, ever pays off where Villa are concerned.

I want us to qualify for European, strengthen significantly in the summer with Europe to dangle under the noses of prospective recruits, and then fight on all four fronts next season.  I realise this is completely unrealistic, and Europe is very unlikely, but I absolutely want it, in the same way I want Villa to win every single game they play.

I agree.  The only way to assemble a squad that's large enough & strong enough to compete in Europe is by being in Europe.  The only way to attract players of a higher calibre than the ones we already have is by being in Europe.  Competing in Europe has to be the target, we can't move forward without it.

We are currently 5th in the form table, ahead even of Newcastle. If we continue in that vein we most probably will qualify for Europe in some way.

[paul_e]

On the strength of the bench/squad depth I think we need to take a small step back and remember the overall squad depth isn't about a snapshot of 1 or 2 games (when we have a lot of injuries), it's over the whole half season.

If we have everyone fit and pick the team from Southampton the bench is made from:

Olsen, Sinisalo
Cash, Chambers, Carlos, Digne
Dendoncker, McGinn, Nakamba
Coutinho
Duran

and that's without picking any youth players for development where I'm sure most of us would like to see 1-2 involved.

add 2nd options in the bottom 2 lines there and it's as strong as squad as you expect from a team without European football, all but Carlos are full internationals (clearly not all in the current squads), most as part of pretty strong national teams.

Nakamba and Chambers will almost certainly be replaced in the summer but for this window it would be too much to do. The AM slot is no weaker than it was before Emery arrived and is clearly an area he's looked at given the reports of bids that haven't been successful.

[Dave]

add 2nd options in the bottom 2 lines there and it's as strong as squad as you expect from a team without European football, all but Carlos are full internationals (clearly not all in the current squads), most as part of pretty strong national teams.

I bet there is no other team in the league who has only one striker on their books who isn't a teenager.

[paul_e]

add 2nd options in the bottom 2 lines there and it's as strong as squad as you expect from a team without European football, all but Carlos are full internationals (clearly not all in the current squads), most as part of pretty strong national teams.

I bet there is no other team in the league who has only one striker on their books who isn't a teenager.

Which is exactly why we need another option there, you literally quoted me saying as much. If we do the first part of the sentence then the 2nd part is true, if we don't then it isn't.

[Martyn Smith]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

There was a time at this club where top 6 and/or Europe was the minimum expectation.  Now all we are asking for is a chance in the Conference League.

I'd say hope rather than expectation. I've been going to VP since '77 and am off the top of my head pretty sure we'd made the top 6 less than a dozen times in that period

[Drummond]

Rumours that someone has put in a bid for Maguire...... and that West Ham are interested in Chambers....