January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[LeeB]

Watkins never gets injured though, he's made of granite

[dave.woodhall]

We were looking at incremental improvements, and a lot of that was due to FFP constraints having been in the Championship. Now we're up, and safely up, I believe we have more scope to go for it. Looks like it's further 6 month wait though.

Then another six months and then another six. Manana Villa.  Risso summed it up - believing it's all magically going to come right just because.

[Pat Mustard]

Maybe part of the plan now is to open up a clear pathway for some of our FA Youth Cup winners and prospects? If, (big "if" I know), come season's end, we finish top 7-10 having blooded several youngsters in the process, I genuinely would be delighted. I'd find that much more satisfying than achieving the same with overpriced winter window buys.

If that were the plan, then it wouldn't really make sense to send the most obvious contender for the first team, who plays in the position that we are weakest to Middlesbrough for the rest of the season.

That's one thing that doesn't make sense, unless they believe Duran has enough about him to be the bit part striker that we are most likely going to need.  The sensible option this season would have been for Cam to go on loan in the first half, and be ready to come back for us in the second half of the season - unfortunately we had someone else in charge when that could have happened.  Archer needs to be getting games somewhere for his own development, he could have done that in August but wasn't allowed out of the club when we had cover.

[Jon Crofts]

I'm worried about any sort of incoming loan deal this window, our record in the loan market since promotion is utterly woeful.

[aev]

Traore being recalled.

It will be like a new signing.

[eamonn]

£15m for a 30yr on likely a big contract is a good deal. I imagine the club thought they’d have plenty of time to get someone else in. I’m not saying the timing was right because you’d like your replacements lined up. That’s not the conversation here.

It's not like he'd have been worth nothing had he stayed until the end of the year. Even if his fee had reduced to £8m-£10m, that's still decent money. £15m (and even that's with add ons) surely isn't that high a figure in the grand scheme of things that it was worth losing our only back up striker?

The £3m add-on to take it to £15m is if West Ham stay up, which is a pretty solid clause in our favour.

[pablo_picasso]

I think some of the narrative around Ings has changed on here since a lack of signings looked an ever more realistic scenario. Its now selling ‘our top scorer’ thats being mentioned a lot. Whilst it may be factually correct that Ings was our top scorer, he (a) hasnt scored very many in his time with us and (b) looked a bit past it most of the time and (c) didnt seem to fit Emerys preferred style of play. And is now crocked anyway.

I think its a shame we dont look like we are getting anyone in and its in the lap of the Gods in regards to Watkins staying injury free, but i also dont think retaining Ings, would of made a big difference to how this season pans out. Might be wrong on that of course.

Lets face it, for the most part, Ings has been shit during his time at Villa. For a guy who was excused for his lack of mobility because he is a finisher, he scored a whopping 13 goals in 48 games. Im a bit shit at math, but off the top of my head, that is a 1 in 4+ goals per games ratio. So our "finisher" who could barely move, wasn't actually finishing while at Villa. Which makes him absolutely pointless. I would rather we played Archer instead. Which makes his loan baffling to me personally...

[PaulWinch again]

We were looking at incremental improvements, and a lot of that was due to FFP constraints having been in the Championship. Now we're up, and safely up, I believe we have more scope to go for it. Looks like it's further 6 month wait though.

Then another six months and then another six. Manana Villa.  Risso summed it up - believing it's all magically going to come right just because.

Yes doesn’t seem like much of a plan to me.

[pauliewalnuts]

Traore being recalled.

It will be like a new signing.

He's badly fucked though isn't he, knee knack.

[frank black]

Bert is back, set to be recalled.

[pauliewalnuts]

We were looking at incremental improvements, and a lot of that was due to FFP constraints having been in the Championship. Now we're up, and safely up, I believe we have more scope to go for it. Looks like it's further 6 month wait though.

Then another six months and then another six. Manana Villa.  Risso summed it up - believing it's all magically going to come right just because.

Yes doesn’t seem like much of a plan to me.

Writing off half a season just like that.

[LeeB]

Traore being recalled.

It will be like a new signing.

Of all the players on our books likely to succeed under Emery I'd put him last. Still, I'd like to see it work, if he knocked off the sloppy crossfield balls and upped his focus and workrate a bit he could be a fabulous player and a genuine threat.

[aev]

Traore being recalled.

It will be like a new signing.

Of all the players on our books likely to succeed under Emery I'd put him last. Still, I'd like to see it work, if he knocked off the sloppy crossfield balls and upped his focus and workrate a bit he could be a fabulous player and a genuine threat.

His edge of the box clearances, shudder.

[Ian.]

I love Traore, he’s ace but he also scares the shit out of me!

[dave.woodhall]

We were looking at incremental improvements, and a lot of that was due to FFP constraints having been in the Championship. Now we're up, and safely up, I believe we have more scope to go for it. Looks like it's further 6 month wait though.

Then another six months and then another six. Manana Villa.  Risso summed it up - believing it's all magically going to come right just because.

Yes doesn’t seem like much of a plan to me.

Writing off half a season just like that.

It's no ordinary season. It's a season where two of That Six are fucking up royally and one of the clubs we used to laugh at have gone shooting past us within months of a takeover. But top half will be good going for us.