2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[Drummond]

I wonder if there's a deal in the offing where he goes to the Middle East and then gets 'loaned' to the Premier League. There's probably a rule against it, but who knows.

[thick_mike]

I saw Messi play with Mbappe and Neymar last year. Same as the other poster: he just wanders round and seems to do fuck all basically. This was PSG vs Lorient. You'd think he'd be sticking 3 past them and assisting the other two for a 7-0 drubbing. Oh no, it was 1-0 (Neymar).
If he's coming to Villa, I'm getting noshed off by Monica Bellucci on the Holte as he runs on for his debut. While Penelope Cruz waits her turn.

He did nothing except score two and set up another two. Like nothing I’ve ever seen. Zero contribution apart from the four goals. Like I said, I’m not sure that would be accepted in the premier league.

It won’t happen anyway, but he plays a different game to anyone I’ve ever seen before.

[Smirker]

He is almost 36 though. Ten years ago he was a hard worker.

[Dogtanian]

Haha, lovely as it is to think of Messi at the Villa, it would fill me with dread.

He wouldn’t come to sit on the bench, he’d demand to start.
He’d limit Unai’s tactical flexibility having to cater to him in every match.
He’d use up all the extra revenue being squeezed out of the ticket prices, shady sponsor deals, and more all by himself and stop us getting others in.
We’d have loads of tourist fans crawling all over us.

And for all his wealth and success, to my knowledge, he is yet to have a decent haircut!

[Holy Trinity]

As entertaining as this is to read, no body has to worry! Messi isn't coming within a country mile of B6 and we all know it. He's dodged the prem his whole career as he most likely doesn't fancy getting scissored by Ben Mee or his ilk on a regular basis!

[sid1964]

Supposedly we are looking to sign Rodrigo from Leeds

[Dante Lavelli]

Supposedly we are looking to sign Rodrigo from Leeds

Not the marquee signing we were hoping for but a solid player and versatile too.

Not sure what it’d mean for Archer though as he’d surely be the first reserve rather than a starter (once we land some big guns).

[Monty]

Supposedly we are looking to sign Rodrigo from Leeds

Not the marquee signing we were hoping for but a solid player and versatile too.

Not sure what it’d mean for Archer though as he’d surely be the first reserve rather than a starter (once we land some big guns).

The marquee signing we need is in that second striker position in my opinion - the backup/competition to Watkins needs to be carefully chosen, and Rodrigo might well do the trick.

[rob_bridge]

We need a good 2nd string and we haven't got that now, including 2 keepers.

We need first a foremost a better right back and advanced player to compete with Buendia with Bert as back up Coutinho and Bailey can go.

[Clark W Griswold]

Supposedly we are looking to sign Rodrigo from Leeds

Not the marquee signing we were hoping for but a solid player and versatile too.

Not sure what it’d mean for Archer though as he’d surely be the first reserve rather than a starter (once we land some big guns).

The marquee signing we need is in that second striker position in my opinion - the backup/competition to Watkins needs to be carefully chosen, and Rodrigo might well do the trick.

Yes, agree with that. The only position in the team that I felt we still looked a bit weak was that one, Buendia, Bailey, Traore and Coutinho all inconsistent (and Coutinho usually injured). I think Buendia should stay but 2 of the others should go and our biggest signing needs to be a new player to go straight in.

[nigel]

C'mon lads, behave. He's apparently been offered £300m to play in Saudi Arabia. He isn't coming to the Premier League, and he certainly isn't coming to B6.

My first thought was Newcastle when an unnamed Premier League team was mentioned.

[Risso]

edit - ignore

[Nunkin1965]

edit - ignore

Oh bugger!
That had my head spinning for a few minutes..

[Toronto Villa]

Oooh…transfer season is truly upon us as the private jet watchers are out tracking activity. Inbound Madrid to Birmingham for 10 hours apparently

https://twitter.com/thetrees80/status/1663788108502953984?s=46&t=0-BUXD66ovTcofwrbTW4Ag

[PeterWithe]

Always made me smile that kind of stuff, 'tomorrow, there will be a plane arriving, at Birmingham Airport'