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

[Clark W Griswold]

Good summary Paul.
Is A Ramsey up to it? Not seen much of him. Could Chambers be retained as a decent utility player? Will Coutinho be off? Are we likely to play with one striker most of the time and if so should we maybe just go with the much improved Watkins with the 2 kids as back up, ie not loaning either.
Does anyone else think like me that whilst it’s not critical I still wouldn’t mind seeing a proper big nasty fucker in the DM area of the squad?

I think I’d agree though that in terms of incomings it needs as a minimum to be 1 really top creative attacker, 1 RB to give Cash serious competition and 1 good standard back up GK, in addition to the 2 already signed. I would really like another forward to replace either Bailey or Coutinho as well I think, both are talented but are nothing like consistent.

[ChicagoLion]

When people talk about quantity how many do you actually mean?

I see the current squad as:
GK(2/3) – Martinez, Olsen, Sinisalo
RB(1/2) – Cash
LB(2) – Moreno Digne
CB(4) – Mings, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Chambers, Hause
DM(4) – Kamara, Donk, Luiz, Tim, Nakamba
CM(4) – McGinn, JJ Ramsey, Tielemans, AJ Ramsey, Sanson
AM/W(3/4) – Buendia, Coutinho, Bailey, Traore
ST(?/3) – Watkins, Archer, Duran?

The numbers are what I think we have and need for each position, Bold are new signings and youth players who could/should be part of the squad for next year, struck out are players we're either heavily rumoured to be happy to sell or who should be replaced. I've marked out Duran because I think he's right on the edge of whether we should be loaning him out or not.


So 1 keeper, 1 RB, 1 winger/2nd striker and maybe a striker if we want to give Duran a bit more time.


that's 5-6 signings and feels right to me, I think any more than that becomes disruptive.

I agree and should change if any of the above move.

[Dave]

When people talk about quantity how many do you actually mean?

I see the current squad as:
GK(2/3) – Martinez, Olsen, Sinisalo
RB(1/2) – Cash
LB(2) – Moreno Digne
CB(4) – Mings, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Chambers, Hause
DM(4) – Kamara, Donk, Luiz, Tim, Nakamba
CM(4) – McGinn, JJ Ramsey, Tielemans, AJ Ramsey, Sanson
AM/W(3/4) – Buendia, Coutinho, Bailey, Traore
ST(?/3) – Watkins, Archer, Duran?

The numbers are what I think we have and need for each position, Bold are new signings and youth players who could/should be part of the squad for next year, struck out are players we're either heavily rumoured to be happy to sell or who should be replaced. I've marked out Duran because I think he's right on the edge of whether we should be loaning him out or not.


So 1 keeper, 1 RB, 1 winger/2nd striker and maybe a striker if we want to give Duran a bit more time.


that's 5-6 signings and feels right to me, I think any more than that becomes disruptive.

I agree and should change if any of the above move.

Also agree. It all depends on whether the plan is to use the three loan-returnees as part of the first team squad.

I wouldn't be 100% against Archer spending a year with e.g Burnley or Sheffield Utd, letting him bang in 15 goals as they go down, then he comes back to us with the extra experience and a position as our first-choice striker, while we get in someone with a bit more experience for a few years.

But if Archer is staying, then we shouldn't be signing another obstacle to him playing and it reduces the number of players we need to sign by one.

[Brazilian Villain]

So 1 keeper, 1 RB, 1 winger/2nd striker and maybe a striker if we want to give Duran a bit more time.

that's 5-6 signings and feels right to me, I think any more than that becomes disruptive.

That's where I'm at, hopefully we're just waiting for the right quality in those positions to become available.

[AV84]

But if Archer is staying, then we shouldn't be signing another obstacle to him playing and it reduces the number of players we need to sign by one.

Durán going on loan makes more sense at the minute than Archer. But I agree, if Archer stays it should be with the understanding that at least until January, he's #2 behind Watkins, and give him his chance. And I still think some kind of attacking midfielder who can contribute double figure goals is probably necessary regardless of what we do with the strikers.

[Villatillidie25]

But if Archer is staying, then we shouldn't be signing another obstacle to him playing and it reduces the number of players we need to sign by one.

Durán going on loan makes more sense at the minute than Archer. But I agree, if Archer stays it should be with the understanding that at least until January, he's #2 behind Watkins, and give him his chance. And I still think some kind of attacking midfielder who can contribute double figure goals is probably necessary regardless of what we do with the strikers.

100%. second striker style player that can play out wide or through the middle is an absolute must

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Is A Ramsey up to it? Not seen much of him.

Like you I hadn't seen much of him until he moved up to Boro. If I recall he first came off the bench but thereafter was a regular in the starting XI. He's that good. It could be argued that Boro missed out on promotion as AJ got injured and missed the play-offs. He's an excellent footballer, brilliant feet, way beyond his years and full of confidence in his own ability.

I reckon Unai is in for a bit of a pleasant shock; for me AJ is the obvious choice to replace his brother, he's that good. He might not have the physicality of Jacob but he never let anybody bully him in the Championship, he held his own and some.

[OCD]

I think AJ's got to stay and it's more whether we bring in another DM or whether we loan Tim out for more experience.

[London Villan]

One thing we all know is that Aston Villa never sign the number of players we all think they should.

Keeper                              Free? £10m
Right back                         £20m
Wide forward                     £40m
Striker (better than Oli)      £60m+ 

Just can't see us signing four of that quality...

[Brazilian Villain]

I'd say a very good right back will cost more than £20m and hopefully a decent back-up keeper less than £10m.

[Dave]

I'd say a very good right back will cost more than £20m and hopefully a decent back-up keeper less than £10m.

Didn't our (so far) very good left-back cost around £13m?

[pablo_picasso]

Is A Ramsey up to it? Not seen much of him.

Like you I hadn't seen much of him until he moved up to Boro. If I recall he first came off the bench but thereafter was a regular in the starting XI. He's that good. It could be argued that Boro missed out on promotion as AJ got injured and missed the play-offs. He's an excellent footballer, brilliant feet, way beyond his years and full of confidence in his own ability.

I reckon Unai is in for a bit of a pleasant shock; for me AJ is the obvious choice to replace his brother, he's that good. He might not have the physicality of Jacob but he never let anybody bully him in the Championship, he held his own and some.

I would go so far as to say that Aaron Ramsey is better suited to Emerys style of football than Jacob Ramsey...

[Clark W Griswold]

I don't think you can put a price on any of it. Kamara was free, Moreno £13m, Bailey £30m and Buendia who's ok don't get me wrong, but still nearly £40m.

It's just getting the right players for good value within what we can afford, be it free or be it £50m.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think AJ's got to stay and it's more whether we bring in another DM or whether we loan Tim out for more experience.

With the likes of Ramsey Jr and Tim, I would like to see them given a chance to show they can do it at this level, but that is categorically not the same as depending on them being able to.

[Smirker]

32 days to go.

Still very quiet.

If we're getting that top European forward tomorrow as speculated in the thread then it's going to come out of nowhere.

COME ON VILLA DO SOMETHING!