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

[PaulWinch again]

One correction he wouldn’t opt for the money if he doesn’t “want” to. He has a choice.

[ozzjim]

Convenient that the night the Newcastle owners cough up £38m for Barnes they are lobbing more money at a rivals target. Even if he chooses Villa, they've pushed us way over the odds

[villadelph]

Romano still claiming that Diaby has said yes to us but the Saudi club are clearly just lobbing money at him to “convince” him to go there. In the end it might just be too much for us, or simply not a good business decision to overpay. He’s a brilliant player but we still need to make good financial decisions. Hopefully at his age he puts career over cash but depending on how much he could opt for the money even if he doesn’t actually want to.

For those who can no longer view Twitter..

"@FabrizioRomano 4:11PM ET - Jul 19, 2023
Al Nassr have improved their proposal for Moussa Diaby. Negotiations on as Aston Villa also submitted a second bid on Tuesday.

Al Nassr are pushing to convince the player after his green light to Villa."


The fact that they are still trying to "convince" him after, I'm sure, offering a generous pay package is a good sign for us.

[Toronto Villa]

One correction he wouldn’t opt for the money if he doesn’t “want” to. He has a choice.

There is always a choice. My point is a reasonable choice is somewhat taken out of your hands when the money is impossible to refuse.

[PaulWinch again]

I’m not sure they have. I’m sure we have an upper limit of a financial package we’ll go to. Clearly if we could get him for less great, but I doubt we’ll go beyond what we feel is appropriate.

[VillaTim]

If they offer him £600k a week which is the sort of money they are throwing about to disrupt i imagine he'll go there

[dave shelley]

If his choice is Villa, and Laverkusen have accepted the Villa's offer, I don't understand what the delay is all about.

[lovejoy]

Well the delay is because his agent is trying to get the most financially lucrative deal for him, which is his job. He’s probably given positive signs to our offer but when another counter offer comes in it makes sense to hear them out. In turn Villa are doing the right thing and looking around so we don’t have all our eggs in one basket. The filthy Saudi money is distortive but that’s football these days.

[AV84]

I suppose even if he 100% wants to come to Villa his agent could be using the Saudi offers to try to get more out of us, rather than it being Leverkusen doing it.

[john2710]

Should he come to us, as I expect he will, it'll be interesting to see which other forward the Saudi's spend their £50m on.

[RamboandBruno]

The longer this drags out now the less likely it is going to happen. We can’t match the Saudi money, so ultimately he  either wants to play in the premier league more than he wants the presumably vast sums on offer or he doesn’t. Its not like there will be two comparable financial offers to mull over for days on end.

[AV84]

I saw it mentioned that Leverkusen wanted it wrapped up before they head to their training camp in the Alps this weekend, so if that's the case we should know one way or the other soon.

As mentioned above it'll be interesting to see who else they go for if we do sign him. I'm not sure if there was any interest there before we were making moves? Not to sound like I've got my tinfoil hat on, but there's certainly some interesting things happening in the game at the moment.

[olaftab]

Should he come to us, as I expect he will, it'll be interesting to see which other forward the Saudi's spend their £50m on.

They need Traore and Bailey in their League. I suggest both for combined fee of £70M.

[VillaTim]

The PIF see us as a threat so they are being disruptive. It's  fairly clear to me what's happening .

[coreyfeldman]

The longer this drags out now the less likely it is going to happen. We can’t match the Saudi money, so ultimately he  either wants to play in the premier league more than he wants the presumably vast sums on offer or he doesn’t. Its not like there will be two comparable financial offers to mull over for days on end.

Until BV accept a bid it's all just speculation anyway. The only reputable source involved is Romano so far and he's saying that Diaby is keen on us, so until anyone meets the valuation we won't know. I'm actually pretty hopeful. If were bidding against a CL team then I'd be more worried