2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Was chatting to a Tottenham fan at work about Manure players. Mentioned Sancho and he immediately said "supposed to be a but of a diva".

I'd never heard that rumour about him before.

Not that I was desperate for us to sign him anyway.

[brontebilly]

Sancho?  Not good enough to get into the Man United side but good enough to get into ours?  Hmmm, really??

I don't think he's failing to get in the Man U side because of his ability, I think it's because the manager thinks he's a prick and bad for morale.  Which makes him an even less attractive option for us.  I don't think talent is his issue, he has plenty of it.  He just appears to have an attitude problem and is on absolutely massive wages.  Two huge red flags.

There's also the possibility that he is Ten Hag's sacrificial lamb. I can't imagine they would be doing much worse if he were playing in place of alleged-sex criminal Antony.

Gerrard decided that Mings needed be cast out in a silly ego battle, it's quite possible than Sancho has done nothing wrong here.

Nothing about him before he ended up at Man Utd suggested that there is anything problematic about him.

Sancho misbehaved quite a bit at Dortmund too. But outing a player like that, just after the transfer window too, was a terrible decision by EtH.

Especially when he is tolerating likes of Rashford not trying a leg on the pitch when picked out of position.

[Ian.]

As someone else posted earlier I’d trust Emery with any player he gives the nod to sign. It’s outrageous how he can coach a player into the way he wants them to play.

[pablo_picasso]

Gallagher and Hwang would do me in January

Gallagher….shudders! Massively overrated for me…all he does is run into people…

Gallagher reminds me of a rabid little Yorkshire Terrier.

All manic bark & fuck all else...

[London Villan]

Gallagher reminds me of (was it) Bret Holman that played for us? Loads of hair and lots of running behind opposition midfielders.

[brontebilly]

Gallagher reminds me of (was it) Bret Holman that played for us? Loads of hair and lots of running behind opposition midfielders.

F*ck me he was useless. Holman, KEA, Tonev...we had some rubbish playing for us back then

[paul_e]

I don't want Sancho but I reckon a lot of Villa fans would've said Bailey was the same 4months ago.

[Smithy]

I don't want Sancho but I reckon a lot of Villa fans would've said Bailey was the same 4months ago.

It's perfectly true that the current coaching regime has fashioned diamonds out of some players we all thought weren't good enough.  It's also possible that they could turn Sancho into a world beater, but it just doesn't feel like a very Monchi/Emery signing.  Unless it was a loan for the rest of the season, with Man U paying 75% of his wages.  Even then I'd worry about the impact in the dressing room.

I'll be stunned if anything happens with him, but if it does, I'd trust Unai's team to get the best out of him.

[Risso]

Just because Bailey has 'come good' after three years doesn't mean that every player will. In any case, Diaby is a much better player than Sancho, but has been below par for ages now. Let's get him back to what he's capable of before we start trying to reinvogorate other players' careers.

[paul_e]

Just because Bailey has 'come good' after three years doesn't mean that every player will. In any case, Diaby is a much better player than Sancho, but has been below par for ages now. Let's get him back to what he's capable of before we start trying to reinvogorate other players' careers.

That's not what I meant. I'm specifically talking about the idea that Sancho is a troublemaker. That's a label that gets given to unhappy players a little too quickly is all I mean.

I don't think he'd be a good signing for a number of reasons but I have sympathy for him over how he's been treated there.

[Smithy]

Just because Bailey has 'come good' after three years doesn't mean that every player will. In any case, Diaby is a much better player than Sancho, but has been below par for ages now. Let's get him back to what he's capable of before we start trying to reinvogorate other players' careers.

That's not what I meant. I'm specifically talking about the idea that Sancho is a troublemaker. That's a label that gets given to unhappy players a little too quickly is all I mean.

I don't think he'd be a good signing for a number of reasons but I have sympathy for him over how he's been treated there.

If it was just at Man Utd (which is a bit of a circus these days), then I'd be inclined to agree with you.  But the stories of his behaviour at Man City before his Dortmund move sound eerily similar.  Now, he had the excuse of youth back then, but stuff like not attending training sessions when left out of a pre-season tour don't speak to a particularly professional approach behind the scenes.  Bild in Germany previously reported him being late for training plenty of times at Dortmund too.  He wasn't a "problem"  There is something that follows him around that isn't quite right.  Maybe he's a misunderstood genius, who knows. Maybe Unai could turn him into a world beater.  Either way, it doesn't feel like the sort of signing we would make given our current position and finances.

[VILLA MOLE]

I do not think I have seen him do anything that spectacular really , other than a good goal against Liverpool 

[Mister E]

Nothing about him before he ended up at Man Utd suggested that there is anything problematic about him.

I had heard that he was a bit of an arse generally, which is one reason Citeh were happy for him to go to Dortmund; but this is unsubstantiated.

[JUAN PABLO]

I might be remembering selectively, but effective signings in January are players that give teams chasing the league / top 4 either a different dimension.  Arsenal seem to get it right (Arshavin, Trossard).  I think that if we sign anybody it'll be a centre forward or wide player that allows us to more easily break down bus parkers, of which I would fully expect to see more of now we are considered a very good team. 

didnt they sign Arshavin in March

[Rigadon]

I might be remembering selectively, but effective signings in January are players that give teams chasing the league / top 4 either a different dimension.  Arsenal seem to get it right (Arshavin, Trossard).  I think that if we sign anybody it'll be a centre forward or wide player that allows us to more easily break down bus parkers, of which I would fully expect to see more of now we are considered a very good team. 

didnt they sign Arshavin in March

Almost yes.