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

[edgysatsuma89]

...he will still have a value that would cover the difference betw 18m and whatever we are obligated to buy him back for say it’s 22m he will be worth more than the 4m difference.

I remember reading something by a Sheffield Utd reporter who seemed to be across the detail of the agreement - I think we'd be buying him back for a bit less than they paid, so from their perspective it would effectively be the equivalent of paying a few million for a season loan.

If that is how it is structured then that makes more sense than us effectively paying them for a "loan".

[coreyfeldman]

The Athletic are reporting that discussions betw Villa and Napoli for a loan of Dendoncker

are there any credible links to this one ?

Yeah Athletic are very credible

[brontebilly]

The Athletic are reporting that discussions betw Villa and Napoli for a loan of Dendoncker

are there any credible links to this one ?

There is from Fabrizo Romano

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1749836470032932875?t=M_TynzYuUVk1kemjAYMddA&s=19

His agent has done well to get that gig for him. Unless Emery really rates Iroegbunam (no evidence of it to date) then we are incredibly light in midfield.

[algy]

Express and Star reckon he's off too:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2024/01/23/aston-villa-midfielder-heading-for-exit-with-napoli-loan-move-lined-up/

[Monty]

The Athletic are reporting that discussions betw Villa and Napoli for a loan of Dendoncker

are there any credible links to this one ?

There is from Fabrizo Romano

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1749836470032932875?t=M_TynzYuUVk1kemjAYMddA&s=19

His agent has done well to get that gig for him. Unless Emery really rates Iroegbunam (no evidence of it to date) then we are incredibly light in midfield.

There's evidence that he rates him, but no, maybe not quite that much.

Napoli are bit of a case this season though...could be exactly what they need, or could be another mark of their floundering about. We'll see!

[Brazilian Villain]

The Athletic are reporting that discussions betw Villa and Napoli for a loan of Dendoncker

are there any credible links to this one ?

Yeah Athletic are very credible

Whereas Tim is incredible.

[Beard82]

Let's be totally honest here ... bounced about like an unwanted step-child.

100% agree with this.

I see it differently. Based on what we know of the deal, Archer will be returning if SheffU get relegated: I don't believe that is optional, nor will we pay more than we received from them. If they're relegated, it effectively is a loan.
What was in it for us? - FFP benefits, for sure. But I don't think we'd have agreed to having him back unless Emery et al believe that this season in the Premier League will enhance him and make him a player for next season. And, if we believe that Emery is not enamoured with Duran, Archer's return makes more sense; as a number 2 to Watkins or a player to come on as a sub to offer something different.

That's my understanding - basically Sheff Utd will get relegated - and he'll have had an impossible season which may well stunt his development - and then well be buying him back for more than what we paid for him (based on what I've read).   Potentially also landing us with a 20m player who may well not be good enough for the team, or suited to what the manager wants - but we cant sell because no-one unless someone wants to pay 20m for him.   It doesnt really work for anyone - and only purpose seems intended to game FFP in the short-term.

[brontebilly]

The Athletic are reporting that discussions betw Villa and Napoli for a loan of Dendoncker

are there any credible links to this one ?

There is from Fabrizo Romano

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1749836470032932875?t=M_TynzYuUVk1kemjAYMddA&s=19

His agent has done well to get that gig for him. Unless Emery really rates Iroegbunam (no evidence of it to date) then we are incredibly light in midfield.

There's evidence that he rates him, but no, maybe not quite that much.

Napoli are bit of a case this season though...could be exactly what they need, or could be another mark of their floundering about. We'll see!

He'll get stuck in and kick everything that moves but was never an Emery type player.

[Monty]

Yeah, not a Napoli player from last season either. But maybe they need a kicker right now.

[Toronto Villa]

We have to try and shift Bert while he’s at AFCON. Because he’ll be injured the minute he tastes B6 air.

[brontebilly]

We have to try and shift Bert while he’s at AFCON. Because he’ll be injured the minute he tastes B6 air.

He's out of contract in the summer anyway. He might tog out and sit on the bench for a few games.

Bailey is a worry now contracts wise. Just over a year to go.

[coreyfeldman]

Let's be totally honest here ... bounced about like an unwanted step-child.

100% agree with this.

I see it differently. Based on what we know of the deal, Archer will be returning if SheffU get relegated: I don't believe that is optional, nor will we pay more than we received from them. If they're relegated, it effectively is a loan.
What was in it for us? - FFP benefits, for sure. But I don't think we'd have agreed to having him back unless Emery et al believe that this season in the Premier League will enhance him and make him a player for next season. And, if we believe that Emery is not enamoured with Duran, Archer's return makes more sense; as a number 2 to Watkins or a player to come on as a sub to offer something different.

That's my understanding - basically Sheff Utd will get relegated - and he'll have had an impossible season which may well stunt his development - and then well be buying him back for more than what we paid for him (based on what I've read).   Potentially also landing us with a 20m player who may well not be good enough for the team, or suited to what the manager wants - but we cant sell because no-one unless someone wants to pay 20m for him.   It doesnt really work for anyone - and only purpose seems intended to game FFP in the short-term.

I'm sure nobody at the club who understands these things better than anyone else took this in to consideration.

He's played many more minutes already than he would have for us, or most other teams in the league, gaining invaluable experience. If he wasn't suited to the manager then why would we have bothered putting the buy back clause in. It's very similar to a loan financially, just we then have the player back to make a decision on again in July

FFP is all a game for everyone

[pauliewalnuts]

There will be a clause in there in case he

1. Turns out to be awesome, so we can have him back.
2. Turns out to be decent enough and saleable for more money than the buy back amount.

There's zero, absolutely zero value in us buying him back and then loaning him out to anyone again.

It's also not similar to a loan financially. He's a youth product, we sell him and he's all profit.

We buy him back, for more money, and we're undoing the FFP benefits we got from shifting him in the first place. FFP is going to be tight enough for us as it is, nobody is going to want 20m plus of it tied up in a player who has not proved himself at this level.

With Duran that would be 35m worth of unproven, at best promising strikers.

[RamboandBruno]

There will be a clause in there in case he

1. Turns out to be awesome, so we can have him back.
2. Turns out to be decent enough and saleable for more money than the buy back amount.

There's zero, absolutely zero value in us buying him back and then loaning him out to anyone again.

As much as I want the lad to have a great career, I just do not see him as the next great thing. He did well in two stints in the championship, lots of players do, big Keinan was integral to Forest getting promoted a couple of years back. Lewis Grabban made a career out of being a really good championship striker.

My guess is, if this clause thing is accurate, Cam will come back in the summer after Sheffield go down and we’ll sell him again to an ambitious championship side or a newly promoted Ipswich or Southampton. Two transfer fees for the price of one, everyones a winner Rodders.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We buy him back, for more money, and we're undoing the FFP benefits we got from shifting him in the first place. FFP is going to be tight enough for us as it is, nobody is going to want 20m plus of it tied up in a player who has not proved himself at this level.

With Duran that would be 35m worth of unproven, at best promising strikers.

If he'd 'proved himself' at Sheffield United this season he'd be worth £50m+ of anybody's money.