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

[Dogtanian]

Apparently, Palace and Villa account for around 48% of Premier League spending this window.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68174872

[Dogtanian]

An article in The Athletic about our window, though nothing very much surprising;

https://theathletic.com/5226724/2024/02/02/aston-villa-transfer-window-news/

"Duran’s situation appears unstable unless both parties fully commit to one another while Zaniolo will likely return to Galatasaray upon the expiration of his loan."

[chrisw1]

A very strange window when we're pushing for top 4/5.  We have invested in the future with three young potentially exciting players (+ keeper) which is obviously a good thing, but given the opportunity in front of us here and now it's a surprise we haven't bolstered the first team.

I see from Footy's thread that the majority seem to now be predicting approx 6th place finish, which is a huge swing over 4-5 weeks.  That's where I have been for a while now and this window doesn't change that. 

[Risso]

A very strange window when we're pushing for top 4/5.  We have invested in the future with three young potentially exciting players (+ keeper) which is obviously a good thing, but given the opportunity in front of us here and now it's a surprise we haven't bolstered the first team.

I see from Footy's thread that the majority seem to now be predicting approx 6th place finish, which is a huge swing over 4-5 weeks.  That's where I have been for a while now and this window doesn't change that. 

For the money spent on a team that finished 7th, after being in the relegation places at the start of the season, that would be a bit disappointing. As you say, it's a bit of a surprise that we haven't really improved the first team. We might not get an opportunity like this again.

[Smithy]

January spending is almost 90% down on last year. I think the reality of Everton's points deduction, and Forest's imminent issue, has left clubs simply not willing to invest if there is even a remote chance that they might find themselves close to a FFP threshold.  Us included.

I'm disappointed we haven't built on the first genuine position of strength we've had in years, but I also understand we might not have been able to, regardless of how much we wanted to.

It doesn't bode well for the summer, which makes me think a big sale of an important player might be on the cards to help strengthen the squad elsewhere.  I've also seen people mentioning that the third year of a FFP numbers (the one that drops off the calculation on 30th June) was actually a pretty big loss, so we might find ourselves in a much better financial position in the coming window.  Who knows?  I get why it's all so opaque, but it's very frustrating.

[cdward]

We are in the same boat as everyone else.
It's not as if everyone else has been on a spending spree and we haven't, so it's basically carry on as before.
Just need to integrate a few of the younger players in (KKH, Tim I) in case they are needed.

[Rigadon]

We are in the same boat as everyone else.
It's not as if everyone else has been on a spending spree and we haven't, so it's basically carry on as before.
Just need to integrate a few of the younger players in (KKH, Tim I) in case they are needed.

True, except for those clubs who have enriched themselves via spending massive amounts on players before the rules came into effect and / or flauting said rules.  We all know who they are and we all know it's going to take yet more eons to correct (and probably never will fully).   

[simboy]

In addition to the Everton/Forest charges as well as FFP etc there’s been a slow down in the Saudi spending and instalments to be met on players bought previously. Even Chavski have to stump up the cash sometime.

[Risso]

We are in the same boat as everyone else.
It's not as if everyone else has been on a spending spree and we haven't, so it's basically carry on as before.
Just need to integrate a few of the younger players in (KKH, Tim I) in case they are needed.

Most of the teams we're competing with have better forward options than us though. We've got one proper striker in Watkins, Liverpool have got about 26.

[Drummond]

The market has been stagnant. Teams won't just sell us a striker, and there is no domino effect either.

[Dante Lavelli]

An article in The Athletic about our window, though nothing very much surprising;

https://theathletic.com/5226724/2024/02/02/aston-villa-transfer-window-news/

"Duran’s situation appears unstable unless both parties fully commit to one another while Zaniolo will likely return to Galatasaray upon the expiration of his loan."

I think Morgan was bought to replace both of these players as a kinda super sub.

[Dogtanian]

An article in The Athletic about our window, though nothing very much surprising;

https://theathletic.com/5226724/2024/02/02/aston-villa-transfer-window-news/

"Duran’s situation appears unstable unless both parties fully commit to one another while Zaniolo will likely return to Galatasaray upon the expiration of his loan."

I think Morgan was bought to replace both of these players as a kinda super sub.

Yeah, I definitely see Morgan as being an alternative to Zaniolo and has the potential to develop into a Watkins cover also. We will see!

[eamonn]

Is that educated-guesswork re Zaniolo returning to Gala or has he got a source indicating as much?

[Percy McCarthy]

Is that educated-guesswork re Zaniolo returning to Gala or has he got a source indicating as much?

I’d say it’s nailed on. We’d be mad to make it permanent at about £30m.

[pauliewalnuts]

Is that educated-guesswork re Zaniolo returning to Gala or has he got a source indicating as much?

I’d say it’s nailed on. We’d be mad to make it permanent at about £30m.

Absolutely, no fucking way could anyone, least of all transfer Capo dei Capi Monchi, look at what he's done so far and think, "yeah, let's drop 30m on that".