Summer 2024 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[Clark W Griswold]

EDIT obviously this being H&V someone will go on wikipedia to check and come back and say actually, leopards are all vegan, or they don't live in the same environments as gazelles, or gazelles are faster, but you know what I mean.

Leopards typically hunt by stealth, attacking their prey from a few metres, or from a tree. Cheetahs are the ones who sprint after their victims. Happy as ever to be of service.

Quite correct, Leopards are in fact ‘ambush predators’. I always thought Cheetahs were supposed to be the fastest animal on earth but my mate at work reckons his whippet is quicker.

[cdbearsfan]

SHIT PEREGRINE FALCON
YOU'RE JUST A SHIT PEREGRINE FALCON

[CT Villan]

Sterling is far from shit but he has peaked and is on the way down now. Still has something to offer the right team, but I don't believe that is us.

Anyway, despite having arguably the best coach in the world even Unai would struggle to stop RS from looking like a dinosaur when he runs...and that's reason enough not to sign him in my book.

[cdbearsfan]

What if he changes his name by deed poll to Raptor Sterlingsaurus? That would be cool.

[Dante Lavelli]

Sterling has played for Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea (and England).  Three teams that should dominate possession and probably full of egos.  As a result it’s hard to know what he’s like. As an experiment it would be interesting to see him be the big fish at, say, Palace where he has to earn the accolades.  He could be shit or great.

I don’t want Villa to be part of that experiment though.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's more the lazy phraseology. An Emery type player is someone who Emery and his gang think will improve the squad and can follow instructions, and it's perfectly plausible that Sterling meets both of those requirements.

Without wanting to launch into a back and forth ruck, it strikes me as a bit sneery of you to call it 'lazy phraseology'.

I said it because I also think Emery is very big on what players add to the dressing room, and to the team spirit, and in my opinion, I think Sterling would not fit the bill on that front. Improving the squad isn't just about being a better player than whoever you are replacing, it is about adding more to the team than that.  I think that's why he has clearly had reservations about Duran, FWIW.

He also said one of the reasons he likes Olsen is because he's a positive contributor to the team, in the dressing room. This stuff clearly matters to him, and that's why I don't think Sterling is his type.

I could equally say if any argument is lazy here, it's your riposte of "yeah but what are you going to say about him not being an Emery type if we actually sign him".

But hey, that's not my style *wink*

[cdbearsfan]

Your idea that he would damage the team spirit doesn't seem based on anything except... he's a big name?

[Demitri_C]

When you look at first team barring onana and  maatsen its not much stronger at all than last year.

Illing jr being loaned out. Barkley and enzo are backup players. JPB is also a rotation player.

This does concern me tbh i know we have JJ and buendia who we didnt have last year but i still am abit concerned we havent actually strengthed from last year esp when you see how competitive it will be this year in the league and how tough the CL will be.

But last year we had no “ rotation” players….

Thats the thing though i thought illing jr and enzo would be those type of players.

We dont want another scenario where we have to name two keepers on bench again. That happened way too many times kast season.

You've already named 4 players that weren't available last year but still worried that we're not stronger? Strange

I dont think its "strange" at all if you read what i wrote. I said "When you look at first team barring onana and  maatsen its not much stronger at all than last year."

While we have lost two key first teamers none of the others are first teamers [enzo JPB illing jr or barkey] these areas have not been strengthed.

 No replacement for dougie or diaby so far

[Footy-Vill]

Really hope we don't sign Sterling. Too much baggage comes with him and could massively affect the balance in the dressing room.

Trouble (and the media) follow him - We don't need him as a player, or any of the shite that comes with 'Project Sterling'.

I'm not sure where the trouble side of it comes in. I dont recall him being an arse.

Yes it's nonsense. The guy is well respected and adored by many in football including Leon Bailey. Pep said Sterling reads the bible in the dressing room and KDB said he was the most humble guy he knows . Sterling is very good person so I think lot of the noise against him is so misguided and people are ill informed.
The way Chelsea have handled him is so unfair. If Emery worked with him he'll be world class again Pep Guardiola turned him into a world class player and Sterling is still capable.
People shouldn't be so against him

[andyh]

Maybe, after playing for soulless , ego infested clubs like Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, he would thrive at a club that values team spirit, togetherness and  unity ?

I would take a punt on him.

[Footy-Vill]

It's more the lazy phraseology. An Emery type player is someone who Emery and his gang think will improve the squad and can follow instructions, and it's perfectly plausible that Sterling meets both of those requirements.

Without wanting to launch into a back and forth ruck, it strikes me as a bit sneery of you to call it 'lazy phraseology'.

I said it because I also think Emery is very big on what players add to the dressing room, and to the team spirit, and in my opinion, I think Sterling would not fit the bill on that front. Improving the squad isn't just about being a better player than whoever you are replacing, it is about adding more to the team than that.  I think that's why he has clearly had reservations about Duran, FWIW.

He also said one of the reasons he likes Olsen is because he's a positive contributor to the team, in the dressing room. This stuff clearly matters to him, and that's why I don't think Sterling is his type.

I could equally say if any argument is lazy here, it's your riposte of "yeah but what are you going to say about him not being an Emery type if we actually sign him".

But hey, that's not my style *wink*

I think people need to read this from Pep book https://www.the42.ie/pep-guardiola-making-of-a-super-team-extract-4905861-Dec2019/

And watch this from 4 years ago

Because some of the battles Sterling has to deal with is ludicrous, and there's no reason for H and V posters to make claims of his character.  To be very clear I'm not suggesting that anyone here has been racist, but Sterling has shown great character in speaking out and standing up to racism, so people could acknowledge this aspect of his character. Sterling also has an unshakeable faith in God, and the fact that his own talent is God-given means he's actually one of the good guys.
But, of course, the media and press have influenced people's views, so I hope this helps and gain more understanding of Raheem Sterling
Insight.

[Villatillidie25]

Really hope we don't sign Sterling. Too much baggage comes with him and could massively affect the balance in the dressing room.

Trouble (and the media) follow him - We don't need him as a player, or any of the shite that comes with 'Project Sterling'.

I'm not sure where the trouble side of it comes in. I dont recall him being an arse.

Yes it's nonsense. The guy is well respected and adored by many in football including Leon Bailey. Pep said Sterling reads the bible in the dressing room and KDB said he was the most humble guy he knows . Sterling is very good person so I think lot of the noise against him is so misguided and people are ill informed.
The way Chelsea have handled him is so unfair. If Emery worked with him he'll be world class again Pep Guardiola turned him into a world class player and Sterling is still capable.
People shouldn't be so against him

I think adored is a bit of a stretch. I don’t, personally, have anything against him. I just don’t think he’s that good and I think he’s in decline. Pep got him to be very effective but I wouldn’t say he made him a great player, there’s a difference.
In my opinion, he would be a costly mistake but that wouldn’t be because he’s a bad egg or anything, but because he’s just not that good. Certainly no better than what we have but would come with the expectation of playing and maybe Emery would feel like he has to play him too.

[Bad English]

Sterling also has an unshakeable faith in God, and the fact that his own talent is God-given means he's actually one of the good guys.

What fact is this again? Are you saying his talent is made-up bollocks?

[AV84]

I don't think you need to have a go at other people's faith to make a point, but at the same time some of the absolute worst people in the world are religious people, so it's not a selling point.

[pauliewalnuts]

Your idea that he would damage the team spirit doesn't seem based on anything except... he's a big name?

No, I am basing it on the fact that all of three days ago his social media team issued a statement addressing the fact he'd been left out of the first game of the season (by Chelsea, the home of everything that is bad about football).

He is a player who just attracts attention largely for the wrong reasons, and for that I worry he'd be a negative influence on team spirit.

He'd also come in on immense wages, too, which probably wouldn't be great, and he'd do so with an attendant press circus which would be a distraction.

Christ. I wish I'd just said I thought he was shit now.