Transfer priorities

[LeeB]

I'm just looking forward to strutting around Tenerife permanently clad in something Villa related in a few weeks time to be honest.

[enigma]

You'd have to feel sorry for Digne if after everything he's done to get us into the CL he then gets punted off to a team not in it. He won't have many more opportunities to play in it.

[Dave]

You'd have to feel sorry for Digne if after everything he's done to get us into the CL he then gets punted off to a team not in it. He won't have many more opportunities to play in it.

Well if he wants to stick around he's got two years left on his contract. So there's no need for him to go anywhere unless he wants to.

Still can't see any reason we'd be punting him off anywhere though. He has also played more Champions League matches than (I think) anyone else in our squad, for three different clubs. So it's not like he's not been there and done that already.

Edit - actually maybe Tielemans has more.

[rob_bridge]

Grealish looks done at Man City.

Sneaky bid for £50m?

I'd say he'd be a better fit for that lot in League 1.

No thanks - plateaued as a player, we haven't as a team.

[Demitri_C]

One out already.  Best of luck morgan

[Risso]

You'd have to feel sorry for Digne if after everything he's done to get us into the CL he then gets punted off to a team not in it. He won't have many more opportunities to play in it.

Well if he wants to stick around he's got two years left on his contract. So there's no need for him to go anywhere unless he wants to.

Still can't see any reason we'd be punting him off anywhere though. He has also played more Champions League matches than (I think) anyone else in our squad, for three different clubs. So it's not like he's not been there and done that already.

Edit - actually maybe Tielemans has more.

1) Lenglet (by miles)
2) Digne
3) Tielemans

[Dave]

Ta.

[Risso]

I think the wider point is a good one though, tough on any players who do leave this summer, going just as we qualify for the first time. Unless it's someone like Luiz going to the Arse of course.

[Dave]

I don't really see too many players leaving really. Lenglet and Zaniolo will return to their parent clubs. If a taker for Dendoncker, Chambers and Hause can be found then they'll obviously be gone - but it's not as if they've really been part of this season's journey to get us here (cameo from Chambers on Monday aside). Coutinho is obviously going to be out on loan again or paid off, but likewise to the three above.

All the talk of how we need to ship out Cash, Carlos, Digne, Olsen etc and buy a load of replacements just doesn't feel how this summer is going to go. We have a really good squad which needs some upgrades and additional depth (as per your original post), and most importantly the injured players back again.

It doesn't feel like we need to sell four or five players who have played a lot this season and and buy replacements for them in addition to the two or three extra bodies that we need already.

[lovejoy]

Funny how the goalie cover chat has piped down.

I think we need cover at RB and another centre forward to throw on. Remember we have been lucky with injuries with Olly. We don't know who is paid what but if we need to shed a few high earners/those who can give us the profit needed to comply with FFP then so be it.

[eamonn]

As a leftfield option they had Lecce - Udinese on the telly last night in the Villa Tavern before the game, and I saw the Udinese centre forward hold up the ball well under pressure, fire a great pass out wide, then get on the end of the subsequent cross with a Benteke-esque leap over the defender forcing the keeper to palm it out for a tap in. Looked the real deal, didn't get his name though.

Hah. Very good.

Similarly, forget Baena, surely this is this the left-footed fella at Villareal, we want? Scored a lovely goal last night (posted on his own thread but it's in ''Other Football'' where traffic is (s)low).

90 seconds in although he also nearly scores with the first piece of action:

[rob_bridge]

Somehow I can't see Monchi going for older seasoned players, with what we have to offer I hope he goes for younger ambitious players that want to play for the best manager in the premiership.

Exactly this, he needs to be pulling the next Van de Ven off the rank for us

I see more Rogers type signings than Coutinho ones.

[garyellis]

If we want year on year progression the summer window is massive given the restrictions.
Simon Jordan reckons this is a moment in time not a changing of the guard.

[rob_bridge]

If we want year on year progression the summer window is massive given the restrictions.
Simon Jordan reckons this is a moment in time not a changing of the guard.

He may be right but the better we are the more we heap pressure on the 3 or 4  Big6 who are underperforming at a given time.

[Ger Regan]

I'd like to see upgrades in both full-back positions (right back more of a priority for me as i think cash slows the play down too often), a backup keeper who is comfortable with ball at his feet, defensive midfield cover for kamara and if being greedy another forward player to take a bit of pressure off ollie.