Winter 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[ADVILLAFAN]

But has the tea lady scored in a Champion's League Final?

Oh, apparently she has.

[Beard82]

In my head at least, I don’t think Chelsea or Felix are in a position to demand more than they agreed in the summer.  Considering how it’s gone, both parties should be happy to exit breaking even.

Only downside is we couldn’t have made it more obvious we desperately want him. 

Unai been like a 14 year old schoolboy with a crush for about 2 years so we might have come across a bit strong

[Dave]

In my head at least, I don’t think Chelsea or Felix are in a position to demand more than they agreed in the summer.  Considering how it’s gone, both parties should be happy to exit breaking even.

Only downside is we couldn’t have made it more obvious we desperately want him. 

Unai been like a 14 year old schoolboy with a crush for about 2 years so we might have come across a bit strong

And at this point in the window, given the time and the Duran windfall we're unlikely to be in much a position to walk away just to save a few pounds.

[Dante Lavelli]

Good points, I’d hope the club stick to their guns.  We’ve lost the wages of buendia and Duran and thats all we have, guessing about £130k a week.  Anything more and we risk falling foul of the wage/turnover ratio.

Ultimately we shouldn’t be held to ransom.

[Drummond]

Swinkels going to Bristol Rovers on loan....

[cdbearsfan]

Will the last player to leave Bodymoor Heath, please turn out the lights...

[ozzjim]

Will the last player to leave Bodymoor Heath, please turn out the lights...

Too late, all gone

[teamvillage]

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Malan is the Duran replacement.

[ozzjim]

I think he's more the Diaby replacement, who played off Ollie most of the time, not wide. But I agree, in a pinch he'll play up top. If we can get 3 in by window close it will be a bonus at this stage.

[Villatillidie25]

I don’t think until the Saudi offer came in we were necessarily planning to sell Duran. Malen’s replacing Philogene / Diaby but the thinking going forwards might now be that we can buy a #10 now rather than a forward because we have Malen and he can cover up top.

[itbrvilla]

So Brighton apparently rejected at £90 bid for Mitoma? I really like him but cant help feel we've been short changed on Duran.

[villadelph]

So Brighton apparently rejected at £90 bid for Mitoma? I really like him but cant help feel we've been short changed on Duran.

Isn't Duran's fee close to that once add-ons are considered (if achieved)?

[OCD]

So Brighton apparently rejected at £90 bid for Mitoma? I really like him but cant help feel we've been short changed on Duran.

Don't blame them.

[ASHTONVILLA]

As disruptive as it would be, if we have a decent younger replacement lined for Watkins there is merit in 'pulling off the plaster' now.

It is probably the last chance to get top dollar before he turns 30 and starts to drop off in value and ability. His game revolves around hard work, and it will suffer when he loses pace and stamina as he ages.

We would need to be able to bring in a good player straightaway and another (like Jonathon David) in the summer.

In the past losing star players really affected us badly, but Emery and Monchi managed to keep Sevilla competitive whilst cashing in on star players almost annually. I think we are probably better able to cope than we all think.

[Toronto Villa]

Not sure why I feel calm about it all. The distraction of Duran will be gone soon. Watkins isn’t going anywhere short of Arsenal doubling their price which they won’t do. I reckon the bid was to force the hand of some other club they are working with anyway. We have Malen to back up Ollie which he’s more than capable of doing. And one of Felix or Asensio will sign along with a CB. Kevin Danso on loan would be nice if the Chelsea lad doesn’t happen. Now on Monday if we have sold Ollie, got none of that other stuff done I might go postal. So I’m cleaning all my guns and ordering grenades. You know…just in case.