Transfer Window Summer 2025. The Verdict.

[Percy McCarthy]

I think if you value keeping most of the squad together, like Emery said he did at the end of last season, you have to start with the question ‘what’s the best you can do with the money from Ramsey, KKH, and a few loan fees?’

I choose optimism in life as well as Villa, and I’m not a student of other teams’ players. I didn’t like Sancho because that twat Southgate seemed to prefer him to Joe, and to me when I saw him play for England he wasn’t in the same class. But today I’ll choose to note the positive stuff Matt Law has written about him. I’ll also choose to note what Liverpool fans say about Elliot. I’ll choose to think that you don’t last eight years and make 280 appearances for one of the biggest clubs in the world like Lindelof did (no matter how bad that club has been in that time) if you’re useless. And I actually do believe off my own bat that we’ve improved on Olsen and saved money.

So given all that and the restrictions we were under, I’ll give it an 8.5.

I’d have gone for more churn personally. We could have spent shitloads if we’d have sold shitloads, like Chelsea did, but I suppose that’s a bit riskier. Ideally for me we’d have at least sold Cash and got a better RB, but who knows if there was a willing buyer?

The £87m spent on Onana and Maatsen could and should have strengthened us more but that was another window.

I admire your optimism Percy, and I know you have given caveats, but 8.5 still feels incredibly generous.

I might be repeating my caveats here, but how much better could we have done under the direction - ‘right, you’ve got about £40m, you need change from that. Oh, and cut the wage bill while you’re at it’?

[PeterWithe]

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but it would make so much more sense for the window to shut before the start of the season. I'm sure that will be the message from Unai - get the new players on board and the season starts on September 13th - I include EMi in that too.

Totally agree, it seems ludicrous to start the season with players who have half an eye on a move. I suppose all the European leagues kicking off on different dates doesn’t help mind

[Dave]

23 for the A List? Who are the two homegrowns?

Edit: I see Bogarde in your list now. I assume he counts as one. Who am I missing?

Bogarde (I think) is still fine for the B list, born four days after the cut-off. Unless UEFA haven't updated their website.

So I'm pretty sure we'll have a European squad of 21 plus da yoot. So I think one other player on that list above doesn't need to worry about digging out their passport.

Scenes if Malen misses out again.

It will be Garcia I think.

Yeah, he's probably the obvious candidate.

Although it seems a bit wild that with two players for every position, it looks like the one where we're going to say "nah, he's fine all on his own, make him the only specialist for that role and make sure there is cover everywhere else instead" is Matty Cash

Adding Elliot and Sancho probably makes Buendia the only realistic alternative.

[Monty]

Elliot is better than JJ. Tielemans is better than Dougie. Rogers was better than the nobody doing his bit.

Diaby improved the first XI, he just so happened to be transformative for Bailey for the season he was here. So as with Maatsen with Digne, who found another level.

7th, 4th  and a semi-final, 6th a Quarter Final and a semi final- yet we have a rotten transfer strategy. I dont find the argument persuasive in the least.

The amount of flack Onana cops from people on here borders the obsessive.

I'm much, much less impressed with Monchi than you (let's not forget Rogers was an Unai call, not a Monchi call), and I include in that overpricing Onana by about £20m, but I agree that the level of livid rage he gets from some is borderline embarrassing.

[PeterWithe]

I might be repeating my caveats here, but how much better could we have done under the direction - ‘right, you’ve got about £40m, you need change from that. Oh, and cut the wage bill while you’re at it’?

That’s a very succinct summing up.

[LeeS]

23 for the A List? Who are the two homegrowns?

Edit: I see Bogarde in your list now. I assume he counts as one. Who am I missing?

Bogarde (I think) is still fine for the B list, born four days after the cut-off. Unless UEFA haven't updated their website.

So I'm pretty sure we'll have a European squad of 21 plus da yoot. So I think one other player on that list above doesn't need to worry about digging out their passport.

Scenes if Malen misses out again.

It will be Garcia I think.

Yeah, he's probably the obvious candidate.

Although it seems a bit wild that with two players for every position, it looks like the one where we're going to say "nah, he's fine all on his own, make him the only specialist for that role and make sure there is cover everywhere else instead" is Matty Cash

Adding Elliot and Sancho probably makes Buendia the only realistic alternative.

We have Garcia to come back. He must be expecting him to be a first teamer.

[Dave]

23 for the A List? Who are the two homegrowns?

Edit: I see Bogarde in your list now. I assume he counts as one. Who am I missing?

Bogarde (I think) is still fine for the B list, born four days after the cut-off. Unless UEFA haven't updated their website.

So I'm pretty sure we'll have a European squad of 21 plus da yoot. So I think one other player on that list above doesn't need to worry about digging out their passport.

Scenes if Malen misses out again.

It will be Garcia I think.

Yeah, he's probably the obvious candidate.

Although it seems a bit wild that with two players for every position, it looks like the one where we're going to say "nah, he's fine all on his own, make him the only specialist for that role and make sure there is cover everywhere else instead" is Matty Cash

Adding Elliot and Sancho probably makes Buendia the only realistic alternative.

We have Garcia to come back. He must be expecting him to be a first teamer.

Then which other player from:

GK: Martinez, Bizot           

RB: Cash, Garcia
RCB: Konsa, Lindelof         
LCB: Torres, Mings
LB: Digne, Maatsen

CM: Onana, Kamara, McGinn, Tielemans, Barkley

AM: Sancho, Rogers, Buendia, Elliott

ST: Watkins, Malen, Guessand

Is being left out of the European squad, if not him?

[Olneythelonely]

Think it’ll be Garcia, Buendia or Barkley. Most likely Garcia.

[boozey182]

It's amazing how much difference 24 hours can make, but I think we've done alright this window - as long as you look at in in context.

The plan was obviously to get Martinez (and Bailey, Buendia etc) out as early as possible, and then use that money to add to the squad, but that didn't happen. One of the (many) drawbacks of the current rules is that it's much harder for clubs in our situation to get value for the players we sell. That's just how markets work. I'm sure we could have sold Martinez for a smaller fee earlier on in the window, but we held our ground. I don't mind that. Obviously that situation ended up blowing up, but he'll either go to Turkey/Saudi, or he'll come back and play. Every party involved has too much to lose for it not to work out, so I'm not too worried if he ends up playing for us again. He looks a bit of an idiot, but we all knew what he was like. (And I do think it was a bit funny how it all turned out).

I think I prefer Elliot to Asensio. Watching our game on Sunday, and the impact that Buendia made, it was clear that we really lack energy, which I think he'll provide. He's much younger, has won an awful lot in his short career, and seems keen to push on. It's a relatively low risk, high potential signing - exactly the type we should be making in our position.

As for Sancho - I have the benefit of ignorance here. I don't know much about him at all, other than he was great at Dortmund and not great at Man United. From the highlights I've seen of him, even at Chelsea last year, he looks to offer something we don't have - width, the ability to beat a man, and a will to smash the ball into the box for someone to finish. His wages may be too high, but I don't have the energy to worry about something that I don't fully understand. I have no idea how close we are to the restrictions we're under, or what restrictions we're under, for that matter, so I'm going to hope everything will be fine there.

The big thing now is to press a massive reset button on what's happened this summer, and start again. I think we'll know pretty quickly what sort of season we're going to have, and it all depends on the mentality of the squad. We have all seen those players play much better than they have done so far this season, and now there is a bit more quality in around them, I expect a drastic improvement. Everton away is a tricky game to come back to, but it's also a great opportunity to prove that what we have seen so far is nothing more than a minor blip.

I'm willing to give the lot of them a pass for the summer. I don't agree with the rules, but we are where we are. No excuses from here. The season starts now.

[RamboandBruno]

Considering how things were shaping up towards the end of last week, I’m pretty content. I never thought Lindelof was any great shakes at Man Utd, but then haven’t thought anyone there is. Is he that much of a downgrade on Disasi or Lenglet as defensive cover, no his not. Its also good having another older head in their for dressing room harmony, he spoke well in his interview.
I haven’t followed Sancho’s career, on the odd time I’ve seen him, haven’t been impressed. But Unai has form for improving players and managing players with reputations for being difficult (Duran), so we need to give the left the benefit of the doubt.
I’m excited about the Elliot signing, he’s young though so will need supporter patience.
And then Emi…he’s fucked us over, Man U have fucked him over. Its really whether his relationship with Unai and is repairable. I doubt Martinez just wants to go anywhere for the sake of going, unless there is complete relationship breakdown. If there is he’ll be off to Turkey no doubt in coming days. I’d say ge’s miles better than anyone else we’ve got, so hopefully swallowing of pride and pragmatism take over until next summer of January at least.
Its a shame we have Everton away next, a home game and noisy Villa Park would of been perfect. A couple of goals and score draw/win, will set us away on the start of another Unai run of results. I choose optimism too. 

[john e]

The only one I’m mildly excited about is Elliott

[Brend'Watkins]

Marks out of 10 for a theory test. We should do the same after they have actually played under Emery, that will be the real test.

Even so, I’m excited by Elliot, Guessand and Bisot are unknown at this stage. Lindelof, experienced back up nothing more. Sancho? I’ve never got Sancho. Dave tried to persuade me by his stats at Dortmund but since he’s been in the Prem’ he hasn’t pulled up any trees. Given he had a stint at Chelsea and they didn’t take up the option to buy him costing them £5 million is telling. He’ll probably get more starts with us so I’m hoping for something better than Bailey last season.  If we see more of little emi then he’ll be either a flop or injured.

5/10

[London Villan]

Think it’ll be Garcia, Buendia or Barkley. Most likely Garcia.

Barkley for me as we have plenty of cover there.

[algy]

I think somehow, against all odds … we’ve not done that badly.

Kept most of the squad together. Only loses have been an unproductive Bailey and Ramsey who’s a genuine shame, but seems injury prone so perhaps not a terrible one to move on.

We’ve strengthened mildly. I like Elliot, he’s a good player. Sancho - jury is out. I’d be worried if he was our biggest name signing, but I don’t think he is now and there’s a small part of me that thinks he could thrive under Emery. Lindelöf, not one to set the pulses racing but probably works out cheaper than loaning a Disasi type player again. Feels a bit like we’ve at least attempted to address the lack of cover there anyway.

If paul_e was right and this is enough for us to exit the UEFA sanctions at the end of this season, it’ll be worth it IMO - as before, we’ve probably not got any worse and so that’s a good base to build from in 2026.

Time to reintegrate Big Emi and get on with the season.

[Dante Lavelli]

Elliot is similar to Roger’s and Buendia, so I dont think he’ll make much impact, or it’ll be at the expense of players we already have.  Weirdly I’m more excited by Sancho as the squad is lacking genuine width and pace so I think he could be a bigger player than most are anticipating.