Winter 25-26 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[Dave]

We don't have that midfield for all those games though. No Luiz tonight or against Newcastle, and we don't actually know when Barkley will be available to play.

I think the FA Cup game might well see both teams rotating their squad, us for obvious reasons and Newcastle are facing the CL play-offs in Feb.

Presumably his point though is that we don't really have a midfield to rotate anymore. DL wouldn't play as noted, so we're not rotating we're just picking whichever two of Onana / Barkley / Bogarde are still alive.

[Pat Mustard]

We don't have that midfield for all those games though. No Luiz tonight or against Newcastle, and we don't actually know when Barkley will be available to play.

In the grand scheme of things tonight is no more than an inconvenience, and a chance to maybe blood Hemmings.  Barkley should be available after this weekend by the sounds of it, and the FA cup-tied rule has changed so unless I'm reading it wrong there is no reason why Luiz can't play against Newcastle?

Nah, FA Cup still has the cup-tied rule I believe.

The club website seems to think he can be involved:

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/january/28/interview-dougies-delight-at-villa-return/

[cdbearsfan]

Just checked and you're right, can play for two different teams now, just not in the same round. That's good then. Always hated the cup-tied rule.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/explained-why-players-can-represent-two-different-clubs-in-fa-cup-this-season-and-how-it-could-benefit-manchester-city

[Somniloquism]

Yep weird wording but FA has relaxed the rulings.

A Player shall only play for one Club in the Competition during the same Season, save that a Player that has played for one Club in the Qualifying Competition and/or the Competition Proper may play for a maximum of one other Club in the Competition Proper (but may only play for a maximum of one Club in any given round of the Competition).

[Dave]

We don't have that midfield for all those games though. No Luiz tonight or against Newcastle, and we don't actually know when Barkley will be available to play.

In the grand scheme of things tonight is no more than an inconvenience, and a chance to maybe blood Hemmings.  Barkley should be available after this weekend by the sounds of it, and the FA cup-tied rule has changed so unless I'm reading it wrong there is no reason why Luiz can't play against Newcastle?

Nah, FA Cup still has the cup-tied rule I believe.

The club website seems to think he can be involved:

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/january/28/interview-dougies-delight-at-villa-return/

You're right. They changed the rules, and I originally read that distinction as being between qualifying and the main competition. But reading it a second time, he's fine.

95.

A Player shall only play for one Club in the Competition during the same Season, save that a
Player that has played for one Club in the Qualifying Competition and/or the Competition
Proper may play for a maximum of one other Club in the Competition Proper (but may only
play for a maximum of one Club in any given round of the Competition).

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/competitions/2025-26/rules/rules-of-the-fa-challenge-cup-2025-26.ashx

[Gareth]

Was just going to say I’m sure I had read somewhere with the Guehi deal that he was in the team that lost to Macclesfield but could still end up playing at Wembley with the Cheats.

Good for us to