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

[paul_e]

I don't think so. I suspect what really happened is we signed him 6 months before he joined and in the meantime our U18s won everything and Routh in particular was very impressive in that run I guess he just leap-frogged ahead of Ozcan and we ended up not really having the same need we'd identified this time last year. We did seem to try him at left back more in pre-season which suggested we wanted to see if that could be another plan but in the end we seem to have decided he wasn't what we needed. It's not great but I can see how the academy performances will have changed our thinking. Since then we have seen 4-5 of that team on the bench so there's clearly some plan to give these youngsters a chance to make it with us.

! thing I've noticed with Emery is that he does seem to look at some players and decide he wants to see them in training with his players and then if they don't fit he'll quickly move on from them, there have been a fair few like it now.

[Steve67]

Just need to make sure we get a cut from any future Ozcan sale and we are a happy enough bunch.  It gets Ozcan’s salary off the books too, however much that is.

[eamonn]

Three grand a week or similar football chump-change.

[Gareth]

Three grand a week or similar football chump-change.

Would imagine way more than that….decent fee, relocating countries with different tax rules maybe times by 5 and be closer?

[Brazilian Villain]

Three grand a week or similar football chump-change.

No wonder he couldn't afford to learn English or Flemish.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

🚨 Gonçalo Ramos is an option for Aston Villa.
@DuncanCastles

Looks a lot like McGinn and think he never misses s a pen. Imagine we'd need them to pay some of his wages.

Would be a terrific signing for us, but PSG won't want to let him go - he's a legend even though he never plays - which means we'd need to make our money do the talking... yeah, that money.

True but he's the one wanting the move because he wants and needs to play regular football. The lack of first team football means Portugal are sitting him on the bench and the old fart Ronaldo is wearing his shirt which is going to ruin any chance they have at the World Cup.

I've been banking on the sale of Watkins after a great season and World Cup in the summer and topping up that value to get Ramos. He'd fit into our system hand in glove, something he may struggle to find elsewhere. It's a match made in heaven. As you say, the money part is the killer and ends the dream. Expect us to be offered one of Atletico's strikers in the summer, if Ramos does go there. Alvarez being the pick of the pack.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I very much doubt we'd have the pull, or finances, to get Alvarez.

[kippaxvilla2]

Alvarez is going to Arsenal apparently.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I very much doubt we'd have the pull, or finances, to get Alvarez.

Well he happily signed for Atletico, why not Villa (other than the lack of cash to spend)?

[PaulWinch again]

Alvarez has stepped up a level there, there’s not a chance he’s coming here.

We need to sort a midfielder.

[Brazilian Villain]

Alvarez is going to Arsenal apparently.

That makes sense, they're a bit short in the attacking dept.

[Ozzjim]

SJM is clearly out for a good few weeks so we really need a midfielder in ASAP. I am guessing Bailey is our winger option in this window, so a centre mid is probably the only further signing we will make.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Alvarez has stepped up a level there, there’s not a chance he’s coming here.

Well if Kippax is right and he's going to Arsenal we can offer him the same; Champions League football and a non-title winning place in the top 4. Hopefully we can add an European winning cup to swing the appeal.

I was begging for us to sign him a year before he left River Plate for Man City. I can't believe Slippy Gee wasn't reading these pages at the time.

[Mister E]

I don't think so. I suspect what really happened is we signed him 6 months before he joined and in the meantime our U18s won everything and Routh in particular was very impressive in that run I guess he just leap-frogged ahead of Ozcan and we ended up not really having the same need we'd identified this time last year. We did seem to try him at left back more in pre-season which suggested we wanted to see if that could be another plan but in the end we seem to have decided he wasn't what we needed. It's not great but I can see how the academy performances will have changed our thinking. Since then we have seen 4-5 of that team on the bench so there's clearly some plan to give these youngsters a chance to make it with us.
! thing I've noticed with Emery is that he does seem to look at some players and decide he wants to see them in training with his players and then if they don't fit he'll quickly move on from them, there have been a fair few like it now.

There's Routh, TJ and Feeney at CB; all with potential (and the latter with significant experience).

[Mister E]

Why not try and tempt Alex Scott from Bournemouth? - he'd provide excellent MF oomph...