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

[LeeB]

Don't think Wilson is good enough for us to be honest. He's a talented player for sure finally delivering on his potential. But the next McGinn? That's who we need to find.

Buendia, Bailey, Barkley out of contract in 2027, hoping Bailey rediscovers his form obviously, but we have decisions to make there. Hopefully with CL qualification in the bag. Lindelof, Mings, Bizot deals also up that summer.

I like Gibbs-White, Ampadu, Luiz back permanently.

Signing players like Wilson for £20-30m less than market value on a free, who can cover many postions for us and add something means we might have the funds elsewhere to actually replace McGinn.

Similar deals for Tielemans and Lindeloff have been absolutely crucial for us.

Completely agree. I cant believe people are turning their noses up at a free player that is better than Buendia and Barkley.

If the signing doesn't work, they are never really free. Micah Richards as just one example. Wilson is going to want a big contract after a great season with Fulham and with no transfer fee.  Not sure Wilson is that busy midfielder, mini McGinn, on the right flank. Buendia has been that pretty much all season on the other flank. Better than Bailey, Barkley, Elliot, Sancho or Guessand isn't much of a bar let's be honest.

Micah Richards signing for Tim Sherwood's Villa is a galaxy removed from anyone signing for us now, and it says a lot that you're going that far back for an example of a poor free signing given the postives listed above.

[Monty]

Watched Ethan Ampadu for a year while he was over here. Thought he was OK back then, very impressed he's managed to make it to PL captain level, good for him. But he's a) a completely different player to Wilson, and b) definitely not as gifted, no way - and if you want someone who can play Emery's way in midfield, deliberately inviting extreme pressure in order to cut through it, it's Wilsons you need, not Ampadus.

[LeeB]

Watched Ethan Ampadu for a year while he was over here. Thought he was OK back then, very impressed he's managed to make it to PL captain level, good for him. But he's a) a completely different player to Wilson, and b) definitely not as gifted, no way - and if you want someone who can play Emery's way in midfield, deliberately inviting extreme pressure in order to cut through it, it's Wilsons you need, not Ampadus.

That's why I see Wilson being a genuine target, he's technically very good, that's never been an issue, it's if he could be powerful or quick enough to make it count and it seems he's done exactly that.

He looks almost tailor made for Unai, and for him to have the best years of his career under him.

[aj2k77]

Hasn't Wilson scored a fair few bangers this season too so sort of fits in to our long range shooting theme too.

[eamonn]

Nah, they're unsustainable.

[brontebilly]

Don't think Wilson is good enough for us to be honest. He's a talented player for sure finally delivering on his potential. But the next McGinn? That's who we need to find.

Buendia, Bailey, Barkley out of contract in 2027, hoping Bailey rediscovers his form obviously, but we have decisions to make there. Hopefully with CL qualification in the bag. Lindelof, Mings, Bizot deals also up that summer.

I like Gibbs-White, Ampadu, Luiz back permanently.

Signing players like Wilson for £20-30m less than market value on a free, who can cover many postions for us and add something means we might have the funds elsewhere to actually replace McGinn.

Similar deals for Tielemans and Lindeloff have been absolutely crucial for us.

Completely agree. I cant believe people are turning their noses up at a free player that is better than Buendia and Barkley.

If the signing doesn't work, they are never really free. Micah Richards as just one example. Wilson is going to want a big contract after a great season with Fulham and with no transfer fee.  Not sure Wilson is that busy midfielder, mini McGinn, on the right flank. Buendia has been that pretty much all season on the other flank. Better than Bailey, Barkley, Elliot, Sancho or Guessand isn't much of a bar let's be honest.

I'm
Micah Richards signing for Tim Sherwood's Villa is a galaxy removed from anyone signing for us now, and it says a lot that you're going that far back for an example of a poor free signing given the postives listed above.

There aren't really many others? Lindelof, Kamara, Tielemans - Callum Chambers?

Wilson is a good player don't get me wrong, available on a "free" makes him PSR attractive, but I think a bit like Elliot we might struggle to fit him in.

[LeeB]

I think he's a much better player than Elliot now, but also think Elliot will do well to follow his career path.

Anyway, I was thinking about other 'frees' since Richards and my mind went to Glenn Whelan, but according to Transfer market we paid over £1m for him! Fucking Bruce man.

[cdbearsfan]

Doesn't seem a catastrophic fee tbf. We paid ten times that for Scott Hogan.

[brontebilly]

I think he's a much better player than Elliot now, but also think Elliot will do well to follow his career path.

Anyway, I was thinking about other 'frees' since Richards and my mind went to Glenn Whelan, but according to Transfer market we paid over £1m for him! Fucking Bruce man.

Glenn did ok for us, better than likes of Lansbury and Jedinak. Lansbury was a classic Villa and Bruce signing, played well against us a few weeks beforehand.

[LeeB]

Glenn was ok, I'm not knocking him, but I'm surprised we paid anything given he was on his last legs.

[Sexual Ealing]

Glenn was ok, I'm not knocking him, but I'm surprised we paid anything given he was on his last legs.

He was dreadful, but he stands with Tom Cairney as a kind of modern hero for us.