Summer 26 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[PaulWinch again]

I’d keep Barkley. We need to keep hold of some experience.

[Dogtanian]

I’d keep Barkley. We need to keep hold of some experience.

Me too, I think he’s handy to bring on at the end to help shore things up. But also, if we wanna be in the cup-winning business, he’s the kind of player we want to be able to rotate in and out as the level of opposition changes.

[jwarry]

Everton are favourites to sign 24-year-old English winger Jaden Philogene from Ipswich. (Football Insider)

Surely we need to be selling him to Everton not Ipswich.

I thought we had already sold him?!?

[cdbearsfan]

We have. It was a joke.

[Russ aka Big Nose]

In January we need to buy a CB on a buy now, pick up in six month’s time deal.

Mings looked pretty cooked last season but we’ve had enough change already so probably need him next season.

He's had enough time to get properly fit. So, I imagine Emery will want to see how well he does in the more competitive friendlies, whilst also evaluating Cisse (our forgotten CD).

I'm sure the hope will be that some combination of Mings, Lindeloff, and Cisse will be decent enough cover for Konsa and Torres without having to bring anyone else in. And whilst I wouldn't want to see it, Kamara can also cover CD in emergencies. UTV

[Smithy]

I wasn’t that fussed about Estupinan, until I realised Unai bought him for Villarreal - so I’m much more comfortable now he knows what he’s getting and what he wants from him…

[Ozzjim]

I’d keep Barkley. We need to keep hold of some experience.

Me too, I think he’s handy to bring on at the end to help shore things up. But also, if we wanna be in the cup-winning business, he’s the kind of player we want to be able to rotate in and out as the level of opposition changes.

He's also got an uncanny knack of finding an important goal.

[Mister E]

Villa's nightmare summer window: 'Gut punch, after gut punch'

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:

Aston Villa should have been attacking this summer from a position of strength. Champions League football secured with a fourth-place finish. European silverware in the cabinet. A manager in Unai Emery who had every reason to believe the foundations had finally been laid for Villa to become genuine top-four regulars.

Instead, the early movement in this window has lurched towards nightmare territory.

Aston Villa’s sales this summer
Morgan Rogers – Chelsea, £117m*
Lucas Digne – Paris Saint-Germain, £8.5m*
Youri Tielemans – Manchester United, £36m
Donyell Malen – AS Roma, £21.6m
Enzo Barrenechea – Benfica, £10m
Lewis Dobbin – Southampton, £10m
*deals still to be completed
Total: £203.1m

Youri Tielemans, the metronome of Emery's midfield and arguably the team's most influential player over the last 18 months, has headed to Manchester United. Paris Saint-Germain are expected to activate Lucas Digne's release clause after the World Cup, stripping Villa of one of the Premier League's most reliable attacking full-backs.

And now comes the biggest gut punch of them all. Rogers, Villa's standout performer and the face of the club's exciting future, is on the verge of joining Chelsea in what would be a record sale.

You are looking at a squad being ripped apart. What must Emery be thinking?

His message after lifting the Europa League trophy was clear. This was not the end point. Villa had to build from here. The momentum had to be maintained. Instead, the project appears to be moving backwards.

Johan Manzambi is expected to arrive and there is plenty to like about his potential, but potential does not replace proven Premier League quality overnight.

Emery has built a reputation on solving problems others cannot. But even the best managers need stability. He is staring at the prospect of reconstructing the spine of his team while competing on multiple fronts.

He has worked miracles before. He may need to produce his greatest one yet.

The media need a narrative: these transfers have provided one, even if there are alternatives:
- "Villa rebuild from a position of strength".
- "Villa give younger stars the opportunity to shine".
- "Tielemans legacy offers new players fantastic platform".
- "Emery relishes another opportunity to build the new Villa".

It's really not difficult!

[Smithy]

I’d keep Barkley. We need to keep hold of some experience.

Me too, I think he’s handy to bring on at the end to help shore things up. But also, if we wanna be in the cup-winning business, he’s the kind of player we want to be able to rotate in and out as the level of opposition changes.

He's also got an uncanny knack of finding an important goal.

Yep, I had him as one of those to go this summer as we looked to reduce the age of the squad, but given the loss of Youri, Amado and now Rogers, I think keeping him, and his experience under Unai could be quite important. 

We risk a LOT of change in the middle of the park in one window, so a consistent presence there might help as others get acclimatised.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Yeah keep Barkley - he still has a high-level skillset and isn't one of the higher earners.

[garyellis]

Villa's nightmare summer window: 'Gut punch, after gut punch'

Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:

Aston Villa should have been attacking this summer from a position of strength. Champions League football secured with a fourth-place finish. European silverware in the cabinet. A manager in Unai Emery who had every reason to believe the foundations had finally been laid for Villa to become genuine top-four regulars.

Instead, the early movement in this window has lurched towards nightmare territory.

Aston Villa’s sales this summer
Morgan Rogers – Chelsea, £117m*
Lucas Digne – Paris Saint-Germain, £8.5m*
Youri Tielemans – Manchester United, £36m
Donyell Malen – AS Roma, £21.6m
Enzo Barrenechea – Benfica, £10m
Lewis Dobbin – Southampton, £10m
*deals still to be completed
Total: £203.1m

Youri Tielemans, the metronome of Emery's midfield and arguably the team's most influential player over the last 18 months, has headed to Manchester United. Paris Saint-Germain are expected to activate Lucas Digne's release clause after the World Cup, stripping Villa of one of the Premier League's most reliable attacking full-backs.

And now comes the biggest gut punch of them all. Rogers, Villa's standout performer and the face of the club's exciting future, is on the verge of joining Chelsea in what would be a record sale.

You are looking at a squad being ripped apart. What must Emery be thinking?

His message after lifting the Europa League trophy was clear. This was not the end point. Villa had to build from here. The momentum had to be maintained. Instead, the project appears to be moving backwards.

Johan Manzambi is expected to arrive and there is plenty to like about his potential, but potential does not replace proven Premier League quality overnight.

Emery has built a reputation on solving problems others cannot. But even the best managers need stability. He is staring at the prospect of reconstructing the spine of his team while competing on multiple fronts.

He has worked miracles before. He may need to produce his greatest one yet.

The media need a narrative: these transfers have provided one, even if there are alternatives:
- "Villa rebuild from a position of strength".
- "Villa give younger stars the opportunity to shine".
- "Tielemans legacy offers new players fantastic platform".
- "Emery relishes another opportunity to build the new Villa".

It's really not difficult!

I will put him on my ever growing list of tossers to ignore

[N'ZMAV]

the media will continue with this narrative until our season clicks into gear and they'll realise that under Emery we can keep getting better without their bias

[Lsvilla]

the media will continue with this narrative until our season clicks into gear and they'll realise that under Emery we can keep getting better without their bias

Despite rather than without.

[brontebilly]

Yeah keep Barkley - he still has a high-level skillset and isn't one of the higher earners.

Stopped drinking and got fitter. Was never a fan but can't argue with his impact in games like Liverpool. Spurs game kind of worrying, up front with Tammy and our press was worse than Kane and Bellingham. Looks like we are signing athletes so Barkley might still be useful, he's very good in the air for one.

[Percy McCarthy]

the media will continue with this narrative until our season clicks into gear and they'll realise that under Emery we can keep getting better without their bias

As I said, there’s a more positive take as well:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13563614/aston-villa-why-unai-emery-is-navigating-well-needed-rebuild-and-not-a-nightmare-transfer-window-ahead-of-morgan-rogers-exit