Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[Jas10]

F it, just sell everyone

We’ve just had our best season in yonks and qualified for the CL for the first time and… we are having to just talk about shifting players and who is better than who, who is replaceable etc. etc.

It’s such a downer! Bloody depressing.

 

Let’s keep our core, that brought us all this way (inc Luiz!), and just add to it! Without those players, we wouldn’t be where we are now. They all deserve praise and admiration, not criticism and flak. F FFP and speculation

I love our players so much more than others in the PL and even think it’s kind of a disservice to them to claim they’re inferior to many who aren’t competing for the title or whatever. I’d take all our midfielders over a Gallagher or Chelsea player, for instance. But if Unai wants such a player, great… don’t have to shit on who we have though.

No destabilisation is important when we are going to go into our toughest, most challenging yet exciting season… we have to become stronger. We are making a BIG step up.

Wonderful set of players and characters who will be looking forward to showing their best for us in elite competition and in the upper echelons of the league, a few key additions will help and prevent the kind of drop off we witnessed.

I don’t think anyone’s going unless a monster offer comes in AND the player wants out (who? The ones that play regularly are living the Unai-varsity!).

That’s what I believe and choose to anyway, journos can piss off.

Let’s enjoy the speculation on INCOMING players… talking incessantly about sales is depressing AF.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

8 hours ago, Keyblade said:

Gallagher's whole deal is his industriousness and tenacity. I think SJM is irreplaceable for what he means to this club but in footballing terms, what he does for the team can much more easily be replaced than someone who can control the tempo of a match. The arse roll is cool and all, but is it more valuable than someone who can keep possession under pressure? Those kinds of players are becoming extinct, and the good ones are like gold dust. We happen to have one, and I'd caution we shouldn't so easily part with him.

In fairness, I think a point people often miss is McGinn also being left footed.

Obviously there are other left sided players, but it means some of the passing lanes McGinn can hit on the turn and the angles he can move at often throw opposition off.

He is also decent with his right foot, I actually think at times he may be slightly underrated even.

At his best he is unplayable.

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

7 minutes ago, Mic09 said:

Rumour has it that the white shirt was actually a part of the white wall behind him. Christian would enter the room stark naked and just slip into his wall-mounted white body stocking.

It’s a neat solution and ensures you always match your backdrop.  

[Jas10]

Too easy to underestimate how difficult and disruptive it would be to sell a key/important player too… it’s not so easy and not a “plug and play” method…

these players have been instrumental into turning us into a top 4 team (beyond anyone’s wildest dreams before this season) despite all the injuries and disruption…

Unai has forged a competitive and exciting side… to take an important piece of that out would set us back from where we are at and a new player would need time to adapt… we would likely see some form or regression and struggle, at least in the short term, and that really isn’t what we need rn. Even worse if it’s more than one important player… our core, our spine is strong but there are other players who have made important contributions AND players who largely missed out that can add a hell of a lot more…

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel a sense of pride in and loyalty for these players who really seem invested and have been giving their all for us. We should be strengthening, not weakening, if we want to continue on this trajectory and keep our momentum going… things aren’t going to get any easier otherwise.

Unai just needs to add a few more key elements to make us truly formidable and resilient.

We have “sub standard”, overpaid and ageing players we can generate some funds from… rather than the ones who make us what we are.

I’d rather keep our key players and not do all that much in the market than move anyone on and struggle and scramble around for replacements…

 

[mikeyp102]

39 minutes ago, HeyAnty said:

Obvs its BS, but for Arguments sake what would Villa sell him for.  If 100m came, i think they would sell.

£150m for me, there are very few strikers out there, especially ones ready for premier league from the get go. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

6 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

F it, just sell everyone

We’ve just had our best season in yonks and qualified for the CL for the first time and… we are having to just talk about shifting players and who is better than who, who is replaceable etc. etc.

It’s such a downer! Bloody depressing.

 

Let’s keep our core, that brought us all this way (inc Luiz!), and just add to it! Without those players, we wouldn’t be where we are now. They all deserve praise and admiration, not criticism and flak. F FFP and speculation

I love our players so much more than others in the PL and even think it’s kind of a disservice to them to claim they’re inferior to many who aren’t competing for the title or whatever. I’d take all our midfielders over a Gallagher or Chelsea player, for instance. But if Unai wants such a player, great… don’t have to shit on who we have though.

No destabilisation is important when we are going to go into our toughest, most challenging yet exciting season… we have to become stronger. We are making a BIG step up.

Wonderful set of players and characters who will be looking forward to showing their best for us in elite competition and in the upper echelons of the league, a few key additions will help and prevent the kind of drop off we witnessed.

I don’t think anyone’s going unless a monster offer comes in AND the player wants out (who? The ones that play regularly are living the Unai-varsity!).

That’s what I believe and choose to anyway, journos can piss off.

Let’s enjoy the speculation on INCOMING players… talking incessantly about sales is depressing AF.

I think sort of like me, you're also heavy with the sentiment for our players.

Some people are more " cold hearted " in this respect and to a certain degree we have to be, to progress.

Unai and Monchi etc will also probably have to be more cold hearted as well, especially if we need to generate funds.

However as I said previously, I'd legit rather tough it out for a season, with free transfers and loans etc, until our finances improve and all our imcreased income and sponsorship deals are recorded.

However it's a fine balance, we also need to try and keep our Champs League place and improve in Cups.

Very tricky one, but yeah I'd rather not sell any of our core players.

Rather remove as much deadwood as possible and youngsters who don't look like they will get up to scratch.

I'm almost certain we can find a way to make up the difference, but I'm no finance person

 

[Jas10]

3 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

In fairness, I think a point people often miss is McGinn also being left footed.

Obviously there are other left sided players, but it means some of the passing lanes McGinn can hit on the turn and the angles he can move at often throw opposition off.

He is also decent with his right foot, I actually think at times he may be slightly underrated even.

At his best he is unplayable.

We need a new link…

then maybe we can stop calling our players crap and trying to sell em

Yeah McGinn is immense, difficult to replace… it’s not just the technical side. His presence, leadership, energy and drive… willingness to fight for our cause… that’s not easy to replace and a shiny new player is unlikely to be so invested in the club and so willing to give their all for it… that’s what time and experience here does…

[Philosopher]

If Watkins was 25 rather than 28 he'd be worth 200 million.

He topped the assist charts plus score 27 goals in all comps. And that doesn't even explain how much good work he does outside of Scoring and assisting. He is a complete striker. In behind or back to goal, lay it off or turn and run with the ball, two footed and a good header of the ball.

We can't replace we he brings to the team. He is worth more to us in our team than 100 million in the bank or spent on incoming players.

[Jas10]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I think sort of like me, you're also heavy with the sentiment for our players.

Some people are more " cold hearted " in this respect and to a certain degree we have to be, to progress.

Unai and Monchi etc will also probably have to be more cold hearted as well, especially if we need to generate funds.

However as I said previously, I'd legit rather tough it out for a season, with free transfers and loans etc, until our finances improve and all our imcreased income and sponsorship deals are recorded.

However it's a fine balance, we also need to try and keep our Champs League place and improve in Cups.

Very tricky one, but yeah I'd rather not sell any of our core players.

Rather remove as much deadwood as possible and youngsters who don't look like they will get up to scratch.

I'm almost certain we can find a way to make up the difference, but I'm no finance person

 

I’ve only got sentiment for the ones who’ve been so important and brought us all this way, the ones that have clearly contributed and given their all for the club… and not just this season.

We can wax lyrical about the players who’ve taken us to CL this season but… last season two of our best and most important players were JJ and Moreno. They helped us tear through teams… yet, having been injured (through no fault of their own) they are being written off or seen as expendable… that’s the kind of stuff that pisses me off. The “what have you done lately” approach…

Mings and Buendia… let’s not forget what they have done for us.

Luiz was widely lauded as our best player (his form was probably the most important element in getting us into those top positions, the run of goals, run of consecutive home wins, unrivalled creative ability, the playmaker who we heavily relied on and had to bring off the bench when rested just to get us back into games, Unai’s “shining light” has he has said…) until Kamara got injured, he had to drop back, and physical and mental fatigue caught up with him. Oh… SELL

I’m not sentimental about the players that haven’t given us much and can obviously be replaced and upgraded and need to be shifted… Olsen, Chambers, Dendoncker, the lads out on loan such as Sanson (bye), Coutinho… etc. they need to go and can’t help us. Even if some of them made some contributions.

Can see the logic in shifting Digne too (which has been covered and discussed to death), Carlos… Cash.

But most of the players that tend to (and would, if not for injury) play week in, week out… are too important to us and too difficult to replace without some form of destabilisation and intial drop off or struggle, this isn’t FM… this is real. New players take time to adapt and gel and adding to a strong group makes that easier or less difficult… bringing one into to fill a gaping hole in the side and putting all that pressure on them doesn’t…

[DaoDeMings]

7 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

I’ve only got sentiment for the ones who’ve been so important and brought us all this way, the ones that have clearly contributed and given their all for the club… and not just this season.

We can wax lyrical about the players who’ve taken us to CL this season but… last season two of our best and most important players were JJ and Moreno. They helped us tear through teams… yet, having been injured (through no fault of their own) they are being written off or seen as expendable… that’s the kind of stuff that pisses me off. The “what have you done lately” approach…

Mings and Buendia… let’s not forget what they have done for us.

Luiz was widely lauded as our best player (his form was probably the most important element in getting us into those top positions, the run of goals, run of consecutive home wins, unrivalled creative ability, the playmaker who we heavily relied on and had to bring off the bench when rested just to get us back into games, Unai’s “shining light” has he has said…) until Kamara got injured, he had to drop back, and physical and mental fatigue caught up with him. Oh… SELL

I’m not sentimental about the players that haven’t given us much and can obviously be replaced and upgraded and need to be shifted… Olsen, Chambers, Dendoncker, the lads out on loan such as Sanson (bye), Coutinho… etc. they need to go and can’t help us. Even if some of them made some contributions.

Can see the logic in shifting Digne too (which has been covered and discussed to death), Carlos… Cash.

But most of the players that tend to (and would, if not for injury) play week in, week out… are too important to us and too difficult to replace without some form of destabilisation and intial drop off or struggle, this isn’t FM… this is real. New players take time to adapt and gel and adding to a strong group makes that easier or less difficult… bringing one into to fill a gaping hole in the side and putting all that pressure on them doesn’t…

It's all just opinions really. Some people just like hypothetical squad building and that inevitably includes sales.

You're doing it yourself 'Can see the logic in shifting Digne too...' Some would find the idea of shifting Digne or Cash mad as some are sentimental about them!

I'm definitely on the sentimental side and would always prefer to see us be loyal to players. I was relentlessly Smith In because of what he did for us - can safely say I was wrong on that one! .

But if this thread isn't for discussing potential ins and outs then what is it for...?

[CroVillan]

52 minutes ago, nick76 said:

not specifically linked to Villa though

GET

HIM

IN

[CarryOnVilla]

As I see it, all our players are replaceable. just at different degrees 

Someone wants to pay over the odds for any of our players, we going to accept it. There’s no doubt about that. 

all the injuries/rotations last season just proves that our system is adaptable enough to make chunk of our players replaceable and still get results.

however, the injuries/rotations also proved there’s a handful of our plays are not easy to replace. The games without either Kamara, Martinez, Torres, and Watkins* we’d struggle to be our best. These players really do things our other options can’t or allow us to do. so selling these players would take more than a big fee, it would also take a replacement to buy. 

What’s Difficult. 
 

* I’d also would add Mcginn and Luiz to this list, but Tielemans has been great in both roles. So it’s one or the other, just not both

Edited May 30 by CarryOnVilla

[Jas10]

7 minutes ago, DaoDeMings said:

It's all just opinions really. Some people just like hypothetical squad building and that inevitably includes sales.

You're doing it yourself 'Can see the logic in shifting Digne too...' Some would find the idea of shifting Digne or Cash mad as some are sentimental about them!

I'm definitely on the sentimental side and would always prefer to see us be loyal to players. I was relentlessly Smith In because of what he did for us - can safely say I was wrong on that one! .

But if this thread isn't for discussing potential ins and outs then what is it for...?

Fine, carry on but it’s just sad to see the recurrent and predominant theme (repetitive) of discussing selling key, important players and claiming “they’re not all that” when they’re a big reason and contributing factor for achieving what we have… rather than players that can come in and help make us better.

It dominates most threads on here now… 

For me, must not sells:

Martinez

Pau

Konsa

McGinn

Luiz

Kamara 

Ramsey 

Bailey 

Watkins

There are others we should keep and we need, at least for squad depth and with the potential for improvement… but these are the ones we can’t afford to lose if we don’t want to risk decline or regression… imo anyway. These are the players that have given us the most and have plenty more to give…

I’m risking labouring the point but… replacing important players is not quick and easy. Unai had said so himself (posted his comments a few times on the forum).

[Zatman]

2 hours ago, theboyangel said:

Daily Heil linking Watkins with a move to Liverpool

The modern day sports journalist must be the easiest job in the world…

make up a rumour and get paid for it! 

And never face consequences for it. Not sure why football transfers arent included as libel

[DaoDeMings]

2 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Fine, carry on but it’s just sad to see the recurrent and predominant theme (repetitive) of discussing selling key, important players and claiming “they’re not all that” when they’re a big reason and contributing factor for achieving what we have… rather than players that can come in and help make us better.

It dominates most threads on here now… 

For me, must not sells:

Martinez

Pau

Konsa

McGinn

Luiz

Kamara 

Ramsey 

Bailey 

Watkins

There are others we should keep and we need, at least for squad depth and with the potential for improvement… but these are the ones we can’t afford to lose if we don’t want to risk decline or regression… imo anyway. These are the players that have given us the most and have plenty more to give…

I’m risking labouring the point but… replacing important players is not quick and easy. Unai had said so himself (posted his comments a few times on the forum).

Completely agree with you on not selling key players, not only for the emotional attachment but also because they are hard to replace.

But others have different opinions and this is the place to have the discussion. Even if it is **** tragic that people would happily see the back of McGinn etc. for some random youngster from abroad!

[gaz90]

1 hour ago, nick76 said:

not specifically linked to Villa though

For those craving transfer speculation, this is who we should be talking about, rather than Conor Gallagher. Much more likely that we have firm interest in Fofana in my eyes, though competition for his signature will be tough.

[VillaChris]

3 hours ago, bobzy said:

There aren’t many footballers out there who play like McGinn and give us what he does. Similar to Watkins. You can replace them both as footballers and there are better midfielders and strikers out there (Luiz is technically superior to McGinn, for example) but for the way in which we play they are almost perfect for us.

Luiz is “just” a good midfielder. You could replace him relatively easily (it would just cost a lot of money). Other players can take free kicks and penalties.

We’ve had periods without Martinez and Luiz this season. Without Martinez, we’ve been poor. Without Luiz we’ve been… the same as usual?

Luiz only missed a few games here and there. He's integral to what Emery wants from us on the ball hence he's never on the bench when fit so that departure would likely hit him the hardest from present group.

I think with Luiz it will simply be the case of two years left and if he doesn't want to sign a new deal next season we'll have to sell him. We got lucky last time when he wasn't interested in joining Arsenal and then signed a new deal with six months left.

He's been with us since 2019 but you wonder if playing for us in the CL might complete his cycle with us especially as he's still not a regular in the Brazil side.

[Jas10]

 

[TheMelvillan]

1 minute ago, Jas10 said:

 

It is an interesting one. I really cant remember Villa ever having a midfielder of that physical stature and attributes. 

[Jas10]

Possibly a part exchange deal that could be done? Offer them the likes of Dendoncker, Chambers, Archer? and some money…

High potential youngster who possesses the defensive qualities that we lack in central midfield…