Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[sheepyvillian]

1 hour ago, useless said:

Williams has said he's happy at Bilbao. He might never leave them for Basque players it's basically like playing for their country, they sell so few players because of this, I think they've only made something like five sales in the last ten years, and because they sell so few players, when they do so, the player being sold will cost more than they usually would, because it's rare they make money by that means. His brother was also constantly linked with a big money away but never did and I'm not sure he ever will now being in his thirties

 

You have to admire that loyalty. I remember how proud Howard Kendall was in having had the privilege of managing Bilbao. 

[paul514]

5 minutes ago, bobzy said:

 

What I meant was the dislike people had for Chelsea potentially doing "deals" with linked clubs (and Saudi clubs) and how it would be terrible for the game etc.  We're doing this now - and, actually, I'm not sure Chelsea have done that at all

Similar whataboutery was put on Newcastle and Saudi clubs because they owned each other and would do dodgy deals which would be corrupt and a way around FFP.

 

Instead, it's Villa doing all the creative accounting that we would obviously have hated if it had been any other club.

What Chelsea did that was special was amortise the contracts over an extended period which no one did before and is now banned.....

The rest of it is standard

[nick76]

1 minute ago, bobzy said:

 

What I meant was the dislike people had for Chelsea potentially doing "deals" with linked clubs (and Saudi clubs) and how it would be terrible for the game etc.  We're doing this now - and, actually, I'm not sure Chelsea have done that at all

Similar whataboutery was put on Newcastle and Saudi clubs because they owned each other and would do dodgy deals which would be corrupt and a way around FFP.

 

Instead, it's Villa doing all the creative accounting that we would obviously have hated if it had been any other club.

I can’t agree.  We’ve done a deal with Juve, a deal with Chelsea and a deal with Everton.  We aren’t linked like the Newcastle/Saudi clubs, yes we are utilising contacts like Nas through Exor panel, to Exor to Agnelli family which is a stretch if that happened.  The rest though are business contacts like Boehly and whoever at Everton and surely when clubs discuss transfers they ask for what they want and then agree a deal that’s best for both parties, which are how transfers have always been done it’s just the PSR factor is included.  The Newcastle/Saudi thing was the same owners moving players between their own clubs.

I thought Chelsea’s amortisation trick was brilliant (given my background in finance) although I wouldn’t have done it like them, as somebody with history of amortisation accounting experience I think it’s a short term fix and you suffer for years afterwards with the burden of amortisation charges to the extent they have done it.  

So I wouldn’t have hated if somebody else would’ve used the rules like we have, I would’ve just been jealous and I guess that’s what rival fans are doing.  We haven’t done anything wrong, which is their gripe and that’s because they are jealous and exaggerating what’s happening.  

We aren’t inflating prices, we aren’t taking players we don’t want, we are just doing the deals within the parameters we are given and doing it in the best contractual form that suits both parties.

[HeroesAndVillans]

Smart signings I think. Young, talented and, as far as I know, good for FFP. Nice business by the club so far.

[rubberman]

35 minutes ago, paul514 said:

What Chelsea did that was special was amortise the contracts over an extended period which no one did before and is now banned.....

The rest of it is standard

And sell a hotel to themselves. 

[paul514]

16 minutes ago, rubberman said:

And sell a hotel to themselves. 

Which is standard loads of clubs have sold physical assets to their parent companies 

[Awol]

Truck load of salt with this one… 

 

[paul514]

1 hour ago, Awol said:

Truck load of salt with this one… 

 

definitely an attacking midfielder rather than a Luiz replacement

[MotoMkali]

Definitely think we need another 2 CMs. 

If we go by our roles

DM - Kamara (Inj) , Barrenechea, Barkley

CM - Tielemans, Mcginn, Barkley, Ramsey 

RM - Bailey, Mcginn, Diaby, Ramsey, Buendia, 

LM - Ramsey, Mcginn, Rogers, Diaby, Iling Jr

CAM - Tielemans, Diaby, Rogers, Ramsey, Buendia 

You could argue that our preferred attacking lineup from last season Bailey, Tielemans, Mcginn which we used vs arsenal and city is currently impossible without playing Barkley in the middle of the pitch. That seems like a serious issue to me. 

It's 10 players for 5 positions at the start of the year and we are going to play over 50 games again. Once we have 2 or 3 injuries all a sudden what looks like a fairly deep roster of talent is very thin. 

Also think among this collection of players it's fairly obvious that Tielemans and barkley are the only ones comfortable with receiving 50 passes a game and progressing the ball with passes and contributing to goals too. Definitely a glaring weakspot in our rotation especially if we want to play one of the 2 at CAM at any point. 

Definitely need at least one more CM if not 2 players. Ideally one of whom is a capable CDM too. 

[bobzy]

12 hours ago, nick76 said:

So I wouldn’t have hated if somebody else would’ve used the rules like we have, I would’ve just been jealous and I guess that’s what rival fans are doing.  We haven’t done anything wrong, which is their gripe and that’s because they are jealous and exaggerating what’s happening.  

We aren’t inflating prices, we aren’t taking players we don’t want, we are just doing the deals within the parameters we are given and doing it in the best contractual form that suits both parties.

I honestly don't think we "want" Lewis Dobbin.  It's entirely a PSR fudge for us and Everton IMO.

[nick76]

10 minutes ago, bobzy said:

I honestly don't think we "want" Lewis Dobbin.  It's entirely a PSR fudge for us and Everton IMO.

Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think we would’ve actively gone after himself in isolation but I think it could’ve been when we knew a PSR deal could be done we have actively analysed who we wanted in their youth department and chose him and they probably did the same with Tim.  

[Shaun Teales Moustache]

38 minutes ago, bobzy said:

I honestly don't think we "want" Lewis Dobbin.  It's entirely a PSR fudge for us and Everton IMO.

If you look at Dobbin's highlights for the season, there are 4 or 5 clips of him against Villa. Could be that they were aware of his talent at underage level and liked what they saw in that game, which was almost exactly what happened with Rogers in the Cup game. 

Some at the club have clearly wanted Rogers since the West Brom days so the impetus to make the deal was certainly more PSR related with Dobbin, but I wouldn't say it's "entirely" a PSR fudge. I can see him fulfilling the role that Emery wanted JPB for last year, which would give him a chance to step up, without relying on him being able to make the jump.

[MaVilla]

Looking at positions needed, looks to me like we need the spine of the team reinforcing.

three core players, Central Defender, Defensive Midfielder, SS/Attacking Midfielder (no.10) needed.

then, possibles are a RB depending on how Emery see's Kosta Nedj fitting in.

the midfield pairing might look a little light, depending on how Barrenechea and Barkley fit in, and how Barkley's fitness holds up, also depends on Tielemans, as he could be used further forward also, meaning the midfield 2 is even lighter on numbers depending on how we set up.

 

(i know some of the players listed can play multiple positons, i just didnt want to list them multiple times).

 

Edited June 24 by MaVilla

[The_Steve]

9 minutes ago, Shaun Teales Moustache said:

If you look at Dobbin's highlights for the season, there are 4 or 5 clips of him against Villa. Could be that they were aware of his talent at underage level and liked what they saw in that game, which was almost exactly what happened with Rogers in the Cup game. 

Some at the club have clearly wanted Rogers since the West Brom days so the impetus to make the deal was certainly more PSR related with Dobbin, but I wouldn't say it's "entirely" a PSR fudge. I can see him fulfilling the role that Emery wanted JPB for last year, which would give him a chance to step up, without relying on him being able to make the jump.

Everton say, give us £5m for Dobbin to help us evade PSR and we will give you £9m for Tim, we will give them both good length contracts to spread the cost. I don't think it was a like for like transaction. 

[bobzy]

45 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think we would’ve actively gone after himself in isolation but I think it could’ve been when we knew a PSR deal could be done we have actively analysed who we wanted in their youth department and chose him and they probably did the same with Tim.  

 

16 minutes ago, Shaun Teales Moustache said:

If you look at Dobbin's highlights for the season, there are 4 or 5 clips of him against Villa. Could be that they were aware of his talent at underage level and liked what they saw in that game, which was almost exactly what happened with Rogers in the Cup game. 

Some at the club have clearly wanted Rogers since the West Brom days so the impetus to make the deal was certainly more PSR related with Dobbin, but I wouldn't say it's "entirely" a PSR fudge. I can see him fulfilling the role that Emery wanted JPB for last year, which would give him a chance to step up, without relying on him being able to make the jump.

 

I'll be pretty surprised if Dobbin makes any league appearances for us this season and I think we'll sign more attacking player(s) in any case.  It worked nicely for Villa and Everton who both had/have financial difficulties.

[villaglint]

9 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Looking at positions needed, looks to me like we need the spine of the team reinforcing.

three core players, Central Defender, Defensive Midfielder, SS/Attacking Midfielder (no.10) needed.

then, possibles are a RB depending on how Emery see's Kosta Nedj fitting in.

the midfield pairing might look a little light, depending on how Barrenechea and Barkley fit in, and how Barkley's fitness holds up, also depends on Tielemans, as he could be used further forward also, meaning the midfield 2 is even lighter on numbers depending on how we set up.

 

(i know some of the players listed can play multiple positons, i just didnt want to list them multiple times).

 

Pray for Kamara! An injury so bad he ceased to exist!

Agree that Tielemans and Barkley might be our options to replace Dougie. Gives me worries, both have form and fitness issues but to be honest anyone we bring in for that role is going to be a risk. Unai the master of course mitigates that risk a bit. 

[MSvillain]

12 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Looking at positions needed, looks to me like we need the spine of the team reinforcing.

three core players, Central Defender, Defensive Midfielder, SS/Attacking Midfielder (no.10) needed.

then, possibles are a RB depending on how Emery see's Kosta Nedj fitting in.

the midfield pairing might look a little light, depending on how Barrenechea and Barkley fit in, and how Barkley's fitness holds up, also depends on Tielemans, as he could be used further forward also, meaning the midfield 2 is even lighter on numbers depending on how we set up.

 

(i know some of the players listed can play multiple positons, i just didnt want to list them multiple times).

 

I had similar to this and the positions needing reinforcement, can’t see another 2 CMs though with Kamara due to come back in Jan, maybe we keep Dendoncker around till then as a last resort

[beasley14]

If people are starting to bitch about us we're doing something right!  About time people were jealous of us.  

[GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS]

Tielemans and Barkley are all very well and good playing the Dougie role in certain situations, however I think Unai likes Tielemans a little further forward sometimes and it would be silly to rely on Barkley to play the same amount of minutes as Dougie did. But I have a feeling we’ll go with those two.

Ideally we need a box to box type, who can dictate the pace of the game, as well as someone who can sit deep and anchor the midfield. 

Think Onana is a smart pick up from Everton. Not sure he’s good enough to be that ‘metronome’ player, but he gives you athleticism, height, energy etc.

[Feidhlim]

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

I honestly don't think we "want" Lewis Dobbin.  It's entirely a PSR fudge for us and Everton IMO.

Agreed. And equally, Unai didn't want Tim