Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[Marka Ragnos]

If we went ahead only with the players we have now, I think we would stay in the top 4 and maybe even improve on that. I really think Emery would find a way to re-craft the tools and resources he's got and make a new yellow submarine, I really do believe that. He's not a "miracle worker." He's meticulous -- an educator who motivates by showing players their best selves and getting total buy-in from them. A transfer halt now is not what is going to happen (we know a few more players are coming and going), but remembering our core strength bears serious, serious reflection as a reality check, even as we teeter and bemoan and explode with the inevitable late-summer anxiety.

High transfer activity = longer bedding in

No way around it. There's only one road to Mordor, and it's a rocky one. But let's not forget the our preseason has been 100% experimental squads and it kind of needs to be for now for a lot of good reasons that aren't hard to understand.

Edited August 4 by Marka Ragnos

[Leeroy]

Going off friendly results we're more likely to be in a relegation battle than chasing top 4 this season.

 

Hopefully we see some new quality faces soon.

[Tommo_b]

10 hours ago, DakotaVilla said:

So no stats then. Just your opinion and then you just make up a random 85 percent basis - hilarious  

Stats are there, you’ve been on this forum, you’ve seen them, sure you read football news as well, I have no need to bother indulging you. 

[MattVillaPortsmouth]

For me, we really need a Dougie replacement, until Kamara is fit our midfield will struggle - it’s Onana plus one at the moment, for the double pivot - until that’s sorted I fear this will be our undoing - I personally don’t see Tielemans being anywhere near good enough, nor Barkley and Enzo is relatively untested.  Back up/Alt forward also needed, archer is just too far off the quality.

So 2 in, with 2 out of permanent and 2 loans would be my guess for the next 2 weeks.

[Demitri_C]

Even for friendlies - one goal in three  is pretty poor. We can see where thw problema lie in this team a concern ive highlighted a few times 

[Made In Aston]

6 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I don't think anyone else signs before pre season starts. Question is when Martinez Konsa and Watkins return does that makes us ready for WHAM? The defence so far looks very uncomfortable. 

I think after a few pre-match drinks down at Club Tropicana then the players will be ready.

[romavillan]

40 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

I think after a few pre-match drinks down at Club Tropicana then the players will be ready.

That reminds me of the best bit of graffiti I ever saw. After George Michael had smashed his expensive motor into the chemists in Hampstead someone just wrote 'WHAM' on the chemist wall.

[bobzy]

7 hours ago, Tayls said:

The ‘it’s pre season’ stuff is silly at this point. We play a premier league game in 13 days time. Sure we haven’t once played the side that is going to be our main starting 11 this pre season, but I’m worried about our options in some areas. 

It is silly. Every other team is doing the silly pre-season stuff too.

We don’t even have our full strength side available yet. What’s the panic all about?

[Monkeypuzzle]

People are worried about our lack of goals in the States, but we only played our 3rd, 4th and 5th choice strikers so far in preseason. We have also been lacking our best defender and goalkeeper, whilst focusing on having a mix of youth and experience on the pitch at any one time. We put out our strongest eleven so far for the first half yesterday and they didn't concede and hit the post twice. I'm not particularly concerned.

[useless]

My wishlist for the coming week

Duran and Felix sagas sorted one way or another

Diego Carlos sold, and any others that are for sale

New central defender, and attacker, maybe two attackers if Duran does leave, perhaps one of them would be more of a 'project player'

A goalkeeper and rightback still a possiblity - although we're getting mixed messages on rightback situation

We've bid for Mason Cotcher, so hopefully that gets sorted as looks a top prospect

[Zatman]

5 hours ago, villan95 said:

Tielemans, McGinn and Barkley can all do this

Not on level Luiz could

[Demitri_C]

57 minutes ago, bobzy said:

It is silly. Every other team is doing the silly pre-season stuff too.

We don’t even have our full strength side available yet. What’s the panic all about?

Probably the lack of goals

[OutByEaster?]

In terms of what's left to do, I think 'Outs' are important - there are several players that will need to be moved on and several that could do with loans - I think as a basic, we need another CB and a centre forward to replace Duran when he goes. If Carlos goes, we'll need another CB on top of that (or perhaps a RB/CB hybrid), and if the manager feels he can add a luxury player that can take us up a notch (a Felix) then there's certainly no harm in it.

Central defence and centre forward are obvious needs though.

[Demitri_C]

The duran deal being rejected has really delayed things.  Was a fair offer from them now we have to see where this drags on.

 

[andym]

I think the difficulty with the CB position is that unless we get rid of Carlos, we probably aren't going to be able to get a proper top level starter as we won't be able to afford it.

We have 4 'starting' CBs in terms of financial outlay, its just unfortunately one is coming back from a serious injury and who knows how he's going to be, and one, although has shown moments of quality, is overall far too unreliable for what he's cost (another Gerrard special).

I dont think theres really any side that carries 5 starting CBs; we're probably going to be looking at another Lenglet type loan to cover Mings given his fitness concerns, or possibly we have one of the youngsters breaking through?

At least we have 2 RBs now so hopefully means less shifting of Konsa out there

 

[sne]

Bayer Leverkusen have 4, possibly 5 CB's I'd love Villa to have. They seem to be able to keep their team together so far which is nice to see.

Edited August 4 by sne

[Hank Scorpio]

1 hour ago, useless said:

My wishlist for the coming week

Duran and Felix sagas sorted one way or another

Diego Carlos sold, and any others that are for sale

New central defender, and attacker, maybe two attackers if Duran does leave, perhaps one of them would be more of a 'project player'

A goalkeeper and rightback still a possiblity - although we're getting mixed messages on rightback situation

We've bid for Mason Cotcher, so hopefully that gets sorted as looks a top prospect

Most of that won't happen in a week. Massively optimistic I think.

[jacketspuds]

Before the window closes I would love to see Kilicsoy, Felix and a CB signed, with Dendoncker, Moreno, Archer, Diego Carlos and Duran leaving.

If Duran stays then we don’t need to go after someone like Kilicsoy.

[villan95]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

Not on level Luiz could

Fair enough, personally I've always thought McGinn was best at setting the tempo for us and more creative than Luiz too

Edited August 4 by villan95

[Jas10]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

The duran deal being rejected has really delayed things.  Was a fair offer from them now we have to see where this drags on.

 

Mate, you keep saying this but you and we have no idea of the structure of that offer/deal and the payment plan. They could have been offering a pittance up front and the rest in instalments that would’ve taken a long time or even been conditional. What if he twerks for another move in Jan or next summer and we miss out on funds or there is another delay there?

We don’t know better than the management or recruitment team. If a deal doesn’t make sense or isn’t good enough, I’m happy that we aren’t going ahead or being taken for a ride. That’s happened a lot in the past because we’ve had idiots in charge in the past, that’s no longer the case.

Trust in the club, trust in the manager - they deserve it and know what they’re doing and that’s a hell of a lot more than us.

Why should we sell anyone on the cheap or be in a rush to do so? Any deal has to suit us first. It’s wise to extract the most out of sales that we possibly can and then use those funds to help strengthen the team.

If we know we can get better or more, why not hold out for that rather than undersell? We have time and probably more interest in the player too… they know what’s going on, we don’t.

Edited August 4 by Jas10