Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[TRO]

13 hours ago, grantholtgolazo said:

Over Unai’s time here and our unprecedented success there’s been no small amount of talk about a long term strategy for the future, growing commercial revenue, villa park renovations, crashing the “sky 6” etc.

I think some anxiety exists due to this longer term project, instead of a pure focus on this new season and champions league there is a background uneasiness of how will we maintain and build on this position to further the project. It’s easy, and accurate, to say Unai deserves our trust, but it’s less easy for some to silence the concern about our longer term position. That concern can appear as negativity but I think it might be more accurate to call it anxiety. It can almost feel like we’re on an hourglass timer desperate to be successful while we have Unai on board.

We don’t like it but despite our finish last year many in football will still see Chelsea as a bigger club, larger revenue, stacked roster & the trophies and results from recent time to back it up. Villa aren’t there yet, we don’t necessarily need to exceed last years results but for the long term project to succeed we need to maintain the level we have reached. I’ll speak for myself and say I’m hopeful and believe we certainly can but I’m not without worry.

This transfer season has seen our squad grow stronger, it remains to be seen how our first team will function. I plan to enjoy this season regardless, I can’t ignore the importance of maintaining momentum with our project, but I’m trying to take it match by match as much as I can in order to savor the position we are in now regardless of our future.

That’s what I do, I take it match by match……and form my opinions, match by match.

I listen to other views, but my views are based on what I see, and usually without any mitigation towards excuses….I call it for what it is without prejudice.

I think unbridled positivity can be as veneer as negativity……I like to embrace a balanced view.

I still feel some folk do get seduced by “names” i.e more what what they have done by what they do,do.

clubs have been caught out, with a similar view.

I feel, Unai has not built his reputation on doing that, as some of our successful managers of the past didn’t.

our business this summer, could be viewed as dull in some quarters, but I would suggest, that many of the players will develop in to stars…and it’s all about the team performance, not just the individual.

Results, will determine, whether we have bought well or not, but my suspicion is the progress will be gradual, and a slow start, could be in store…..I just hope a few more solid players come in.

for me, I just love to see new recruits, get better, incrementally.

Edited August 14 by TRO

[Jas10]

3 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Yes he did but contracts mean nothing in reality.

The Premier League have the super league barrel they are bent over. If you think the rules will be modified and still not benefit those same clubs, then that's very naive.

The PL will do anything to keep the usual 6 teams happy as they are their apparent money makers abroad.

They don't want villa or Newcatle upsetting that. The rules may well be modified but ultimately they will still benefit the usual 6 so they don't walk away to a super league.

Those clubs will always be favoured to an extent but there may be more scrutiny and heavier punishments to discourage much of the crap that has been going on.

Let’s see what happens to City…

I see Unai as happy and fully invested here, we’ve already broken in and I don’t see us going backwards.

To each their own, but I’m hopeful and optimistic and won’t let external stuff get me down. I love everything about our club… and I think Unai does too.

We’ve just had two of the best seasons ever or in the modern age, playing wonderful football (the best I have seen). I am massively encouraged and want to enjoy this rather than fret and worry needlessly. 
 

[osmark86]

18 minutes ago, Tayls said:

Says you with the Twitter spam. 
Posts reported. 

You alright?

[Kiwivillan]

At least people will stop blaming the club and management over lack of signings now. We still have massive advantage with Emery and Co 

[Jas10]

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

That’s what I do, I take it match by match……and form my opinions, match by match.

I listen to other views, but my views are based on what I see, and usually with any mitigation towards excuses….I call it for what it is without prejudice.

I think unbridled positivity can be as veneer as negativity……I like to embrace a balanced view.

There is zero unbridled positivity… everyone has thoughts, concerns and doubts to varying degrees but if we can’t be be positive and optimistic now… then when? There is so much more justification to be than there has been for a long, long while. Everyone bears some scars from the bad experiences of the past following this club, especially through its miserable decline. But our rise has been impressive and staggering. If a fan can’t be happy now… when can they be???

 

For many, there is unbridled negativity though… there is a section of the fanbase that really lets us down.

[Jas10]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

At least people will stop blaming the club and management over lack of signings now. We still have massive advantage with Emery and Co 

Unfortunately, I don’t think it will stop some… hopefully it will reduce it significantly.

A few idiots questioning Unai’s position if we don’t make a “great start”

 

Yep, Unai is the key. Vidagany said we are lucky to have one of the world’s best managers

[CarryOnVilla]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Being punished for success and hindered for ambition.

Fantastic 

As good as the rules sound on paper, they’ve really turned football in to a static state world. Because it just doesn’t allow for any upward mobility. So we get the same 6 clubs getting the same success and in return the commercial gains as they did when the rules came in. The Villas, the Newcastles the Evertons, the Nottinghams have to bend or break the rules just to come close to getting in to that financial safe space that the rules have created.  Even if you’re a club that breaks in to that safe space, you have very little time to work on increasing commercial revenue to match with the other clubs inside that space. Gaining commercial deals is a slow and cautious process. If you’ve not been a “winner” for years, you not going to get the best deals, but to be that level of a winner you need them deals to pay for it.  

between the rules and commercial pressures, We got a football world that always falls back in a status que.   

Dream killer

[Hank Scorpio]

Ite incredible how getting into the champions league has meant we have had to sell a key player rather than improve the first team squad. Literally defeats the object of the whole thing.

What a farce.

[sharkyvilla]

26 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

Yeah, I’d always kind of bought into the rumour that part of it was because he wasn’t signing a new contract so we’d planned for it and were happy for it. If they’re saying no, we would have kept him  and he would have been happy to stay were it not for PSR…its gutting.

Both things can be partly true.  Maybe we opened contract talks and realised if we offered Doug a new contract he would want £160k-£200k a week plus, as befits a player of his status these days, but that would cause us problems with the UEFA rules eventually.  In which case it was better to sell him in June rather than let it drag on.  We really needed that money coming in sharpish.

It's why I think Kamara will go next summer.  He will be down to 2 years on his contract and I think he is already one of the best-paid players and a new contract would mean even more, plus everything will be profit as he was a free transfer.

[PerryBarrPet]

1 hour ago, Jas10 said:

Appreciate these interviews… a lot of info from Vidagany. Sounds quite frustrated with the rules too.

Monchi on the window:

”We will continue to work until the last day.”

 

They all say very much the same and while there is truth in it I am starting to believe they all doth protest too much. 
Rather convoluted thinking but would help to keep transfer prices as low as possible.

[TRO]

12 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

There is zero unbridled positivity… everyone has thoughts, concerns and doubts to varying degrees but if we can’t be be positive and optimistic now… then when? There is so much more justification to be than there has been for a long, long while. Everyone bears some scars from the bad experiences of the past following this club, especially through its miserable decline. But our rise has been impressive and staggering. If a fan can’t be happy now… when can they be???

 

For many, there is unbridled negativity though… there is a section of the fanbase that really lets us down.

Ok Jas let me answer you….but it’s not appropriate in this thread.

I will send you a PM, as some might find it boring.

[Kiwivillan]

13 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

and I think he is already one of the best-paid players

He is the highest paid from what I've seen if you trust the sources on £160k per week despite the Digne jokes. This is before Watkins upgraded contract so don't know if he was matched or higher

[Jas10]

 

[chrisvilla4]

17 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Ite incredible how getting into the champions league has meant we have had to sell a key player rather than improve the first team squad. Literally defeats the object of the whole thing.

What a farce.

Totally this; you'd expect it would have attracted a higher calibre of player with not many wanting to leave. Something is seriously broken. 

[HalfTimePost]

But everyone was so confident saying we weren't selling Diaby for some form of FFP reasons

[rubberman]

23 minutes ago, CarryOnVilla said:

The Villas, the Newcastles the Evertons, the Nottinghams

 

[jacketspuds]

3 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

But everyone was so confident saying we weren't selling Diaby for some form of FFP reasons

Yeah it sounds like we had to, but at least we got a very good deal for him and I’m just pleased it didn’t have to be Konsa, Watkins or Martinez.

[HalfTimePost]

1 minute ago, jacketspuds said:

Yeah it sounds like we had to, but at least we got a very good deal for him and I’m just pleased it didn’t have to be Konsa, Watkins or Martinez.

Going to be somebody next year. We get, what:

- £40m for Champions League

- £20m Betano / Adidas

That covers Dougie. We'll still need to sell somebody to the value of Diaby next summer, assuming we didn't increase wages this summer and that we manage to qualify for Champions League again

[jacketspuds]

1 minute ago, HalfTimePost said:

Going to be somebody next year. We get, what:

- £40m for Champions League

- £20m Betano / Adidas

That covers Dougie. We'll still need to sell somebody to the value of Diaby next summer, assuming we didn't increase wages this summer and that we manage to qualify for Champions League again

Ramsey is the one that, sadly, makes the most sense from a PSR perspective.

EDIT - Would selling Kamara be good for PSR?

Edited August 14 by jacketspuds

[sne]

Just now, jacketspuds said:

Ramsey is the one that, sadly, makes the most sense from a PSR perspective.

Kamara or Tielemans too. Watkins or Martinez if we are desperate and feels we have to sell while their value is still at it's highest.