Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours/Champions League Thread 2024/25

sc86

Villa dont need to money so i dont know why they are selling him and dont look to be make it hard for him to go either.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703912#Comment_117703912

Alot of people saying there was a release clause, which meant the club had very little power over when City made the bit. Probably that will be confirmed or denied at a later stage.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703912#Comment_117703912

How do we not need the money?

We've spent £65 million already, it can't come from the owners back pocket.

Esse85

No point keeping a player who wants to leave.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703912#Comment_117703912

They are Premier League champions, Champions League finalists. We've been in the Premier League two years and scraped by the skin of our teeth the first year and finished bottom half last.

They are selling because he wants to go and win things. Whatever about the clubs ambitions the fact is we are currently a bottom half team and City are Champions and favourites to retain. Whatever about boyhood club its all nonsense when it comes down to it, there's no loyalty in football.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704105#Comment_117704105

He's going because he's broken a transfer record. Money not because we need it because he's made headlines. Hard for him to turn down those headlines tbh. Money as I said

sc86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703987#Comment_117703987

The owners are so rich the 100 million is from the ash tray , not even the back pockets

sc86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704105#Comment_117704105

I understand its a step up without question.

But its like wishing your wife well after she finds better looking , richer man.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704331#Comment_117704331

You've heard of FFP I presume?

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704345#Comment_117704345

I won't be wishing him well, if he's gone, he's gone.

Panrich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703488#Comment_117703488

Do you know, I thought I'd feel worse about this than I do. Sure he is/was our best player by a country mile but we reminded me of the school team with one great player who everyone gives the ball to.

In a way that was always going to be a limiting factor to pushing on as a team. We saw it last season when he was out. All our creativity was lost. Jack played his part in that because he wanted to be at the centre of everything and every move. In the end, teams started to figure out that if you stopped Grealish, you stopped Villa.

Now we have to find our feet without him. I know that Merson said last season that he fears for Villa without Grealish but 100m should be a good enough wedge to improve the squad enough to at least not go backwards especially if that's on top of Buendia and Bailey. I suspect that Bailey is part of that money though.

sc86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704387#Comment_117704387

You think we need to sell grealish for ffp ?

Its basically got scrapped due to covid

sc86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704392#Comment_117704392

Agreed , hope cash breaks him up when we play them

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704404#Comment_117704404

Grealish is being sold because City made an offer, that either met a release clause, or was too good to turn down.

If Grealish had not expressed a desire to leave he wouldn't be.

sc86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704454#Comment_117704454

Yes he clearly wants to go , but whats that got to do with ffp?

LeBash

It's being reported now that it's 75 million with 25 million in add ons.

Sad day for the club but hopefully we have 2 or 3 gems coming through that will ease the blow in a year or 2.

Still holding out hope until I see him pictured holding the Jersey though.

Panrich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704543#Comment_117704543

We've rolled over to have our bellies tickled if that's the case. They paid more than 50m for Kyle Walker.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704511#Comment_117704511

Whether FFP is relevant or not this year, the club is a business, not a play thing or a hobby.

Could we have signed Buendia and Bailey if this wasn't happening?

LeBash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117704552#Comment_117704552

I'm guessing, if its true that the add ons are stuff like, win the league, win a cup etc to keep the remaining transfer fee delayed. Man City are not invulnerable to FFP and while they have made a joke of the rules, they do still need to be seen to walk some form of line.

JPA

Looks like we are going to sign Tuanzebe on loan which I am surprised by.

Patser

My take is that the club accepted the bid as they knew it'd upset Jack not to let him leave - and to avoid a Spurs/Kane standoff situation. But also offered Jack a new contract to stay, so they'd leave the choice with him.

Jack chose City, who if they're willing to spend 100m would probably blow any contract we'd offer out of the water.

Jack will say it's to develop and win trophies, but as I've seen perfectly described on twitter - Winning trophies at City is like losing your virginity to a hooker

Bounty Hunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117705527#Comment_117705527

I am surprised he did not go somewhere where he would be expected to start but maybe he is backing himself to break into our team and tbh he is probably better than most of the people we could sign to be 3rd or 4th choice and since it is a loan and a lad we know it's kinda a no lose situation for Villa.

Also means no money is tied up in a CB purchase right now. Expecting another bid for Prowse very soon. Damsgaard is another I saw linked recently and he does actually play on the left which may make it more viable seeing as both Bailey and Beundia prefer the right hand side not Jack's left flank. Maybe his compatriot Lange can have a word.

OneColdHand

I see Arsenal are stalling over forking out 60million for Maddison. Would be quite funny to nip in there and steal him from under their noses.

60m is probably over priced, but we will have to pay 'Grealish Tax' on anyone we buy.

Maddison + JWP + change would be good business with the 100m

LeBash

Is it official yet?

DM_7

I think Villa could do a lot with the Grealish money supposedly on offer.

Villa are technically owned by an investment group, ownership by such a structure may mean the investment groups ultimate owner/shareholders have huge wealth but would not equate to personal wealth put into the club. They still expect the club to be sustainable. Liverpool's ownership for example does not put money unconditional in, to renovate Anfield they put in money which would help create revenue and a more sustainable position but it was classed as a loan.

In Villa's case you can only sell your stadium to a limited company owned by the same owners of the investment group that owns you the once.

Due to promotion and the need for almost a new team the clubs transfers fees out compared to in's and increased wages required were a massive outlay. Financially lost the guts of 100m in 19/20. The player trading performance is a great example of how tough the move to premier league can be as in that financial year Villa actually lost money on player sales. Only Bournemouth generated less revenue than Villa in 19/20.

At some stage an investment group is going to start looking at its assets (the players) and take opportunities to receive a big fee and use that funds to push forward. This revenue will be important as they try to build the commercial side of the business (which is naturally a lot less developed at a side that were recently in the championship).

As an outsider Aston Villa appear to be well ran in terms of the football side and if Grealish goes they could make this money work for them (maybe to a lesser scale) in the kind of the way Liverpool made the Coutinho money work or Dortmund the Dembele money work. Buandia and now Bailey are transfers sorted before Grealish possibly goes. Ashley Young brings great experience.

OneColdHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117705841#Comment_117705841

Not offically announced yet. But BBC and the Guardian both reporting that he 'looks poised' to sign.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/aug/04/jack-grealish-poised-to-join-manchester-city-from-aston-villa-in-100m-deal

sc86

Sky sports say medical tomorrow.

Did steven gerrards move to chelsea get this far before he changed his mind ha

Even gareth barry gave us 11 years.

Been a long time since we lost a guy at this level , dwight yorke

Esse85

Danny Ings just signed.

sc86

Danny ings just signed , nice one

listermint

That's was completely random and unreported.

sc86

Not a sniff of it anywhere before now , wonder what fee is?

Top player , very happy with that

Bounty Hunter

Wow, did well keeping that one quiet.

Esse85

Yesterday he was 7/4 favourite to join us.

I saw that when I was checking Jacks odds.

ibFoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706458#Comment_117706458

That was literally from nowhere. Seeing £30 million bandied about.

Remember the Unsworth madness? This window (for the last week at least) has out-bonkered that crazy.

remoteboy

30m would be madness. He’s nearly 30 and made of glass. Not happy with that signing at all tbh.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706589#Comment_117706589

Played more games than Grealish last season.

Esse85

Not really sure where I see Ings fit in.

Would of preferred his mate JWP

remoteboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706609#Comment_117706609

That’s a low bar tbf. He pretty much missed all of November, December and January.

artanevilla

I don't think anyone saw that one coming.

ben.schlomo

Where do ye think he fits in the Villa side? Change to 2 up top? Ings as a ten?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706589#Comment_117706589

From guardian article on why city and Chelsea should be looking to pick up Ings, pre villa signing.

Only Kane, Mo Salah (both 41) and Jamie Vardy (38) have scored more goals than Ings (34) across the last two Premier League campaigns. The 29-year-old has scored almost twice as many goals as Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (18) in that time and done so from seven fewer appearances. Injuries were a problem for Ings in the past, but he has only missed 11 leagues games across the last two seasons.

Over the last two seasons, he has the second best conversion rate in the Premier League of the 97 players who have taken at least 50 shots (22.7%). Vardy is a ruthless finisher but he only ranks third, with Alexandre Lacazette top. If playing at Chelsea or City, Ings would only score more. His time at Liverpool probably came too soon in his career, and he wasn’t helped by injuries, but it shouldn’t define him when being considered by richer clubs.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706870#Comment_117706870

More likely that Ings'll be 9 and Watkins would be 10, or wide I'd say. Watkins likes to drop off deep or wide a lot anyway to support play, while Ings will just be sniffing for goals. Could be a good partnership between them.

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706870#Comment_117706870

Ings often played inside left for Southampton.

I could see Bailey on the right, Buendia in attacking midfielder role, with Ollie up top. I suppose the beauty of that 4 is that they are all interchangeable.

CSF

So….we’re gonna win the league?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117707057#Comment_117707057

It's pretty much wrapped up. Have to start looking at champions League city's to book airline tickets. Wheres the next final.

OneColdHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117706999#Comment_117706999

I'd imagine more than anything, it will give us options. If we are playing against a team defending deep where we will have a lot of possession, we play Ings up top.

If we are playing someone like City/Chelsea/Liverpool where we won't have much possession, but are looking to hit them on the break, we play Ollie up top running in behind their defence.

Last season we literally played the exact same formation every time.

sc86

Time to drop wesley to the airport , fire davies in the back seat also

listermint

Romano has confirmed deal done tonight. Medical tomorrow.

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117707600#Comment_117707600

Unfortunately with the injury to Davis, we will probably be stuck with Wesley.

Two really poor players, not cut out for this league at all.

sc86

So its happened.

Hopefully its a disaster and we get him back on the cheap in a year or two.