Despite there being a lack of real news detailing any real progress in terms of Villa transfers, it hasn’t stopped the publication of hundreds of Villa transfer rumour stories (most of them rehashed mutations of each other) doing the rounds. The running theme seems to be patience is needed, before things start to kick into action at the end of the week, with the window opening for real on July 1st.
So far, the main recent transfer rumour concerns apart from the goalkeeping position (with Sam Johnstone still expected to be the number one, at least for next season) are as follows:
Terry Defo Incoming?
Saturday – watch this space. The picture will probably become a lot clearer then, if it’s happening, with there even the chance of seeing JT wearing a new Villa kit. I’ll discuss MOMS actual thoughts on JT elsewhere).
Flinty Business
If Terry comes in, then I’d expect the Daily Mail’s story today putting Villa in the mix for Bristol City’s 6ft 5 centre back Aden Flint to be going up a cul-de-sac.
The 27-year-old is valued, according to the paper, at £4m, with Fulham and Middlesbrough supposedly in the hunt.
Villa would have too many centre-backs on their books with Micah Richards and Tommy Elphick needing to find new clubs, before Villa can entertain any others, especially if Terry does come in.
Gil Tug of War
Before the Villa players are called back to Bodymoor Heath next month to begin their preseason, the fate of Carles Gil will probably have been decided, with either Deportivo La Coruna and Real Betis the likely destination based on reports last week.
Villa are no doubt playing hardball over the price to ensure getting the best deal possible for the 24-year-old, whose reputation hasn’t been too damaged despite a largely unsettled time at Villa.
Recent reports in Spain, suggest that Villa are looking for a figure twice as much as the sub 2m Euro offers that have come in so far for Gil. Will Villa dig their heals in so much that, they’ll let it play out until the end of the transfer window and Gil will be forced back to Bodymoor Heath?
It’s doubtful and maybe self-defeating in the respect of not wanting any bad blood in the preseason training camp, where a promotion-focused squad has to be built asap.
In an ideal world, it would have been good to have Gil in the Villa squad for next season, as he offers the kind of guile that is rare in the division. It ain’t going to happen though, due to both the player’s wish of staying in Spain and also Bruce’s outlook in how Villa are to play.
Euro Hold Out
In other Spanish-related news, Marca reports that Sevilla have offered 6m Euros for Jordan Amavi, a player who admitted he was looking to leave Villa Park in the summer. Villa who paid around 2m Euros more than that, when signing him, will hope to at least get their money back on any deal.
Other clubs interested in Amavi allegedly include: Monaco, Atletico Madrid and PSG.
Certainly this is one that will hot up in the coming days and Amavi might be one of the first out-going players, when the window opens.
False Update
MOMS has recently seen a couple of ‘Glenn Whelan Update’ headline stories on the Birmingham Mail site, yet the stories carried zero actual new information on the situation. It’s still, as is. Villa have reportedly offered £500,000 and Stoke want more for the 33-year-old midfielder. That’s still, the latest!
Downing Downer
If there’s one thing MOMS has lamented over the seasons and that’s some Villa fans having revisionist longing for ex-players. Players that they were happy to see leave, but suddenly are considered as the answer to the team’s problems, for no reason other than some goldfish memory sentimentality.
Case in point, Stewart Downing. Villa bought Downing when he was on crutches, still recovering from a broken leg. Villa showed him a lot of good faith in being patient and helping him rehabilitate. Thus, when he went to Liverpool, two years later, after a U-turn of pledging his future to Villa, he was public enemy number one.
Regardless of that, Downing turns 33 next month, making him another older player (along with Whelan and Terry) looking for decent wages, but only offering a short-term solution.
One, or maybe two, of these players is feasible, but it’s dead money, if no promotion is achieved.
In the case of the left-wing position, it’s preferable to give Andre Green the starting berth, as this would be the perfect division to really blood him in and inject Villa with some pace.
Beard Number Two
Wales international Joe Ledley is meant to be on the radar of various Championship clubs, after being released by Crystal Palace. Villa have been mentioned in the mix for the midfielder, but considering the recruitment last season in the midfield department, it doesn’t seem too likely that Ledley would be a priority.
Whilst there are of course Welsh teammates in the Villa set-up to help bend his ear, the reality is the player would prefer to stay in the Premier League, if possible.
UTV
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