In terms of incoming transfer links to Aston Villa today, on top of the Birmingham’s standard multiple Henri Lansbury stories, it seemed that media outlets were running stories to dismiss their earlier stories on supposed Villa targets that had little logic to them in the first place.
One mooted name even managed to sign for a new club, so we don’t have to hear his name mentioned again.
Speaking of which…
Cleverley Joins New Club After Unlikely Villa Link
After Everton signed Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin for a fee rising to £24m, there was always going to be a midfielder or two making way, and when Premier League clubs outside the top six are linked by newspapers, Villa are seemingly thrown in the mix two.
But were the likes of Everton’s James McCarthy or Tom Cleverley in their prime ever going to trade in the Premier League for a loan spell of Championship football? MOMS previously said it was very unlikely indeed and Cleverley has been the first to prove this by today joining Watford on loan until the rest of the season.
Red Herring Rhodes
As MOMS stated early, logically it was unlikely that Villa would look to splash another £10m on a striker in the form of Middlesborough’s Jordan Rhodes. The Birmingham Mail today printed this oxymoron:
‘Middlesbrough have not received any bids for in-demand forward Jordan Rhodes.’
In-demand? But no bids…
Schlupp Up
It’s been reported that Crystal Palace have moved to the front of the queue in terms of enlisting the services of Leicester City winger Jeffrey Schlupp. It’s not clear if there was actually any serious Villa interest in the winger, but the price tag of £12m always made him unlikely.
All Roads to Hull Blocked
Hull maybe the City of Culture for 2017, but it’s unlikely Villa will be buying any of their players to improve the midfield culture at Villa Park. MOMS thinks this was just the BBC’s Pat Murphy putting an end to lazy journalism links, but worth repeating here:
No chance of @AVFCOfficial moving in on Clucas & Livermore of @HullCity because the owner simply wouldn’t sell to a Steve Bruce club.
— Pat Murphy (@patmurphybbc) January 12, 2017
Cairney Believe it Will Happen
Speaking of lazy links to players who played for Bruce at Hull City, some media outlets are trying to link Villa with Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney to a move to Villa. Search back three days and all the reports were linking Cairney with a move to Newcastle and that it was going to cost £10m for it to have any chance to happen.
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic recently said: “Tom Cairney is so important to us. I’m going to guarantee he’s going to stay with us.”
It doesn’t sound like someone who will let Cairney go easily.
Conspiracy theory: do papers run stories with players and then switch the club linked every few days!?
Mr Popular
Derby and Birmingham local press will be delighted that they can write even more stories to add their their almost obsessive coverage of Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury.
According to Derby boss Steve McClaren, speaking at his latest pre-match press conference, nothing has been signed off on Lansbury, although the midfielder is still expected to sit out Forest games in the immediate future.
Here’s what McClaren said on the matter:
“I find that strange (reports of him signing for Villa). We have heard nothing of that.
“We made an enquiry and bid a couple of weeks ago, and I think there is turmoil going on at Forest at the present moment in terms of a takeover.
“So I think everything is up in the air in terms of Nottingham Forest and Lansbury. We are just keeping an eye on the situation.
“As I say, I don’t think anything will be sorted until the club knows who the new owners are going to be.”
UTV
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At this stage the question of whether or not we’ll go up seems to answer its self, we wont. Quite simply,bcurrent side isn’t a bad Championship side, but not good enough to go up. Probably wont reach play offs.
With 3 or 4 quality signings it could be achieved, but at the least he midfield needs 2 quality signings and the ANC has left the forward line looking a bit light weight.
It was always going to cost, and I amongst others thought the Dr was up for it. So far, it seems not.
another good article from moms, I cant believe we have only signed a keeper on loan going into a big game on Saturday, and I don’t think forest will let Lansbury go, maybe sb thinks this dier squad is good enough. OMG
The owner said yesterday that they are pursuing 8 players, hope to get 3 and 4 would be good.
SO SB is well aware the squad needs strengthening. Why attack Bruce? Fact is we are not a club people want to go to. Schlupp is staying in the PRemiership with Palace. WHy should he come to a club 12th in Divison 2?
TRevor
Villa “swoop” for various names and don’t actually get any breadcrumbs!
1 loan signing and nearly halfway through the window. Not good enough, signing for Villa doesn’t seem to appeal to many players in spite of Dr Tony’s 5 year plan!
My way of thinking is we have one lone signing and i can;t see anymore coming in nobody wants to play for us.We are still trying to do things on the cheap and will say that if Dr Tony Xia as real ambitions for our great club and live up to us fans expectations he needs to take a very hard look at those he as put in charge of running the club at board level.They seem to have the same mind set of the boards Randy Lerner put in charge no ambition to take the club forward to promotion to the league we should be playing in.
the only reason the media run these stories is that fans read them. The only facts are players signing. We have signed one loan goalkeeper. Anything else is rubbish.
Simple way to stop these stories – don’t publish them and don’t read them.
However Xia promises 4 according to the Express and Star last night. So that’s a story. Xia making promises. And that can be tested against the facts.
Trevor FIsher.