Bruno Fernandes

[Metalhead]

The problem that is skimmed over regularly is that we don't really know what Poch asks for, either. People would put 2 and 2 together and say "GLC is Argentinian, so Poch obviously wants him", but he might be not be his first choice. A bit like how Messi would be Poch's dream signing, but he's not his first choice because he's not available, but then if he actually became feasible, that would change the situation on who his first choice was, etc.

A lot of confirmation bias goes on, and as much as people like to point and blame Levy for his behavioural patterns, lots of people like to casually ignore Poch's track record on players too. We shouldn't assume that Poch wants the option we see as best, and people would probably change their stance on getting him 'who he wants' if it turned out to be players like Ballotelli.

It was much easier with Redknapp as he had no mind/mouth filter in from of a sky sports mic.

For sure - that's why I don't want to necessarily have a pop at Levy without knowing the full circumstances with Betis. Regarding GLC, I see what you're saying but it seems fairly certain that GLC is a target I would say. Certainly Poch seemed frustrated the other day and the way that he was talking, it was more than just constantly being asked about transfers.

 

[fletch82]

The point is they are showing ambition and backing their manager which does not seem to be the case at Spurs hence Poch is frustrated... The guy has made the club maybe £200+ million and deserves more from Levy

No I get the point I just disagree that villa are doing anything more than what was necessary.

They spent 100 million on 900 players and had to due to loans ending and pl loan rules plus not having much of a squad left.

We are looking at spending more than that on just a cpl of players not just buying cheap sandwich fillers.

It's not like popping down the high street to buy a watch.

With that comes the difficulty that the type of players we want have more choices want huge signing on fees huge wages and have a leech that also wants six figures for holding their hand through the process.
Plus the greed of all clubs selling to a premium club to deal with.
Lo celso looks great but is he really a 80 million pound player ?

Fernandes great stats but in a tin pot league will it transfer ?
The risks against the prices for spurs are enormous so as much as I want us to sign these type of player I get not just saying fuck it ok heres another 20 mill.

Our fans as I have witnessed are not the most patient bunch either spend 80 mill on 1 player and he does not settle instantly RIP the league to bits and loads are up in arms.

The club have to deal with all this and calculate the risk against the possible reward.

Villa just needed some ham and a pot of jam.
No insult to villa intended

 

[Supersi32]

For sure - that's why I don't want to necessarily have a pop at Levy without knowing the full circumstances with Betis. Regarding GLC, I see what you're saying but it seems fairly certain that GLC is a target I would say. Certainly Poch seemed frustrated the other day and the way that he was talking, it was more than just constantly being asked about transfers.

It's frustrating for everyone but either do or don't do, there is no try...

 

[Palmer Stoat]

It's frustrating for everyone but either do or don't do, there is no try...

Correct, you are.

 

[scat1620]

It's frustrating for everyone but either do or don't do, there is no try...

That's how I judge transfer windows: have we improved relative to our rivals or not? Last season we definitively went backwards in terms of the quality of our squad relative to the teams around us, and come the start of this season there will be no prizes for noble failures or rationalisation of inactivity - we either improve the squad or we don't, and we simply have to find a way to do it this year. Excuses won't cut it.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

That's how I judge transfer windows: have we improved relative to our rivals or not? Last season we definitively went backwards in terms of the quality of our squad relative to the teams around us, and come the start of this season there will be no prizes for noble failures or rationalisation of inactivity - we either improve the squad or we don't, and we simply have to find a way to do it this year. Excuses won't cut it.

Winnered this despite your strange looking eyes

 

[Deleted member 27995]

That's how I judge transfer windows: have we improved relative to our rivals or not? Last season we definitively went backwards in terms of the quality of our squad relative to the teams around us, and come the start of this season there will be no prizes for noble failures or rationalisation of inactivity - we either improve the squad or we don't, and we simply have to find a way to do it this year. Excuses won't cut it.

You've always got Luton, mate.

 

[nedley]

I think the thing is though that the standard of players Villa needed to get that would improve them is a lot lower than the standard of players we should be aiming for to improve us.

It’s a lot more tricky to secure the likes of Ndombele, Lo Celso, Sessegnon and Fernandes compared to the players they were in for (no disrespect as I think Villa have made some good signings mind, but at present we’re aiming for different things).

It's all relative.

The simple point I'm making is that we should be backing Poch or he will leave.

Selling great players and replacing with high calibre players without adding quality is not mentality of a team looking to challenge for the PL title.

 

[C0YS]

Probably won’t hear til Monday now

I personally think this is a game. Get us to lower the Eriksen price to sell. I also think Eriksen will sign a new deal, I genuinely believe he will hold onto his word, and Poch doesn't like uncommitted players. I think Eriksen is simply delaying to put pressure on us to lower our valuation.

 

[C0YS]

It's all relative.

The simple point I'm making is that we should be backing Poch or he will leave.

Selling great players and replacing with high calibre players without adding quality is not mentality of a team looking to challenge for the PL title.

We should be, but within reason. We can't set a precedent of crumbling and paying over the odds. Sometimes you need to play a bit of poker. No its frustrating, and sometimes you lose but it does sometimes need to be done.

Its worth noting that all the top 6 have struggled to make deals this summer (except maybe Arsenal) and lower in the table to.

In the last years we were by far the financially weakest team in the top 6, and we just couldn't compete with the prices going round. Ok, teams bellow us spent much more, but largely high numbers on players who were just not good enough.

Its really much easier to buy players when you are at a lower level. We have now reached the point were 90% of targets are all followed by the same teams. These days we can compete and I actually believe we will rap up two signings, probably on the last few days. Its just poker.

 

[wrd]

I personally think this is a game. Get us to lower the Eriksen price to sell. I also think Eriksen will sign a new deal, I genuinely believe he will hold onto his word, and Poch doesn't like uncommitted players. I think Eriksen is simply delaying to put pressure on us to lower our valuation.

It's a game alright, I just think the clubs have no idea what pieces are theirs, what pieces they want and what actions they'd like to make happen.

 

[sausage]

For sure - that's why I don't want to necessarily have a pop at Levy without knowing the full circumstances with Betis. Regarding GLC, I see what you're saying but it seems fairly certain that GLC is a target I would say. Certainly Poch seemed frustrated the other day and the way that he was talking, it was more than just constantly being asked about transfers.

Yes of course, but if we signed, say, Dybala/Bruno/Zaha over GLC then I wouldn't see it as not necessarily failing to get who he wants (because we don't know whether GLC is someone he wants over the others).

I am a bit nervous over signing 'single season performers' since he wanted Janssen, mind.

That's potentially where £60m+ on a Zaha/Dybala looks a bit more reliable than £60m+ on Bruno/GLC, as I'm not sure if they look good over the back of one season (not heard of either before we were linked).

 

[DONOS10]

 

[barry]

We're bidding at least. Good sign this will happen

 

[JR1994]

We're bidding at least. Good sign this will happen

We bid for Lo Celso weeks ago haha

 

[EastLondonYid]

Rumours in Portugal RM are in for him today.

 

[Timberwolf]

Bloody Madrid. Not linked all summer then come barging in the second we show an interest.

Hopefully it's just noise and the Portuguese journos are trying to manufacture a bidding war or scare us into increasing our bid.

 

[Deep Left]

I can understand this guessing and waiting game to try and get a cheaper fee.
But it just feels all too familiar and that we will miss out but 'we tried' .

I hope the talk of Real Madrid coming in, like someone else posted, is for us to sell Eriksen to them at a cheaper price....which we should do.
I think eriksens mind isn't in it anymore and Fernandes and Lo Celso are the perfect replacement. Please Levy. I'm anxious ??

 

[Timberwolf]

That sounds realistic. I think we'll have to go to around €55M + €10M of fairly achievable add-ons to get him.

Apparently Sporting are desperate to save face after their big rivals Benfica sold Felix for €120M. If we do get him I wouldn't be surprised if we even include a few extra, more difficult, add-ons so they can announce the deal as something massive like €70M to appease the fans.

 

[WiganSpur]

I don't think that's a bad offer to be fair.

I can just see us getting backed into a corner a little bit with 5 days to go now. We're either going to have to end up paying the going rate or signing nobody.

It's really frustrating when we leave things this late. Surely so much risk involved if a deal breaks down late on, no time to resurrect or move onto alternative targets. It's not as if we need to wait for players to say yes anymore, according to the ITK we are first choice for many.

So with that being said literally the only reason for doing this is to save a few quid. I'm fine with it as long as we are prepared to meet asking prices eventually, but i'm yet to be convinced that we are.