My real issue with Grealish is his temperament. At one point, when villa got to the fa cup final 3 yrs ago, he was the future of that club. He then pissed away a year of his career and acted like a cocky twat. My fear is he could do a Bentley and think he's made it with a big money move and go back to being Billy Big Bollocks. We are better than that and have ditched those with crap attitudes so I would rather not bring one in...especially an overpriced and potentially a over hyped one.
At the risk of bringing the wrath of DH down on me, this is my worry with Grealish. He has had one decent year in the Championship with an expensively assembled side that failed to get promotion, even via the Playoffs! Clearly a talented lad, but comparisons with Dele are way off the mark imho - most importantly in his commitment and temperament. At up to £20m might be worth a punt but wouldn't risk any more.
The guy definitely has ability, but again with him there’s some risks which we have to weigh up. - all of which have been mentioned. The type of player (in terms of his playing style) would be a good addition to the squad, but it’s a case of whether he is the right person to bring those attributes. I like the fact that he can make things happen from a deeper position and he’s intelligent on the ball. He may also gives us an alternative when Eriksen needs a break. But there must be a decent number of similar players out there within our reach who could do the same thing, without the baggage/risk. Tough one, this.
For me, his talent is undoubted. It’s his attitude that’s been his problem most of his short career. He’s now a bit older and hopefully more mature. Plus if Poch gets hold of him, he could turn into some player Worth the risk at the right price!
The Retain/Release list is in Retained Toby Alderweireld Dele Alli Luke Amos Serge Aurier Brandon Austin Keanan Bennetts (extended, presumably because he doesn't join A German Team until 1st July) Jaden Brown (extended) Cameron Carter-Vickers Ben Davies Jonathan De Bie Moussa Dembele Eric Dier Jonathan Dinzeyi Dylan Duncan Marcus Edwards Christian Eriksen Timothy Eyoma Juan Foyth Charlie Freeman Paulo Gazzaniga Anthony Giorgiou Thomas Glover Shayon Harrison (extended) Son Heung-min Tariq Hinds Vincent Janssen Harry Kane Erik Lamela Fernando Llorente Hugo Lloris George Marsh Lucas Moura Georges-Kevin Nkoudou Tashan Oakley-Boothe Connor Ogilvie Josh Onomah Phoenix Patterson Jamie Reynolds Jack Roles Danny Rose Davinson Sanchez Samuel Shashoua Moussa Sissoko Oliver Skipp Kaziah Sterling Japhet Tanganga (extended) Shilow Tracey (offer) Kieran Trippier Jan Vertonghen Michel Vorm (extended) Kyle Walker-Peters Anton Walkes Victor Wanyama Alfie Whiteman Harry Winks Released Ryan Loft Christian Maghoma Luke O'Reilly Joe Pritchard Nick Tsaroulla Scholars Jamie Bowden Rayan Clarke Reo Griffiths (extended) Brooklyn Lyons-Foster Paris Maghoma Dilan Markanday Jeremie Mukendi Jubril Okedina Joshua Oluwayemi Baby Poch Rodel Richards Armando Shashoua Maxwell Statham Maximus Tainio Elliot Thorpe
Grealish was always going to divide opinion so it's understandable for people to not be warm to the idea of him joining due to his off-field antics in the past. It's probably just a case of whether you decide to look past the off field troubles or not. Personally I'm happy to give the benefit of the doubt, I think Bruce came in to Villa at a good time for him and it seems he's matured a lot over the past 12 or so months. Talent-wise I don't think there can be any dispute that he's a player who could add significant quality to the side and also become a much better player in the process.
Sky are reporting that Villa could be wound up as soon as next week and put into administration if they don't pay a 2mil tax bill. They have numerous debts on the horizon and could be forced to sell their biggest earners - Grealish among them. We could easily get him for considerably less than market value if they need the cash quickly.
Since it's been a week since we were linked with a Ligue 1 central midfielder, now it's the turn of Morgan Sanson of professional pisstaker's Marseilles If a deal was possible, and with the combination of Sanson only joining Marseilles last summer coupled with the previous couple of transfer negotiations with OM being enough to dispatch Agent 47 to their boardroom are two obvious things against it, he does have the makings of a player we need as he;s got the control and running of Dembele coupled with some Modricesque passing. But as I say, remembering the farcical negotiations for Batshuayi and GKN, I get the feeling we'd rather tell OM vas te faire encule rather than put up with their ****ehousery again
Sorry DH, but I think that is pushing it. The fella has performed for one season in the Championship in a side brought together at great (possibly terminal) cost to get promoted - and failed! To suggest he would ADD signicant quality to our side is a bit premature. COULD he become that player? Yes, with rhe right attitude and ‘Pochitisation’ - but far from guaranteed. But as I said - at up to £20m he’s probably worth the punt
He was pretty good the season before last but massively stepped up in 17/18 after he came back from injury, really started to control the games and became the focal point of the side, considering he's only 22, it's not often someone that young becomes a team's go-to guy. Even judging from the 6 or 7 games I watched of Villa, he was leagues above anyone on the pitch, both Villa and their opposition. As for the cost of Villa's squad, they've wasted a hell of a lot of money, somewhat similar to us when we went gung-ho with the "magnificent 7". They spent £40m on three bang average strikers in McCormack, Kodjia and Hogan, that's a huge outlay for a club in the Championship, then the likes of Jedinak, Hourihane, Adomah and Terry came in on big contracts for that division. They spent a lot of money but they didn't spend it wisely. And ultimately, despite all the money they've spent in recent years, the one shining light for them was the guy they paid nothing for - Grealish.
There was a story on one of the media sites saying that Villa want £40m but Levy was confident of getting him for £15m, you just know that's the sort of thing Levy would pull off .
There's an obvious counterpoint to those saying Grealish has matured after having a good season in the Championship: Adel Taarabt had a superb season in the Championship back in 2010-11, but that didn't mean he'd matured. Considering how we've been linked with Andre Green on and off for the past two years, as well as how hacks love talking about double deals in spite of the fact they're so rare, I'm surprised no hack has tried running a story about how we're looking to sign Green & Grealish for a combined fee of £25m...
I wouldn't pay more than 20 mill for him. He hasn't been stand out for enough games to be talked of like a Sessegnon, for me. Plus Villa need the money, offer them 5 mill and be done with it.
Villa leaking blood into the pool where the Levy shark has been sighted ?? If Pochettino wants Grealish they may well get Levyed.
I hear the opening gambit is to bombard them with questions of "How's Hutton doing?" every fifteen minutes, 24 hours a day...
Left Back Watch Reports in Portugal (from the imaginatively-titled Record) are linking us with Benfica's Alejandro Grimaldo, who we've been linked to a few times in the past year - although given how cheaply he moved from Barca to Benfica a couple of years ago, I expect a hefty sell-on fee will be involved Departure Watch Eindhoven Dagblad are reporting that PSV are considering a move for Vincent Janssen General Roundup Meanwhile, in other news...oh ****ing hell, we're being linked with Suso again. WHY???
Rumours on Spurs Community, from a confirmed 'ITK', that United have offered £70m for Alderweireld. If true, that's a lot of money.
personally I think we should take that ... Toby is never going to sign a contract with us and we came third and lost just 2 out of the last 20 league games and I think that he only started 2 of those. He is a very good player but as he wants a mega deal that we are not able to agree to I think we should take the money and move on to buy our targets.
