So Jhon Duran has got the move he, or more likely his agent, has longed for and signed for Al Nassr in the totally meaningless Saudi Arabian desert league.
There’s only one reason you’d want to go there and we all know what it is. Money. Boatloads of it.
I’ve seen talk of £300k a week as the basic wages. Get your head around that, just as I am as I type it. Let’s say he’s signed a 3 year deal. That would be just shy of £48 million tax free. While it’s easy to say that he’ll be a rich man wherever he goes or even if he stayed at the Villa, consider that he’ll only be 24 or so when that contract is done. Then the money is earned and he gets the choice of doing what he wants.
Seriously, would you turn that down? I’m not sure I could or would have, looking back at that age.
It is an odd one though. The Saudis are throwing money at all sports to try and improve their image, but when it comes to footy, they generally target superstars who are nearing the end of their career. Are they signing Duran because they believe they can keep him for many years or have they simply seen him as the big name throughout Europe over the last six months? If it’s the latter, we should be grateful just for that extra exposure he gave us, I suppose.
Whatever, while I quite liked Duran as a striker and much better finisher than Ollie, I have no qualms about him going.
To my mind he’s a petulant sort who will never be happy with his lot. I’m guessing that he caused Emery a world of grief with his moaning, which is why we’ve let him go. If Unai couldn’t control or mould him, I pity any other manager who has to try. On the other hand, he was seen handing out gifts to the mere low life staff in the tunnel after the Celtic game and that makes him much more my kind of guy.
While I think he’s made a mistake, where he risks his reputation (any decent striker can score lots in Saudi, surely?) I wish him well. Where he goes from here is a good question. I honestly believe that if he applies himself as much as he can, he’ll become another Harlaand and score loads wherever he ends up. But I’m inclined to think he’ll become complacent and just fade away.
The really big question is who are we looking to spend it on? I’m seeing loads of talk about attackers, but I don’t see it. Maybe one striker , but way more important are defensive players. We’re apparently interested in Rashford and I don’t see that either. Good grief, why would we? Yes, on song, he’s a great player. But he seems to have serious issues and I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole. Then again, there’s been a few instances where I’ve thought Unai was wrong, but ultimately he’s doing a stunning job and you can’t argue with where we are.
Which is 8th in the Champion’s league table. I’m still struggling to get my head around that too. For a neutral, we’re brilliant to watch, but for a fan, we’re a nightmare. It’s a roller-coaster and while we play well at times, so we are awful at others, which leads to me being probably overly-critical. It’s just the frustration in not getting what we want and I guess that’s the difference between a fan and a more knowlegable manager who sees the bigger picture better.
And so onto the Dogheads tomorrow.
Again I’m laughing to myself, as it’s another where I don’t have a clue as to how it’s going to go.
Squad news first and Matty Cash will be out for around a month. If that doesn’t lead to us getting a Right Back in, I doubt anything will, I’ve said all along that I see this as by far the most important position that needs shoring up, but it hasn’t happened. I’m not convinced it will in this window either.
Tyronge Mings is apparently close to being available, but this game is too soon, which contradicts a report I saw saying we’ve underplayed his injury. Ross Barkley is still training on his own and is about a week away from rejoining the squad.
As for Wolves, striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is out and Joao Gomes is suspended after a red last weekend. Carlos Forbes is a big doubt and they have another three or four players unavailable.
Despite a good start under the new manager, Wolves have lost their last four games, with a GD of 1 for and 10 against, which would indicate that having a striker injured doesn’t make much difference.
This ought to be easy really, but it’s a game of jeopardy, where we’re a gift to any team on a terrible run.
I’m tempted to think we’ll tear the heads off those dogs and beat them soundly, say 3 or 4-1.
But I think we’ll look really tired again and will do well to get a win at all.
I’m going for a safe draw. 1-1.
And while I don’t think that is enough for a team aiming at CL qualification, I do think it’s about as much as we can expect if I’m trying not to aim too high. Hence I’d take it as better than nothing.
UTV!
Very pleased with the Window. Of course we don’t know if they will all work, that is rarely true. It has been obvious our front 3 can’t play two high intensity games a week. They fade. Unai now has 2 sets of 3 which he can rotate or perm. I hope the new recruits get match fit fast. We have just about got some cover at centre-back, though anyone not rated good enough for that role at Chelsea gas something to prove.
You bring in 3 times CL winner, pay him £350000 in to stand on the sidelines?
Just what would be the logic to that?
I agree. CL was probably the reason he wanted to come.
Disasi was signed via a dealsheet and the club have officially announced it.
I wonder if we’ll see any of them on Sunday? Spuds must be sh1tting themselves. We need to make ammends for the 3-0 defeat a few weeks ago. A drubbing could see the old skinflint Levy pull the trigger and bring in Rooney. Or Gerrard. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Now the dust has settled – well a little bit – it seems to me that Villa have been very cute in this window.
2 permanent transfers in and three out resulting in an overall profit of around £60m plus saving on wages of say £2 – £3m
3 loans in – in positions we needed to strengthen – and all proven players capable of contributing at the highest level. Just one option to buy and one loan fee but covering the majority of wages – rough cost around £10m
10 players out on loan including Buendia with further saving on wages of say £1m
Very roughly, in PSR terms for this season (when amortisation and saving on outgoing players wages taken into account) must be a profit of between £65 and £70m on top of improving the quality of the squad – and we’re well positioned for the summer window.
For a January window that’s outstanding.
I reckon Monchi’s earned his money this month – should we have doubted him?
Need to correct my last post – got a bit carried away – and forgot to account for Philogene’s re-purchase which was in this financial year not last.
Means the profit is between £50 and £55m – still a great result.
Don’t forget any purchases are spread over the length of the contract too, so this spend may only be seen as £5m per year…And £100m in!!!!! (With all the Duran add ons).
Took that into account Bum Bum – applies to Malen and Garcia but also significantly reduces any monies owing on Duran and Carlos.
A wonderful window. I certainly wouldn’t want to play poker with Monchi that’s for sure.
For me the three to register for the CL are Rashford, Ascencio and Malen. If that is the case then Disasi will have joined knowing this. I’m guessing that Emery will give him plenty of starts in the PL while ensuring that our other CB’s are fit and available for the CL games.
Anyway, great stuff and looking forward to a cracking second half of the season.
Disagree on Disasi if Torres and Mings are iffy. Malen will have to miss out.
Well I would say, following the crucial signing of a much needed, Premier League experienced centre-back, what a window! Lets hope the Spurs game can be the parent of some superstar debuts.
We also signed the young Turkish CB Ozcan. Hopefully one that’s going to pay off in the future.
Maybe we can buy Philogene again when Ipswich get relegated and sell for another profit.🤷♂️
DS – I saw Oscan referred to but never saw his signing confirmed.
Are you sure we signed him DS as I can’t find it recorded anywhere?
https://turkish-football.com/kasimpasa-director-confirms-ozcans-transfer-to-aston-villa/
Amongst other reports. Sorry Hitch, been busy today
Thanks DS – strange that it’s not recorded on the list of January transfers – well not that I could find. I can only surmise because we loaned him back.
We signed him, but he is staying at his current club until the end of this season. Neil
Cheers Neil
Change of team. The Villa U-18s are through to the quarter finals of the FA Youth Cup tonight after coming back from 0-2 against Bristol City with a hat trick from Cotcher (?). If you have Villa TV the highlights will be on tomorrow. The striker has scored in every round, but he is not pictured in the squad so I am not sure of the spelling.
Cotcher is correct OLL
Good win.
Just finished watching Atalanta get knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Bologna. If we do meet them in the last 16 I wouldn’t be shaking in my boots. They play the ball around nicely but they have no cutting edge up front.
BTW Anthony, worst transfer in Man U history so the fans say, now at Real Betis and he played a blinder over the weekend getting MOTM. So , this may bode well for us with Rashford, showing that it’s Man U that is the real problem.