Transfer Gossip 21st Dec 08

December 22, 2008 by Martin Banks
Filed under: Aston Villa, Transfer News

Transfer gossip For years Villa have had the smallest squad in the league, but it has never been much of a problem as back then we weren’t in the UEFA Cup, we got knocked out of the Carling Cup by a lower league side and knocked out of the FA Cup by Man U. The 38 games in the Prem were coped with ably by our small squad (I think in one season we only had 8 players at the club!).

But now the ‘glory days’ are back with us, we find ourselves playing all the bleeding time and those poor old players are getting knackered (it’s a hard life for a footballer y’know, sometimes they have to work 3 hours all in the space of a week!). So we bring in the B-team boys for some of the cup games, problem solved? No. Y’see the thing about the B-team… is they suck! They lost to Hamburg, they lost to Zilina and they lost to QPR. We need better back up.

OK, fair enough, that’s a bit harsh, but the sentiment is right. While we have some players outside the first XI that can do a good job (The Fonz, NRC, Gardner sometimes, Shorey someday, Bouma in Feb-ish), we don’t have a team that can go to Moscow and get a win unless its the same lads who face Chelsea a few days prior. Which means that the January transfer window is a BIG deal around Villa Park. MON knows full well how big a deal this window is for us, but he’s not stupid enough to day it in public. If he were to admit it, he might as well just say to clubs “Stick another million or two on the price cuz we’re DESPERATE to sign your player”.

So who are the players we are rumoured to be looking at now?

Kevin Doyle is settled and happy at Reading now and is enjoying challenging for the Championship, so Villa’s well rumoured target may now stay put this January.
Chances it’ll actually happen: Probably not, he’s top scorer in the league and they’re 2nd now so he’s happy, in the summer maybe he’ll move. (Read more)
The Ashley Young to Real Madrid rumours are refusing to die and now it is being claimed that they will offer £20m plus Van Der Vaart. It’s not going to happen though, Young is essential to our success and we don’t need the money. Martin O’Neill loves him and will do anything it takes to hang on to him.
Chances it’ll actually happen: I’ll let the gaffer answer this one for you: “There’s no way he’s for sale”. (Read more)
Arsenio Halfhuid is a 17 year old Dutch defender who plays for Rotterdam side Excelsior and is touted as one of the country’s top talents for the future. Villa are still very much in need of extra support at the back and MON has shown his liking for young boys (hey, not in the way catholic priests do!).
Chances it’ll actually happen: Very good chance of it. (Read more)
The hottest rumour around at the minute is that England star Jermaine Defoe is to be offloaded by Portsmouth and we are top of the list to secure his signature. While we’re on the phone to Pompey we will also be asking about their young talented right back James Hurst. Hurst is the captain of the England U17s and could be seen by MON as a long term prospect for the number 2 jersey.
Chances it’ll actually happen: Both of them have more chance of first team football at Pompey, but we are sitting 3rd and that can turn many heads, plus they’re both young and both English… O’Neill likes that. (Read more)
Newcastle left winger Charles N’Zogbia is rumoured to be a target but what could a team with Ashley Young would need with a left winger? The answer to that would be to give us the opportunity to rest Young and still have some danger down that side, but The Zog is renowned for being a cry baby when he’s not in the team, so I find it difficult to see MON going through with this.
Chances it’ll actually happen: If anyone could shape him it’s MON but do we want a player who might upset the dressing room atmosphere? (Read more)
Last and least is the rumour that Wayne Routledge is leaving for one of two Championship sides; QPR or Cardiff City. I doubt anyone would stand in his way and not many Villa fans will need counselling to cope with his loss, but myself I’d be happy for him. Routledge is a good player but he ISN’T a Premier League player, if he goes through with this move he could get regular games and be a good player for either of them. Good luck to him I say.
Chances it’ll actually happen: MON was unsure about letting him out on loan so it’s no cert. (Read more)