Villa have been hit by three transfer market knockbacks as Martin O’Neill attempts to strengthen his squad.
The club have been told by Chelsea that long-standing target Shaun Wright-Phillips is not for sale.
Ann they have learned Le Havre keeper Steve Mandanda will cost £2m if they want to turn his trial into a permanent move.
Villa also appear to have moved their sights away from Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen after learning the 32-year-old would cost £2m-plus – despite having just a year left on his contract.
O’Neill has courted Wright-Phillips since January when he had a loan enquiry turned down.
Villa have waited patiently for another chance and they would probably be prepared to pay around £10m for the England international.
But they haven’t yet received any encouragement from Stamford Bridge.
It seems the only way a deal could be struck at the moment is on loan.
Even then there could be difficulties with Wright-Phillips’s estimated £60,000 a week wages a possible stumbling block.
O’Neill is understandably reluctant to upset team spirit by bringing in newcomers on much bigger sums than current top earners.
It all adds up to a frustrating time for O’Neill and the fans anxious to see new faces added to the arrival of Nigel Reo-Coker.
“We’re definitely trying to strengthen, but I can’t say I’m in the throes of signing someone in the next 24 hours,” admitted O’Neill. “But we have a number of things on the go.”
Meanwhile, contrary to reports elsewhere, Villa sources say they have no interest in FC Copenhagen defender Brede Hangeland.
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17 Comments
I understand money is not an issue for Villa now! why do we appear to be backing off from players that we think are too exspensive? 2m is not small change but in footballing terms, its a steal for a keeper of Jussi’s quality. Come on Villa, Us fans have been waiting for this so called revolution for a long long time.I dont want us to be held to ransom, but at present if we wont pay for the quality player there is plenty of other willing big spender’s around.
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Why are we baulking at £2M for players? Jussi is a class keeper and would make a difference next season.
Mandanda would just be a straight replacement for Olenjek who was a third choice anyway.
We need several players in before the season begins otherwise we will be struggling a few months into the season when injuries and suspensions kick in. Ideally we want 1 or 2 right backs; another centre back (not Gardner); midfielder; keeper and a top notch striker.
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we may have some money to spend but its the same old story, villa release a load of players and go into the season grossly undermanned. you cannot expect to compete with the teams around the top 8 unless you have a squad with strength in depth. villa are obviously not making themselves an attractive outfit to any possible targets. we have a top quality manager and an owner who wants to take the club forward but the midlands seems to be somewhere that players drive past on their way up to manchester or down towards the capital. a change is needed soon.
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Or this is all just paper talk and there’s not an ounce of truth in it?
MON is no mug and knows what is required to make us succesful, im confident that we’ll be happy with our squad come the start of the summer.
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Perhaps you guys shouldn’t be so gullable as to believe everything that you read. Where are the quotes?! There has been no talk of signing jussi for weeks now and what is the point of signing an old goalkeeper when we have Tommo who has just had an awesome season. This makes no sense to me, and when it comes to Mandanda noone knows much about him anyway and he can’t be that great if teams like Marseille have retracted the interest.
I had started to doubt whether SWP at Villa Park with a lack of stories linking him recently which is a real shame! I had hoped to see him lining up at VP next season, but let’s just wait and see…MON knows what he’s doing.
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Well said Mick, nice to see common sense. Paper talk is just that, only MON and Randy’s team know whats going on. I’ve got faith in them.
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Shut up whinging… you Villa fans should be greatful you are still a premiership team. What a joke Martin O’neil and his transfer policy is. Villa will be lucky to avoid relegation this term…..
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Let me guess Craig your a jealous bluenose…there will be one team relegated from Birmingham next season but it wont be Aston Villa!!! lets just wait til the season starts when weve brought all our players and all these paper stories are shown to be rubbish just like mr Bruce and his 2nd rate team!!
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Craig. who do you support? on what basis do you say we should be grateful to be a Premiership team? on what do you base your view of MON’s transfer policy?
We finished mid-table last season, no where near the relegation zone. Regarding transfers, MON has disposed of a lot of players but of those that have left I think only Steven Davis is of the quality we may miss assuming replacements are signed. There are still several weeks to go till the close of the transfer window so MON’s transfer policy has not really been fully revealed to anyone yet. Lets wait and see. Lerner & Co have promised STEADY improvement on and off the field they have already done more in a year than Deadly did in 20, let’s be patient.
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Amen to Kelv and Mick. Craig, you have no idea what you are talking about. We have been in the premiership since its inception, and we WILL be foreva. how’s your trophy cabinet coming along there Craig? ooo wait..sorry to bring up such a topic.
As far as MON is concerned he knows what he is doing. IN MARTIN O’NEILL I TRUST.
Ps- All this article is Rubbish, pure and simple. MON has been attacked since day one of the transfer window, maybe not directly attacked but covertly and subliminally.
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leave it to mon he will sort it ive no doubt i applaud the fact that he wont let the club get ripped off,to often we have before .think not that far back balaban being one great example,dont lets just sign anyone for the sake like some clubs seem to be doing lets get what we want.
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At the end of the day Aston villa have some very talented players and just need a wee bit of extra quality and the we’re in business. I was very impressed with the style of play last season and i think Villa will be right up there at the end of next season, no question about it.
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its worrying’we need new face’s in now!what about time for new players to gel and settle in the area?to give us the best start Mon and Andy lets go for it!!!
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Mon is a class act, give the man a break! This is his first season where he can line up a squad which he has actually put together himself. also remember its tough to get the players you would ideally want when you dont finish in euro positions. I for one are looking forward to the new season. Up the Villa!!
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Is it me or are we going nowhere as a team right now ??
Bolton and Fulham both steal two good Villa players each and who is to say how much better than Davis Reo Cooker will be.
Where are the signings we were promised ? How come we keep loosing out on targeted players to other clubs ? Is it because we won’t pay the going rate for the transfer market or the going rate for wages ?
Billionaire NEW OWNER ??? He got Villa on the cheap and now he seems to be running the CLUB on the Cheap as well.
If we genuinely want to be a big club we better start walking the walk and not just talking the talk !!!
Lets get three more big signings in soon and not loans as well. Look how we lost great players that way when we should have bought not loaned. Only have to look to Newcastle to realise that.
Come on Martin lets see some of that famous managerial magic. Success for VILLA and its FANS is long overdue. Take the action to make it happen. Take it now and sooner not latter !!!
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I think we have been a bit slow out the blocks since the summer transfer window opened but there is still plenty of time left. Look at the end of last seasons january window, we signed like 3 players in 4 or 5 days. theres still plenty of time left but i think we need to be a bit more aggressive in the pursuit of players like SWP and Defoe. As for ‘Craig’ and his petty comments shouldn’t he be leaving his comments in his own far less superior footballing section.
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It’s such a joke to give this non-story the headline “Villa hit by triple whammy”. There is no evidence of any sort produced for these runours. A better headline would be “We haven’t any idea what is going on at Villa so we are making things up”.
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