Randy Lerner to make available £30 million and Ashley Young on the verge of signing new contract

Some of that £30m might well go towards the purchase of a certain Mr.Heskey. On the evidence of last nights performance against Belarus, would we have many complaints? He was magnificent! As far as Young's new contract goes, no one is worth that kind of money but hey ho, that's 21st century football for ya! UTV

i don't understand what you mean

"is mon getting the same kind of stick?"

i think £45k pw is pretty good money for him. didn't dol pay steven davis that when we thought he would come good?

I'll take it Damian I don't have a Villa Jersey yet lol.

Anyways, if 30m is the truth I can guarantee we will be seeing some quality up front coming in!

And Ashley's contract, we just need to SHTFU (sign him.... up). He is one of those players everyone always talks about that can change a game with one little touch on the ball. The difference between getting 4th or 5th instead of a few spots lower. I'd be delighted to see him signed up and thoroughly disappointed if he weren't to sign.

james_villa

a few montsh ago, i questioned krulak and went to the heart of his comments; the five year plan. i only did it because so many things he said turned out to be questionable ..

well, i got stick for questioning him because of the five year plan which i said was rubbish. well, it turns out it was rubbish

Heskey!!!!! lol Now that's a team for the future.

I don't mind that figure for Webcam he's worked hard and deserves it. Basically to compete we need to spend, but we are only spending the TV money for a high finish!

Damian - why don't you just give the shirt to me? My caption was about the same as the winner's anyway - if not a bit funnier imho!

I am excited by the prospect of a further £30 million being injected into MON's transfer fund pocket, but I cannot see him buying one player for this amount. One player will not suffice to continue our Champions League and European push this year. Although we have made some apparent quality signings in the close-season, many of which are still yet to make their debuts and are performing well in the reserve setup, we still have the smallest squad of players in the Premier League. With this small squad, we sit comfortabley, may i say it, 5th in the league and tel me if im wrong, fans now look up the league as opposed to down to see threats from below. In my view anyway, i think we are the most equipped team to push for the 'break into top four'. Spurs will not have any challenge and i do not think they will revive their luck and even get top 6, Blackburn have had a 'respectable' start but will not push. Hull will fade, and I still think that come the end of the season they will be fighting to save themselves from the drop.
Everton did not spend enough to continue last years push, and Man City, although they have billions of £££, and all of this speculation and hype, will not be a contesting team this season.

However, instead i think MON wil sign 4 or 5 good players to further add quality and size to the squad and we will then push into the top 4.

As for 'Emile heskey', no thankyou!!
Why do we need Heskey when we have Carew. Carew is stronger, faster, better aerial ability, better finisher and tracks back to defend and puts 100% into every match for the fans. Heskey and Carew would not work up front and he would just be a bench warmer, like Harewood. OK he has had a few very pleasing England performances but not good enough for top four is he really. That is what you have to look at.
I like Marlon, but Heskey would be a better substitute to come on and defend a late lead, but not pay the £5 million i heard somewhere to pay for his substitute apprearances.

Damain, if you're saying £45k p.w is too much for kicking a ball about, well, yes it is really. But it's more than that really isn't it - he's 1/11th responsible for the transient happiness of at least 40,000 per week! I happen to think Jonathan Ross's £18m contract with the Beeb is possibly the most badly spent money ever to be printed and well, a lot of these banking chiefs - I know their job is more complex, but a lot of it is unethical tripe that they've screwed up now anyway.

So in short, it's a lot, but it's still nearly three times my annual salary less than Fat Frank gets in a week.

i got a new job this week and at my old place they had a 5 year plan in 2005 to be one of the 5 biggest insurers by 2010 which is a pretty similar goal.

they have achieved nothing the target was too far in the future and people sat on their hands.

i don't think setting targets that far in advance is helpful especially in football but i can understand why they would set top 4 as a target.

it doesn't mean that they are not interested in cups. the league is the best barometer of how good your team is so if we are top 4 it means we would have a team capable of winning cups and therefore success.

by setting a target on league we get stability at the club which is good.

i agree with you though that i would love to see carling, uefa or fa cups in our trophy cabinet (the uefa especially as it is the last competition!)

Adam Hackett

I think you're right - it won't be one but a few. Maybe two or three - now that would be nice.

Ugly_Betty

Yes, I agree in this day you've got to pay this .. but it is absolutely horrible that we are .. I mean, for that type of money I'd do an awful lot of really weird stuff every day for four years - hell, I'd play football for for four years for exactly what I'm earning now ... which Ashley Young will be earning in well, not very long.

james_villa

Having plans are good. I've got a plan for what I'm going to do today and the rest of this week, which is all part of a bugger goal but it was the way Krulak would just revert back to this mythical 'five year plan' as soon as people asked questions that he or whoever was posting on his behalf couldn't answer ... and I actually thought it disrespectful and still do.

My plan now involves me having to do some real work, so I'm off for an hour or two ... then the pub!

If Villa didn't give Young the money he wanted and then in two years time he moved to another club, that would pay the amount, then every Villa fan on here would be questioning the club's ambition. He is our best and most consistant player and the wage asked for, if accurate, wouldn't make him our top earner. Yes the money is mad to us - but it's a bargain to Aston Villa.

Does anyone think that people at Villa would tell the Mirror that there is £30m to spend in January? Pinch of salt!

Well, we were one of the biggest spenders in the summer window and yet you can still pretty much name the smae first eleven every week- we need to spend more and is 30mill enough to add one , two, three players of quality to the mix to push people like Agbonlahor to produce on a more regular basis.

Lets not forget where we are though- fifth! January will hopefully see investment to consolidate what we have done so far- irregardless of this mythical five year plan.

fair enough we need strikers but a quality wing back anyone?

we have plenty of full backs

James we have no cover at right back except for NRC and Gardner who are both central midfielders.

keefvilla

you are right, nobody has said there is money available but krulak coming out in the summer saying the club would pay £30m. for one player if martin o'neill wanted him is good enough to run with this story as all they're saying is what we all know - we need to spend more to get into the champions league

if we don't spend then according to that paper and krulak, it's not because money isn't available

Damien I agree with what you're saying. I believe the money is there and Krulaks comments did confirm that. But I also believe MON knows who he wants and will wait until that player is available as long as he can. I'm hoping for 2 or 3 players to be signed in January (at least 2 forwards) but weren't we expecting that last January as well?

everyone agrees we need a striker or two.

i want a wing back for the left or right. preferably left to overlap ashley young and stop people double marking him.

wayne bridge is a possibility???

I've said it before, and it may seem a bit outrageous but with all the hype surrounding the court case, his now more limited appearances and the fact he is still not a United player wouldn't Tevez be the ideal target for someone like us? He is exactly what we need both in terms of a statement and style of player and i'm sure we could jag him for less than 30 mil. Much less infact. james_villa, good call on bridge, i've always liked him and i think he would fit in well.

James...Bridge is an excellent player but we have 3 leftbacks already (Shorey, Bouma and O'Halleran) i think that is the last position MON will be looking at.

RobL...Tevez yes please. Wont hold my breath but yes F**king please !!!!!!

ashley young is a great player

Signing players is not always about transfer fees. Even if Villa would pay 30 million pounds for one player I think it's unlikely that we would be able to pay the wages for a player who is in the 30 million pound bracket - at least on the current wage structure. If Ashley Young maintains his form over the next few years Villa will have to pay him a lot more to keep him at the club.

Tevez is an excellent shout. With due respect to Heskey and Doyle, they are not of the required standard to push us on - though the striking situation is so precarious that either would be better than nothing, and better than Harewood I might add! Whether it would be feasible for us to sign him I don't know. I think he's still a big part of Man Utd's plans. But a player of that quality would be fantastic. A more realistic target would be Aguero, though that would be a summer transfer, and even then it would be an amazing coup. But what we really should be doing is scouting the smaller top flight Spanish and Italian clubs and seeing what gems they've picked up from South America. There would be less work permit issues with these players than there would be if we were signing them direct from South America - though I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to look in Brazil and Argentina! We supposedly have a great scouting network, but the only players we've signed - Salifou excepted - have been well established, and players MoN would personally know a fair amount about. A Brazilian or Argentinian signing of the right quality would raise our profile in South America, in addition to giving us something more up front.

I hope Villa starts looking at the youth work Udinese is doing in Italy. They've picked up quite a few very promising sub-21 players, specially a nigerian (can't remember the name) and a chilean wizard.

Damien, you say that MON claimed there were no 5-year plan, and you haven't made a post about it on the blog? I'm shocked, this is new to me

Simeon

Bang on mate, couldnt have put it better myself.

James_Villa, if we were to sign Bridge that would leave us with three left-backs! And besides, he wasn't majorley convincing for the three lions last night!

We defo need a striker or two, personally i can see it being doyle and heskey! Plus more and more rumours are circulating that Stoke, Boro and somebody else is sniffing around Harewood...

Obafemi Martins and Eidur Gudjonssen please. And Thierry Henry as back up - he's just said he's happy at Barca so is bound to leave in January. That should be about £30m.

Also, Dean Ashton's value must by now, be under £10m? He's got leg-knack and the Icelandics are in the sh*te financially. Expect a cheeky £8-9m bid to go in for him.

I feel that we're nearing the stage now as a club where only players costing in excess of £15-20m can genuinely improve us and take us to the next level.
It's ok signing Doyle or Heskey, or Bridge, but that'll only really consolidate our top 6 status, to go higher we need to start breaking the bank (or guzump Wenger for some of the cheap, teenage talent he spots!).
But we're not Chelsea or Man City, so these massive signings may only come in once a season or perhaps even less often, which means there'll be no overnight success, but it's gonna be great seeing us get there bit by bit...

Oba and Gudjonnsen would do just fine as well . Oba and Tevez are very similar players in my opinion, exactly what i think we need as a foil for Carew's presence and Gabby's speed, some crafty on ball work. In all honesty i have nothing against The Hare but he's just not a good mix with Carew or Gabby and in all honesty isn't consistent enough to push infront of them. Where did that Huntelaar rumour go by the way? He'd be another one i would love to see at VP, genuinely classy.

heskey was aewsome last night.... i wouldnt mind fobbing harewood off and bringing him in.... much better back up than harewood.... as for doyle... im not sure... the guy is shit on in the championship but so were players like earnshaw, beattie etc...

we need a class striker... someone who bags 20+ a season... this will take us to the next level...

I like not having a 5 year plan. Let take it year on year. We do have a chance to get into chumps league this season, lets aspire to do it now.

Scotty, do you remember Readings first PL season? Doyle was shit hot then too! I reckon he's one that MON could turn into a 20+ goal PL striker

I agree with some of the comments above that we should be scouting south america and the smaller areas of Europe.

Arsenal, year after year, pick up young players for bargain prices that prove to be a hit in the Prem.

Anelka, Toure, Clichy to name but a few, with Vela, Denilson, Bendtner and Diaby looking set to emerge.

These players ar bought at like 15, 16 and trained up.

We clearly have a good youth set up and are doing well at that level.

Following this approach will surely benefit us, although possibly making us less English.

As much as I'm proud of the English spine we have, I would gladly give it up if it meant success!

There's no way Fergie will willingly part with Tevez. Aguero is the sort of player Villa can get only if makes the Champions League next season.

Obafemi Martins is exactly the kind of third striker this team needs to make a run at the two cups and fourth place. And given the situation at Newcastle, he will want to go and they will want to sell him.

Wesley Sonck anyone?
I know frick all about the guy (apart form the fact he's from Belgium and plays for Club Brugge) but its a name that seems to be appearing more frequently on teletext, on the weekend/international pages.

I give ash 100k a week to keep him at the club.
as for 30m, i think well see kevin doyle come in. better signing than heskey as he is younger than heskey.
mon could develop him into a serious striker.

Delago, That sonck has been round for donkeys years enit? He must be pushing 30 odd by now! I think he's the dude who used to play for Anderlecht

Spot on Villa_Fan_Phil. Im just after checking his wiki there.

sorry on tevez

why would he potentially sign for villa?

We shoul sign a big name like Henry or something along those lines.
Then we could challenge the top, let alone top 4!

Some of what people say realy does make me laugh, but i cannot always tell who is joking. Tevez? yes he is awesome, but why not go for Rooney while we are they? no way will Tevez come to VP. Others talk of being able to challenge for the top spot never mind top 4, thats not going to happen for a good while.

I personally would love to see 1 to quality striker, Huntelaar would be ideal, Ajax are not what they used and he would come to Villa from Ajax. The only problem would be i still think he wouldnt come simply because other bigger teams would want want his signature also.

The most realistic one i can see, and would love, is Michael Owen. Yes he has many issues, injuries, would damage wage structure etc etc, but im sure a huge goal bonus could be sorted. He is a class finisher. Everton signed Saha, who is half as good and Moyes said "if he will be fit for 20 games in all competitions he will be worth the contract". Owen will cost under 4 mill in Jan, depending on who else is after him, because of his contract and Newcastle are in Turmoil. Another great thing on Owen, is that Gabby would learn loads from Owen.

Other possiblities: Obafemi Martins, Dean Ashton, Zaki. and many more.

I do not think it is too much to ask to get one of those top quality strikers, and then i think with a couple of good squad players we will be set for the season and then re assess the situation come Summer

What sort of wage does Michael Owen command? I don't know but I'm guessing it's in the 100k a week bracket - maybe more. If Villa are going to start paying those sort of wages then we can (maybe) start talking about players like Tevez, Owen, Henry etc but until then it doesn't matter if they were on a free transfer. We won't be able to pay the wage they command.

Glad Ashelys signing a new contract hes a world class player and im stil amazed how he is not in the england squad. I feel Heskey would be a quality buy, yes we have carew bt isnt strength in depth our weakness? And wat wud we have to pay nothin if marlon went tha ova way? A striker is definetley what we need and id love Dean Ashton only bad thing is he is prone to injury. Thats bring me to Amir Zaki i fink he is a top player and a goal scorer exactly what we need and wigan have no first choice at buyin him at all. now Mr O'Neill get us one of them please and get that bench pakd wiv stars Up Tha Villa

i think a player like owen henry etc earning in excess of 100k a week would spoil our dressing room harmony.... people like young and carew would be a frustrated and i think it would show on the pitch....

Glad Ashelys signing a new contract hes a world class player and im stil amazed how he is not in the england squad. I feel Heskey would be a quality buy, yes we have carew bt isnt strength in depth our weakness? And wat wud we have to pay nothin if marlon went tha ova way? A striker is definetley what we need and id love Dean Ashton only bad thing is he is prone to injury. Thats bring me to Amir Zaki i fink he is a top player and a goal scorer exactly what we need and wigan have no first choice at buyin him at all. now Mr O'Neill get us one of them please and get that bench pakd wiv stars Up Tha Villa

i would have thought Ashton and Heskey will be top of the shopping list, id also put a bid in for Mark Noble as well. Get rid of the traitor Barry in January.

it was stated that the 30 mil was for wages aswell as fees so we had better start looking for bosman signings because after the contracts are sorted theres no money left for transfers

I hope no one is overly concerned about this "five year plan" business. Was this summers 50-60m spending spree not an indication of intent? It takes time lads, we have made continuous steps forward. Until I see Villa step backwards, trip and fall, or miss a step and get hit by a truck I wouldn't worry about it too much.

damien reckons villa will definetly sign DE LA RED zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

please spend the money on foreign quality, no more over priced average British crap! we will never break into the top four unless we look outside of UK for our players

Heya All!!
i think all the talk about henry, tevez, etc. is intresting but i do not think these are MONs signing.
whilst TrueVillian has commented on the flaws of the ''British'' strategy it is what MON tends to buy. Whether good or bad, MON believes it does the job and so far he is proving to be right. i think MON has an eye on sustaining dressing room harmony and having a large core of players who will be able to be able to represent England together will help.

i think the wage structure CAN be an issue but doesnt need to be. i think offer young 75k a week (yes thats huge i know but it will pay off in the long run), then try and renew barrys contract (if MON wants him) for a similiar amount and make that our 'cap'. i know arsenal have a wage structure where the max is 80k a week or so and i think it works well. this is the sort of money, whilst absurd, which dictates modern football and so a large wage strcutre which isnt too overboard and allows for possible performance bonuses may be able to allow MON to buy top-quality players.

i think MON has a plan and whilst i cant see him buying foreign talent execpt for the occasional cuellar, etc. i can see them buying into MONs plan and with a wage structure of somewhere close to 75k giving them the money to match the big guns. players like the henrys, gudjohenson, hunteelar ?? and ashton ??

the problem is that many of our current squad wont be on this money and it may cause some serious problems. carew, arguably deserves to be somewhere close to our top earner, as to does laursen and even friedel. but with a 75k cap, these players have newly signed contracts which would be closer to 40k. but i guess to progress to the next level yu need to buy better then what you currently have??

i just think if we have the money, MON needs to start spending iit. not many people would argue that abedayor is twice as good as young, or terry three times, yet their wages are that much more then what young is currently on.

Judging by the way he paid £12 million for Milner, O'Neill will probably spend the full £30 million on Heskey...

With the tumbling share prices that £30 mill will be worth £10 mill by January..!

So, after all that, Aiden McGeady it is then. Sigh.

Betty, Aiden McGeady isn't as bad as you make out, he could be another Maloney though, big girls blouse loves Jockland too much!

I dont think Heskey will come to the Villa to be a bit part player, although it would be great competition with Carew. Its someone to fight for a starting place with gabby that i feel we need and the reading striker fits the bill. A few young prospects and we should be in a much stronger position, so 30Mill should go a long way

James_Villa: Barometers are for measuring air pressure.

cheers vindice

after your insight into air pressure i now know whats gone wrong in my life i am going back to school and finishing off my Craft Design and Technology GCSE.

Whats a GCSE?