STM

I really dont think convincing Elanga to join us is a problem like.

2 years ago.

Yeah i understand the role. Problem is that we hired a manager first and hes class.

I hope its because of Bruce.

Aye what a problem hes going to have, being lumbered with class players with good attitudes. If/when Howe goes, the club can restructure how it wishes, right now Howe is than man with the power and I couldn't think of anyone better.

Even when we were shite we are attracting players ahead of Villa.

Isn't this exactly what we've done.

I really like Elanga but it is interesting how 12 months ago the idea of signing Elanga for even 40m would have had people up in arms, now we are talking 60m. Im of the opinion that 60m is absolutely top end and we shouldnt go any further... however, there comes a point where we have to do what we've got to do. This RW position has plagued us for years and I reckon we've got to bite the bullet and get it done. At the very least we can go into the season knowing we have a priority position sorted.

I know your a decent poster, so i won't get too deep. If you'd said "Given our lack of links and the amount of money we've likely got to spend, I wonder if we've shelved a CB for this window." I'd have not batted an eyelid. It's simply linking the above to Crystal Palace signing Diomande that im refuting. Im sure he is a good player but there's no real evidence of us being interested and im sure we have our reasons beyond financial. If we go all summer doing that, I'll lose my mind.

Fair enough on the last part but watching other clubs transfers and somehow linking them to our potential lack of activity is definitely a negative take. You could have said "wow we must be signing a class CB if we aren't interested in Diomande" but you didn't.

Well speculate positively.

We signed Lewis Hall on loan. We could easily do a deal like that. We can also sell players. Which im sure we will. We dont need to spend 60m on every position. Whether we were linked with Diomande in the past or not is irrelevant. We clearly didn't want him and I can't think for a second its because we dont want a CB. If you want to put stock in media reports you could lean on every local journalist saying that CB is one of our priorities, or lean into us trying to sign Guehi last year, or enquiring about Scalvini. Guehi is going to Liverpool FWIW. Id rather we didn't even entertain that one anymore. Towards the end of the window we will sign a CB.

Diomande going to Palace has nothing to do with us. Nobody knows what we can/cant spend.

Why?