Who'll Sign For The Villa?

Well, let’s get down to business. Who would be the ideal personnel to enter Villa Park this summer in order to propel the club into Europe next season? Well…pretty much everyone who has been linked with the club, except Marlon Harewood. I constantly read the print media everyday to see what the latest transfer dealings are in and around Villa at the moment, and there seems to be more speculation than concrete transfer dealings; and it’s not just MON who is suffering. Other big Premiership clubs, such as Liverpool and Arsenal, are finding it tough to bring in any real quality. Oh yes, there are of plenty of links and rumours, which keeps some of the press happy – but not if you’re a Villa fan.

The main targets (apparently): Diego Forlan (good), Scott Carson, (brilliant), Royston Drenthe (good stuff, looking good), Nigel Reo-Coker (young and strong replacement for McCann), Ryan Babel (another good young striker), and David Nugent (up-and-coming talent). And that’s all great! If this is he hopping list handed to Randy, then fantabulous. However, what are the chances of Villa pulling their finger out and actually signing any of these players?

Well, with Chelsea and Arsenal sniffing around Drenthe and Babel like a stray dog, the only way MON can persuade them to join is by offering them a very nice pay packet, while the others offer top European football. Erm… we have hit a pickle I feel. I suppose MON can use the first team football and for the future cards – that will be a winner. The real burning question is: will he actually invest in these players? The only firm bids that have been made seem to be for Reo-Coker and that’s it. Pre-season is only two weeks away, and if rumours are to be believed, MON is set to bring in his players in that space of time due to the Under-21 European Championships.

The only name on this so-called ‘wanted list’ that I personally would not touch with a barge poll (not sure why I would want to touch him with a barge poll anyway) is the reportedly Sunderland bound David Nugent. If you read the Express and Star last night, MON is set to make a extremely late bid to secure the 21-year-old Preston striker. Why? I have seen him in the Championship, and yes he’s physical and scores goals – but how will he cope up against Premiership defenders? I just cannot see it happening. The name John Stead comes to mind. He signed for Blackburn, then he left to play in the Championship with Sunderland, before then returning to the Premiership with Sheffield United and then ending up back in English football’s second tier. I feel Nugent would be the same. We already have Gabby to fill the young striker role, we need a proven scorer like Jermaine Defoe. He is a proven scorer in the Premiership and with England, and he is available after Spurs signed Darren Bent. What about it?

Ciao for now.

By Richard Pugh