2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[PaulWinch again]

I completely agree from my own perspective, but everyone places values on different things and I suspect if it’s a choice between PSG and Villa at the moment the vast majority would choose the former.

[john e]

It’s the PSG thing I struggle with,playing in a league which isn’t exactly competitive, I don’t see the draw in that

I would have exactly the same opinion if it was the other way round
Say Emi Martínez  is wanted by Man United Man City Barcelona, Real Madrid I would be able to see the attraction and why he would want to go
If he went to PSG I’d struggle to understand the reasoning,

Mbappé is totally wasted, messi didn’t do himself any favours and Naymar is just a massive twat anyway
So sorry, but I don’t see them as a good option for any top footballer just a complete non-entity

[LeonW]

Yeah it absolutely can be, but a player who rates their own ability will probably back themselves to buck that trend. I’m not saying it’s the right decision, but for a player who has no connection to either club I can see why they might think PSG is the club to choose.

Both could have won more

It’s also probably a case of backing their own ability but to do what? PSG will most likely win the league with or without Asensio. Possibly the French cup as well. He’ll play in the champions league yes, but PSG have been a basket case for a decade or so, so I can’t see them winning it any time soon. They couldn’t win it with Messi, Neymar and Mbappe in the same team. Does playing in the French league enhance his status as a Spanish regular in the national team? Again, not so sure.

I can see what you’re saying about the choice between the Villa and PSG. But at the same time, a player who backs themselves will think they can help Villa push into the champions league or win something that acquires greater significance than phoning in for a trophy.

I just think that is thinking too much like a fan. Yeah, we don't value PSG's title wins but they'll still be on his record and he'll still have solid chances to get to the semi-final of the CL regularly. I love disparaging state owned clubs but I know which one is more likely to get far in the CL. It's a bit like a footballing holiday, you can chill most of the time and just try for the European games. I can imagine that suits quite a few players, none more so than party boy Neymar.

I’m very much in the quality VS quantity camp for trophies. That’s my wheelhouse. Like Roberto Mancini refusing to go to AC Milan and winning league titles with Sampdoria and Lazio. Or Totti winning the league and two coppa italia’s with Roma. Christ, even Jamie Vardy refusing to go to Arsenal and winning the league and FA Cup with Leicester. Worth more, mean more on the quality stakes.

Oh, I absolutely agree, 100%. I just don't think a lot players would think the same.

Think that’s why I admire players like that. Those that can make a difference and do so. Even Bergkamp refused Ac Milan for Inter because it would have been an easy move to go and play with Van Basten, Guillt, etc. Wanted to do something at a club that was under achieving. Ditto Batistuta. Maybe it’s a generational thing or maybe I just still like to see something idealistic. Even E.Martinez with his list of targets in his locker a few years ago of winning the Copa America, winning the World Cup and winning something with Villa. He’s done two of those things. One to go.

[SamTheMouse]

Ironically, Qatar Saint Germain's chances of winning the Champions League would improve no end if they actually had some proper domestic competition.

Let's hope they go out of business before that happens. The horrible, plastic, younger-than-half-the-posters-on-here club of arriviste wankeurs.

[Dave]

Yeah it absolutely can be, but a player who rates their own ability will probably back themselves to buck that trend. I’m not saying it’s the right decision, but for a player who has no connection to either club I can see why they might think PSG is the club to choose.

Both could have won more

It’s also probably a case of backing their own ability but to do what? PSG will most likely win the league with or without Asensio. Possibly the French cup as well. He’ll play in the champions league yes, but PSG have been a basket case for a decade or so, so I can’t see them winning it any time soon. They couldn’t win it with Messi, Neymar and Mbappe in the same team. Does playing in the French league enhance his status as a Spanish regular in the national team? Again, not so sure.

I can see what you’re saying about the choice between the Villa and PSG. But at the same time, a player who backs themselves will think they can help Villa push into the champions league or win something that acquires greater significance than phoning in for a trophy.

I just think that is thinking too much like a fan. Yeah, we don't value PSG's title wins but they'll still be on his record and he'll still have solid chances to get to the semi-final of the CL regularly. I love disparaging state owned clubs but I know which one is more likely to get far in the CL. It's a bit like a footballing holiday, you can chill most of the time and just try for the European games. I can imagine that suits quite a few players, none more so than party boy Neymar.

I’m very much in the quality VS quantity camp for trophies. That’s my wheelhouse. Like Roberto Mancini refusing to go to AC Milan and winning league titles with Sampdoria and Lazio. Or Totti winning the league and two coppa italia’s with Roma. Christ, even Jamie Vardy refusing to go to Arsenal and winning the league and FA Cup with Leicester. Worth more, mean more on the quality stakes.

But it's very easy to be one hundred percent sure how the conflicting motivations for wealth, success and legacy would pan out when it's just a thought experiment and not a life decision.

Like the Villa fans who know for a fact that they'd turn down trophies and umpteen millions with Man City from the comfort of their armchair because of how much they love the Villa, and never actually having to follow that conviction through.

Footballers have (on the whole) sacrificed their childhood and youth in the hope that they make enough money to not have to worry about their forties and beyond, and if they're lucky enough or good enough have some medals and memories to go with it.

If Asensio goes to PSG, when he's celebrating his latest title win he's not going to be thinking how meaningless and hollow it is compared to how he could have been the difference between 7th and 5th in the Premier League for Villa.

[LeeB]

Yeah, but he's still a twat

[LeonW]

Yeah it absolutely can be, but a player who rates their own ability will probably back themselves to buck that trend. I’m not saying it’s the right decision, but for a player who has no connection to either club I can see why they might think PSG is the club to choose.

Both could have won more

It’s also probably a case of backing their own ability but to do what? PSG will most likely win the league with or without Asensio. Possibly the French cup as well. He’ll play in the champions league yes, but PSG have been a basket case for a decade or so, so I can’t see them winning it any time soon. They couldn’t win it with Messi, Neymar and Mbappe in the same team. Does playing in the French league enhance his status as a Spanish regular in the national team? Again, not so sure.

I can see what you’re saying about the choice between the Villa and PSG. But at the same time, a player who backs themselves will think they can help Villa push into the champions league or win something that acquires greater significance than phoning in for a trophy.

I just think that is thinking too much like a fan. Yeah, we don't value PSG's title wins but they'll still be on his record and he'll still have solid chances to get to the semi-final of the CL regularly. I love disparaging state owned clubs but I know which one is more likely to get far in the CL. It's a bit like a footballing holiday, you can chill most of the time and just try for the European games. I can imagine that suits quite a few players, none more so than party boy Neymar.

I’m very much in the quality VS quantity camp for trophies. That’s my wheelhouse. Like Roberto Mancini refusing to go to AC Milan and winning league titles with Sampdoria and Lazio. Or Totti winning the league and two coppa italia’s with Roma. Christ, even Jamie Vardy refusing to go to Arsenal and winning the league and FA Cup with Leicester. Worth more, mean more on the quality stakes.

But it's very easy to be one hundred percent sure how the conflicting motivations for wealth, success and legacy would pan out when it's just a thought experiment and not a life decision.

Not really; as evidenced by those that did it (such as Mancini, Totti, et al) when of course they didn’t know how it would turn out at time they made those decisions.

Particularly at the level we’re talking about and particularly in today’s game with the amount of money involved. Players like Asensio will be well remunerated so it goes give them more options with regards the decisions they could make. It’s very different to being in league 2 and getting an offer in the championship even if it meant less game time, etc.

Potter going to Chelsea; of course he was going to be gone in less than a year. Will he be wealthier for it? Yes. Was it a good decision for his overall career? No.

[tomd2103]

We have to do it in stages.  Hoping for an Asensio, which was always unlikely to be fair, but being really competitive for players just below that level.  If we can pick up the 'best of the rest' type players and Unai coaches the bejesus out of them, we manage top 4 and even then some players will view us, like they will Newcastle, as a flash in the pan.  We still have to be patient.  We finished 7th, we have a world class coach and can be financially competitive but we are not a force yet, but will be.

I agree Steve.  We all have claret and blue vision, but the reality is that we're in the Conference League (happy to br there) and we aren't going to be able to compete with the likes of PSG for players at this point. 

Whatever they are, they are a high profile club, based in a desirable global city, able to pay massive amounts in wages and should get to the knockout stages of the Champions League on a regular basis.

We can't compete with that at this point in terms of bringing players in from abroad and probably won't be unless we can get into the Champions League.

[ChicagoLion]

As players get nearer 30 they are also thinking of life beyond playing, so the decision to maximise revenue is likely to Trump anything else and whatever we think, Qatar will be paying him more than us.

[Clark W Griswold]

We have to do it in stages.  Hoping for an Asensio, which was always unlikely to be fair, but being really competitive for players just below that level.  If we can pick up the 'best of the rest' type players and Unai coaches the bejesus out of them, we manage top 4 and even then some players will view us, like they will Newcastle, as a flash in the pan.  We still have to be patient.  We finished 7th, we have a world class coach and can be financially competitive but we are not a force yet, but will be.

‘based in a desirable global city’

This was the other thing I considered, you’re always going to get some that will consider strongly the actual city they’re playing in, and Paris will be a big attraction especially to someone who has been living in Madrid, or some other big European city and has no previous links to the UK.

Also, I agree that PSG are a basket case in terms of the champions league, they’ve looked like a disorganised rabble when they’ve come up against anyone good for years but the fact is, they are in it and do get through to the knockout stage every time.

[PaulWinch again]

I think it gets tricky when you start to second guess a player’s motivation, because everyone has different values. But if you have no connection to either club I can see why at this time PSG is a more attractive offer. It might end up being a poor decision, but it’s hardly a surprising one. We need to demonstrate a sustained upward trajectory before we can realistically beat that type of club to a player on a consistent basis - hopefully Unai will deliver that sustained upward trajectory.

[Clark W Griswold]

You can make a more educated guess when he’s made the decision though. Beforehand I thought it was probably unlikely but maybe he fancies playing under Emery, maybe he fancies coming to the PL, maybe he wants to pretty much be guaranteed football and to be one of the big stars in the team. Even if any of this did attract him, it seems that the plus points of joining Paris were more to his liking.

[coreyfeldman]

Nico Williams?

[pauliewalnuts]

I bet Paris is a wonderful place to be a twenty something multi millionaire.

For every Totti (and not even sure he’s a good example as Roma was his club) there are thousands of Asensio’s in terms of how they decide where to go.

[algy]

I bet Paris is a wonderful place to be a twenty something multi millionaire.

For every Totti (and not even sure he’s a good example as Roma was his club) there are thousands of Asensio’s in terms of how they decide where to go.

I mean, being paid a ludicrous sum of money to live in Paris and not needing to exert yourself as much as you might be expected to elsewhere but still win loads of trophies doesn't sound *that* bad a deal when you think about it.