Bumper Transfer News – SOME Inward!

Saw a tweet yesterday from James Nursey ‏@JamesNursey1h who covers the Villa for the Mirror. He said:

“Reliably told #AVFC after an experience centre-back (eg Lescott) says ,in my opinion, Lambert not been overly impressed with capt Vlaar”

This was further backed up in www.mirror.co.uk saying that the priority this summer is the defense. They say he is after two full backs, an (and I like this word as some of you will know from my moans last season!) experienced central defender. Oh and a creative midfielder as well.

Easier to type than actually do I`m sure!

The links with the article are 23-year-old Ipswich left back Aaron Cresswell who we have been linked with before.

Manchester City centre-back Joleon Lescott and we are also, again, linked to Crewe midfielder Luke Murphy.

And the usual names for exits are Shay Given, Darren Bent and Stephen Ireland, along with the released Richard Dunne.

Interestingly they also say Lambert might look to offload ‘flop` Karim El Ahmadi. Surely players like that are needed to keep the squad size up and to be given a chance to further settle in? Remember it took Stiliyan Petrov a good while to settle in, but once he did, he was superb for us!

I was told, but I have no link, The Daily Mail have said Chris Herd could make a move to Middlesbrough.

Neil Moxley at The Daily Mail says that Bent has been told he can leave this summer. I did see another report linking him to Liverpool. That might actually make sense the way they play. He has two years left on his contract but if they want to offload him, Randy will have to take a massive hit on the fee paid.

Just think of all the millions wasted over the years, even in recent times with players coming in then disappearing (Makoun being one of the most expensive latest examples). Ouch.

Neil says Villa are understood to have handed over over £21m of the initial fee and would want a sizeable chunk of that in return, despite the striker`s lack of action this season.

Matt Kendrick has similar in www.birminghammail.co.uk about Bent.

He then goes on to say that Eric Lichaj will be allowed to leave as his contract runs out (shame, I thought he was quite a solid full back!) along with goalkeeper Andy Marshall.

And Villa won`t be looking to extend the loan of, or buy Simon Dawkins either.

101 great goals have a report from Nieuwsblad that apparently quotes Benteke.

“If Aston Villa says I must stay, I won`t necessarily accept that. I do not in any way want to feel I didn`t get the most out of my career. Of course playing the World Cup in Rio is in my head. But I have no fear of falling out of the team. With my family I will decide where my future lies.”

Has he said that, or is this another misinterpretation? Or is this the agent angling for a move? The report, as all have, name Arsenal, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund.

Oh and the latest report I’ve read links Benteke To Atletico Madrid.