Sunday’s Press Villa Transfer Talk

Gossip really is at a premium at the moment, then again if I was writing for a paper or some of those ‘other’ sort of football sites, I’d have this one down as a world exclusive and would have had massive headlines… but I’m not, so I won’t!

However… a little birdie, and quite a reliable one at that, has whispered ever so quietly that Villa might be in talks with Everton defender Joleon Lescott. I’ve no quotes or substance to add to that, so as usual will play it down and say it is just a rumour. If it comes true then you heard it here first, if not then I never wrote this and you ain’t seen me, roight? (copyright the Fast Show!) He did grow up as a Villa fan and is a good defender though…. hmmm. Not sure why Everton would want to let him go but the talk was centered around his contract.

According to the Sunday Express Newcastle and former (?) England striker Michael Owen will take a 50% cut in wages to move away from Newcastle. If he had been able to spend some of this season injury free I’d have thought there would have been a queue as long as your arm (unless you have a short arm obviously) to grab his services but despite being a top top top striker on his day, he doesn’t have that many days. Worth the risk? On one hand for Villa it would be bringing in a ‘name’ but on the other his wages would still be £60 000 ish a week (just imagine…! Deep sigh!) and how much time would he actually spend on the pitch? If we got him I’d be excited and worried!

The News Of the World have one of their ‘exclusives’ today. To be fair I could have put 2+2 and come up with this, so could any of us! In a report by Martin Hardy, they claim that Villa will join the race to sign England and Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing. Bloody shame we didn’t ‘race’ for him before he went to Boro really! What is it with these races anyway? The other teams also after the 24-year-old are apparently Liverpool and Spurs. Do they all line up and do a sprint to see who can get him?

Apparently Rafa won’t pay the £12million fee and Spurs aren’t able to offer the player European football which he wants to push his England credentials.

And that is that folks, if you see any rumours, just post them in the article comments. Next week I’ll start the summer long misery, sorry I meant Rumours thread!