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Villa will not be letting Ashley Young head for the exit door in January and, if he doesn’t re-consider signing a new contract, the club may be willing to let him run down his contract and leave on a free in 2012. The thinking being that another season with Ash in the team is worth more than any potential transfer fee, but that would depend entirely on how committed he is.
In the mean time, Houllier is hopeful that Ash will be available for Tottenham‘s visit to Villa Park on Boxing Day.
West Ham are thought to be close to signing Steve Sidwell and are negotiating terms with the player according to the Telegraph and Guardian. The latter scoffs at suggestions that Sidwell has already undergone a medical, he has just returned to light training after injury after all. Then again, we did manage to complete a medical with Stewart Downing when he was still on crutches last year, so who knows?
Gerard Houllier wants his players to move closer to Birmingham, Stephen Warnock and Luke Young in particular who are apparently living in the North West and London respectively. Stephen Ireland hasn’t been any more inclined to move and we know that Robert Pires is commuting back and forth from London in a chauffeur driven car. Neil Moxley at the Daily Mail goes on to use some of the quotes from last Friday’s press conference, some I’d used here, other just emerging.
And finally, a little cheer ahead of Christmas; a video of an AVFPA tribute to Paul Birch and other former Villans no longer with us I just stumbled on.
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4 Comments to “Ash won’t be let go easily, Sidwell possibly heading for West Ham”
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I have a feeling that Villa have only come out with this Ash thing as they know the backlash they’d get if we were to let him go (selling club etc).
It’s really hard for me to say this, as I really rate him, but I think if he wants to go, we should let him.
And maximise any profit.
Trouble is, the thought of him playing for Spuds or Arsenal scares me, as I know how good he would be
Sidwell?
Not much to say there, is there?
never really been convinced that he’d be off in january, but the summer seems more and more nailed on. that creates an interesting sequence: 1. barry, 2. milner, 3. a young, 4. ?, etc etc.
sidwell? own goal on his debut as i recall. down hill from there, bar that cracker at goodison.
Not sure if I’m too worried about losing Ash — he has an incredible amount of talent but is he really a “difference maker” for us? Perhaps, but perhaps it just gives us the chance to play a ready-made striker instead of a converted winger.
My biggest worry is, as Dan points out, the pattern it extends.
i’m of the mind that ash may have just gone stale with us. he may well move on and recreate his past form leaving us wishing he’d have stayed, but i’m really not sure he’ll find that form with us.
if that’s the case, may as well take the money and part on best terms possible.
however, if he goes and then the following year we end up losing our star turn, whoever that may be at the time, for a 4th straight year, well… you know, not good.