This is part of an AVC Weekly Newsletter beta test. Comments? Criticisms? Ideas for future editions? Feel free to get in contact.

1. Guzan’s Gone

After eight years at Villa, Brad Guzan slipped quietly out the backdoor, signing a two-year contract at Middlesbrough. He could well be third choice keeper there, but he’s in the Premier League and he’s no longer the last line of defence in one of the worst teams to ever compete.

With a year left on his contract, Guzan was allowed a free transfer to speed up his exit. His residual book value being practically zero or actually zero, depending on how his brief exit in 2012 was handled, it was a nobrainer.

It’s a shame for a former player of the year to leave under something of a cloud. Still, a couple of years in the Northeast, at 33 and possibly still US number one, Guzan could well be in line for a lucrative return to MLS. *kerching*

There’s a fair bit of scapegoating gone on with Guzan in regards to 2015/16, but goalkeepers know it comes with the territory. A fresh start will probably do the American a world of good and what could possibly go wrong with replacing him with a 21 year old? The Championship is a forgiving league, it’ll all be fine. This is fine.

2. Indian Summer

Dr. X’s plans for world domination continue with an academy deal in India.

Villa’s academy will be located in New Delhi on property provided by the Municipal Council, including a 3G pitch and offices, changing rooms, gym, classrooms and other amenities. The academy will train coaches to work in the state schools and will coach kids from the age of five upwards.

Also mooted: a “tie-up” with an Indian Super League (ISL) club.

The ISL is in its infancy with just two seasons under its belt. It’s currently an eight-team league with a two month long regular season, kicking off in early October and all wrapped up by early December. The top four teams drag a play-off series out to just before Christmas.

This might be something significant, but probably not. Many European clubs operate academies in foreign countries. Some, I suspect, are more licensing their names than anything. The actual discovery and development of talent for the “mothership” rarely happens, brand building is low key. But it’s something, maybe, for the future.

Perpetually innovative, Ajax were one of the first European clubs to expand overseas, creating a club and academy in Cape Town, South Africa back in 1999. They’ve never won the league there, but the academy produces a half dozen professionals a year and the majority of the senior team are graduates. A few players have made it to the mother club, chief among them Steven Pienaar.

Either way, it’s probably a step in the right direction. It’s certainly the sort of modern approach I want to see our club exploring as we tentatively think about joining the 21st century.

3. Gueye Triggered

No great surprise, but Everton have submitted a £7.1m bid for Idrissa Gueye, triggering his release clause, and are free to negotiate with the player. There’s a period now where other clubs can jump in, but 7500 to Holte’s hope of an auction taking place is misplaced. Unless specifically prevented from triggering the clause there’s absolutely no reason any club would bid more.

The value of the release clause has raised some eyebrows, being less than the reported £9m. Perhaps that was a stipulation of signing him in the first place. From an accounting point of view, it will be recorded as a small profit above his book value of £6.75m, but let’s be honest, it’s still so Villa.

4. Last of the Summer Friendlies

July’s flown by, hasn’t it? Just like that, we’re done with preseason. No more rehearsals, the next game’s the real thing. This is fine. Everything’s fine.

Cambridge 0 Aston Villa 3

Starting XI: Gollini, Lyden, Okore, Toner, Bennett, Bacuna, Gardner, Tshibola, Grealish, Hepburn-Murphy, Sinclair.
Subs: Idem, Suliman, Abdo, Sanchez, Green, Veretout.

Scott Sinclair opened the scoring in the 8th minute and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy added a second a minute later. Gary Gardner made is three midway through the second half.

League Two side taken care of, bring on the season. Just one more friendly…

Aston Villa 1 Middlesbrough 3

Starting XI: Gollini, Hutton, Cissokho, Elphick, Baker, Gardner, Westwood, Grealish, Bacuna, Ayew, Gestede.
Subs: Steer, Bennett, Okore, Clark, Sinclair, Tshibola, Amavi, Sanchez.

Nathan Baker was the unlikely scorer in the 14th minute, nodding home Leandro Bacuna’s cross. We were the dominant side of the first half, but Baker’s goal was the only difference between the sides at the break.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the second half was as different story. Alvaro Negredo drew Boro level at the hour mark, Viktor Fischer added a second in the 75th minute and Jordan Rhodes made it three just two minutes later.

So that’s preseason, then.

5. Upcoming Games

This is it, the 2016/17 season kicks off:
August 7th: Sheffield Wednesday (A) [Championship]