Aston Villa Banter

09 Aug 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - EHL2020 has posted a new article entitled, Why Rangers Must Handle Matchday Pressure Better

08 Aug 2026 08:52:12
Happy summer weekend everyone!

Aston Villa management and coaches must be reminded of Moussa Diaby! He made very valuable contributions when he was playing for us. His speed, dribbling skills and - not least - ability to unlock tight defenses are sorely missed! Last season we found it so hard to penetrate tight defenses. Dribblers and "unlockers" were missed in many matches, while such players were working wonders for other teams! Are there any relevant alternatives to Diaby? Is this even being taken care of?

Bailey and Mings must definitely go before the new season and kept messing things up last season. Don't understand how we can play a nonchalant, chewing gum chewing type like Mings, who looks like he's not really present and would rather be looking cool somewhere else instead of delivering a dedicated effort for our team. Bailey used to be good, but has lost it, unfortunately. Blew his soccer fuse, I suppose, as Cartman would say.

Marco Asensio offered significant value and dedication and delivered great forward passing abilities and CL experience. Do we need a bit more Spanish blood and skills in the team - for CL and beyond?

08 Aug 2026 11:41:35
The problem with Diaby is that he currently earns around 300k per week and has been in Saudi long enough for the restriction to be lifted and allow him to earn his full wage... I always rated him, and liked him too, and was disappointed when he left, but without taking a significant pay cut, I can't see how he will return any time soon.

I'd take Asensio back in a heartbeat, but again, I would imagine the issue is what he currently earns vs what we are realistically able to pay.



With Rogers, Yt and Digne off the wage bill, there's definitely some room there for once. But, I think we still need a number of additions, and so I guess that has to be spread over 2/3 players rather than given to just one.

08 Aug 2026 14:14:07
Thank you for your valuable contributions and considerations about wages. Is Diaby really so expensive on a payroll and what about Asensio? Isn't he playing in Turkey and there's not much fame and popularity about that? Could Diaby end up earning even more at a later stage of his career by switching back to AV and then to bigger clubs later? Is he happy in Saudi Alabia? How was Diaby getting along with Emery and is the club even trying to bring him back? (and Asensio)?

Isn't it a problem we'll get thrashed in Champions League soccer (like Villarreal - a club I otherwise enjoy much) if we are too cheapskate or unable to pay any high wages? Why should good players opt for AV if they can get better wages and gain more popularity by playing for top clubs? Isn't this our once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab onto the top of soccer - a chance that should be seized? We've so often seen smaller clubs advance to top level of PL and gain CL status, only to fail and drop heavily in the following season?

We seriously need to fill some major gaps before the start of the season and can't wait till only scraps are available and all good players have already been signed by other clubs. That strategy has already failed in past seasons

08 Aug 2026 17:28:15
I am certainly not an expert by any means, but at least from my understanding - it's not just about these two players or anyone else applicable being on "higher" wages in other countries, it's actually a lot to do with tax.

In Saudi the tax rate is 0, I think, and as long as you don't plan on returning to the UK within, after say a year for a quick payday, you won't be taxed at all on any wage earnt there.
And in Turkiye I believe it's 15 or 20%.

This is a pretty significant difference in the wages you actually take home.

Like for example, let's say that Villa COULD offer 300k p/w to Diaby to match his current wage. He would still be worse off here because in the UK, with a 50% tax bracket, that's 150k take home. Whereas at the moment he takes home the full 300k.

If we look at Jordan Henderson, the reason he joined Ajax after he didn't like it in SA was because, if he returned to the UK directly, he'd have been subject to UK tax law and they'd have wanted half of his earnings!

It's my understanding that tax plays just as much of a factor in these decisions as the offered wage does.

And that is the attraction for someone like Salah for example. High wage, low tax.

With all that boring, complicated s*** out of the way, I just hope we can bring at least 2 more additions after Ruggeri (assuming that's still going through!). I think we need at least one more attacking player and another CM, but I'd also like another RB if possible.

The squad showed more than once last season that we struggled with the extra demand and extra games, and this year the level of competition in Europe will be better being the Champions League. I don't think we can go in with a smaller squad and not expect to run into problems.

08 Aug 2026 17:51:54
Thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed and valuable explanation. Much appreciated. How are the tax terms influenced if you just go to AV on loan, and then return to Saudi Arabia or Turkey? I wonder.
I agree with your views on the need of additional high-quality players and squad depth before a challenging season, where AV must avoid dropping all the advantages it has fought so hard to gain (CL participation, top-tier PL, some attractiveness to top players etc).

08 Aug 2026 19:42:10
A loan can preserve the player's foreign tax residence and his ability to return to the foreign low-tax regime, but it does not preserve the foreign low-tax treatment of the period during which he is actually playing in England. So a loan would be possible and still attractive for the player.

09 Aug 2026 06:43:58
Or just get Endrick who's been offered to us on loan on £35K p/w & is considered to be 'world class?'

UTV.

09 Aug 2026 12:20:33
Yeh, I'd take Endrick. If Diaby wanted to be at Villa, he wouldn't have left.

09 Aug 2026 12:32:31
Anyway, it's not about us not wanting to pay the wages etc. It's the scr rules that stop us.

09 Aug 2026 21:29:55
& as if by magic. We've enquired about Endrick. Would be insane if we got him, but will the 'Big 6' allow it. 👀

UTV

07 Aug 2026 16:53:33
Nothing up front today after big Brian went off, only one holding it up, Geusand kept losing it. Bizot made some good saves, Buendia usual busy self, Lindeloff again looked steady, Hemmings better playing on the Left. Better second half, when the kids came on and gave us a bit of urgency, a few of those kids looking the part.

Their first goal did look off side, our goal was taken well, had a good game in Midfield, linked up well with Kamara, great to see him back. We definitely need the holiday makers back, at least Ginny wasn’t as badly injured as first thought. UTV.

08 Aug 2026 11:45:28
I genuinely don't understand the reasoning behind signing Guessand. He's never even seemed to fit into the team, even when he's played, let alone add anything to it or felt good enough to be there. I don't even know what his best position is?
He's not a proper winger, he's not a striker, he's not a number 10.

Whether there was an idea that his size and strength could make him a wing back, I'm not sure, but he's basically been a total failure in every department!!!

05 Aug 2026 15:26:50
Do u think Newcastle got fleeced on Bruno?

05 Aug 2026 23:59:30
The remaining length of his contract probably tied their hands. 75 million is a lot of money to turn down, but look at their stats without him; he's super important to them.

05 Aug 2026 15:24:55
Is this Paxino of Marseille any good?

04 Aug 2026 18:36:36
I have two teenage season ticket holder grandsons that are born and bred claret and blue. Unlike me, they haven't missed a single minute of the pre-season games. I had to push them on our attacking strike force abilities. They both said Garnacho and Guessand definitely are not the answer to our forward threat.

Accepted it's early days and I'm sure players can improve with time, however let's hope Watkins, Buendia, Madjo and any new signings are able to keep us at the top table.

04 Aug 2026 20:08:01
Dave, your grandsons have got it right. UTV