adminAFTER Gary Neville’s scathing report card on Manchester United’s transfers, Birmingham Mail have come up with their Aston Villa assessment.
The newspaper’s report card is restricted to the players who arrived since businessmen – Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens – took control of the club and ploughed in around £440million on new players.
The green category is for players who have been a hit, the amber category is for players who have been fair while the red category is for those who have FLOPPED.
Zimbabwe international midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba, has been ranked in the AMBER category, which means he has neither been a hit nor a flop.
However, with Boubacar Kamara being ranked as the pick of those who arrived during this summer transfer, it means Nakamba’s options will remain limited, should he stay at Villa.
“The French star, 22, was brilliant on his home debut last weekend and has already backed up the huge billing given to him by Gerrard,” noted Birmingham Mail.
GREEN CATEGORY
The cream of the crop of incomings across the last four years here with £2million John McGinn arguably the best value-for-money deal in the club’s recent history. Tyrone Ming’s impact cannot be downplayed either, while shout-outs must also go to the loan addition of 26-goal Abraham, Ezri Konsa at £12million, plus the memorable window to bring in Emi Martinez, Olle Watkins and Matty Cash with all three mainstays in Villa’s XI.
Anwar El Ghazi (loan and £8m), Douglas Luiz (£15m), Matt Targett (£14m), Kortney Hause (loan and £3m), Emi Buendia (£33m), Danny Ings (£20m), Tim Iroegbunam (compensation), Lucas Digne (£26m), Calum Chambers (undisclosed), Ashley Young (free), Robin Olsen (loan and £3m), Kamara (free), Coutinho (loan and £17m).
AMBER CATEGORY
We are all expecting Leon Bailey to explode this season after his first year was marred by injuries and niggles.
The £30million man was Villa’s best player of pre-season which bodes well for the season ahead.
Axel Tuanzebe (loan), Frederic Guilbert (£4.5m), MARVELOUS NAKAMBA (£10.8m), Trezeguet (£11m), Tom Heaton (£8m), Pepe Reina (loan), Bertrand Traore (£15m), Ludwig Augustinsson (loan) are the other amber deals. – Sports Reporter/Birmingham Mail
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter