This morning Sky Sports give us the most extensive quotes that I've yet seen from Gerard Houllier on Charlie Adam, and though we've still seen nothing to indicate that Blackpool are at all interested in moving the Scottish playmaker it does sound like Villa are intent on making it a difficult decision for the Tangerines. The manager is non-committal, but he gives no indication that the door has been closed. Quote:
Will we be back in for him? It is difficult to say at the moment. He knows we want him, probably.
But he has got a contract with his club so I can't say more about that.
It would be quite easy (and were that the situation it would most likely be advantageous) for Houllier to end speculation that Villa are still pursuing Adam and I find it at least somewhat noteworthy that he did not. I still think Adam winding up at Villa Park is a longshot, especially if the rumors of Liverpool having interest are accurate. Still. the figures quoted for Adam to this point are likely well below his actual value and it's good to see the club pursuing a young, talented player and trying to catch a bargain in the process.
Villa aren't short on attacking midfielders but bringing in players as good as Charlie Adam can rarely be seen as a bad thing and Adam brings a level of creativity to the table that Villa have been sorely lacking this season. It's also worth remembering that there have been many rumors surrounding both Ashley Young and Stewart Downing's departures over the summer and if the impact of James Milner's departure isn't enough to convince you that a key departing player's replacement should be in-house before they are sold on rather than after then I don't know what will.
The club finding themselves in situations where they were forced to be reactionary in their filling of huge holes is largely responsible for the bloated wage bill and, some might argue, their current place in the table. Flexibility is good for any club because being in a situation where you have to reject overpayment for key players is bad for business and in the long-term it's bad for the on-field product. It's far too early to say that the club will find themselves in such a situation but it's better to be prepared for it than the other way around.