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Mat Kendrick had an excellent opinion column in the Birmingham Mail today, and I encourage you to go and read the entire thing. But one part in particular caught my attention:
As for incoming transfers, these don’t tend to get done until players’ deals expire at the end of June and, with it being a World Cup year, could be even later this summer.
Before making any signings or moving players on, including seemingly surplus Nicklas Helenius, Villa would be well advised to wait until early July, by which time the likelihood or otherwise of a new owner riding to the rescue should be much clearer.
Well there's an idea. It's certain to be unpopular with fans who want to see improvement immediately, and it would almost result in people calling for Lambert's head more than ever. And from a sheer entertainment perspective (which, remember, is why we all care about football) it couldn't be more boring.
But I think Mat might have a point here. In a summer where Villa may be hamstrung by being on sale, waiting might be the smartest of all possible moves. Let the market shake out and the bargains become more evident. Look for players that clubs want to send out on loans. Take your time. With so little money to spend, this isn't the summer where Villa must get _____. (Fill in the blank with a player of your choice.) Instead it's a summer where needs must be filled regardless of name. This is a summer in which Villa can afford to be a little patient.
And as Mat intimates, maybe in waiting until July a sale could have come closer to having been completed. It's not guaranteed, but such news would mean Lambert (or whoever is in charge) could run a proper summer shopping spree. If no one has stepped up, there really isn't much harm in waiting.
It's boring, it's dull, and it could be really annoying. But it might just be a smart move to wait until July to start making any summer moves.