One of the more daft of the latest batch of rumours is that two former Villa players who abandoned the club and regular first team action to cash in at Manchester City may be returning.Yes, stories abound that either James Milner or Gareth Barry could be set for cut price returns to Villa Park.
While we at villamad.co.uk would welcome a bit of much needed experience to the rebuilt squad, it seems impossible to us that either player would return, given Lambert's youthful vigor preferences, Randy's vice-like grip on the wage structure and the
bitterness from some elements of our support regarding the pair's departures.
Barry's exit in particular was rather fraught from the fans' perspective as it played out over well over a full season and led to a few incidents where he was actually booed whilst still wearing a Villa shirt.
With Milner keen on more first team starts to secure his place in the World Cup squad (if we actually qualify) a loan deal wouldn't be out of the question, but Lambert's signing of Bacuna makes it unlikely that that loan deal will be with us.
Meanwhile, our chances of offloading Stephen Ireland to Mark Hughes and Stoke City may well be hampered by the player's wage demands. The word from the Potteries is that Mark Hughes is being asked to follow the Lambert template and bring in younger players on lower wages, so it remains to be seen whether this makes his bid for Ireland a non-starter or not.
Villa may have to waive any potential fee (as they have done with Holman) and pay a chunk of Ireland's remaining contracted year to make the deal work for Stoke.
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