Villa’s Ashley Young set for Old Trafford move
Monday 30th May 2011, 11:14AM BST.
MANCHESTER UNITED look to have jumped to the front of the queue for Ashley Young’s signature with the Villa star now seemingly set for an Old Trafford move.
The winger has been linked with a switch to United for months with Liverpool and Spurs also interested but sources within the game now have United as front-runners to claim Young’s signature in the summer.
And, in what is likely to be a summer of change at Villa Park, Ciaran Clark today hailed Barry Bannan as the perfect replacement for Nigel Reo-Coker.
Villa parted company with Reo-Coker after the midfielder stalled on a new deal and his exit could mean more first-team opportunities for Bannan.
The 21-year-old playmaker has been on international duty for Scotland and caught the eye as a 63rd-minute substitute for Charlie Adam in last night’s 1-0 defeat to Ireland in the Nations Cup in Dublin.
And Clark is confident the player he came through the academy ranks with at Villa can go on to achieve great things next season.
“Barry is a great talent. I’m sure he will push on next season and continue to improve,” said Clark.
“He’s an unbelievable player. His left foot is so good. He’s so sharp and I think his vision is unreal. He sees passes that no one else can see.
“He has come flying through this season and I’m just pleased for him. There’s more to come from him, definitely. I think he’ll improve even further next term.”
n Villa will face stiff competition for Birmingham defender Scott Dann if they follow up their interest in the centre-back.
If he was to join Villa, Dann would be the first player to move from St Andrew’s to Villa Park since Alan Curbishley signed in 1983.
But the 24-year-old defender, who is rated at £10m, is also reported to be a target for boyhood club Liverpool as well as Sunderland and Arsenal following an impressive season in the Premier League.
UK Sport
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After the footballing lesson Yanited were given the other day,I can’t see that Ashley Young is the quality of player to take them forward.
He will be OK for the Premier but will no doubt be a bench-warmer the majority of the time.
In the Vile set up he is a big fish in a small pond but at Manure he will have much less of an influence. eg Will Rooney give up taking freekicks or penalties? I doubt it.
But the best of luck to him if he goes cos the Vile are going absolutely nowhere with or without him.
Boing Boing
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