Villa boss has got some hard calls to make
ASTON Villa need to consider their sales as much as their purchases this summer. While focus has been snatched by potential buys including Said Benrahma and Ollie Watkins, attention has remained on a potential sale of Jack Grealish to Manchester United. Whether the captain stays or goes, there’s plenty of room for other outgoings as well.
But only if they suit Villa.
For instance, selling Wesley to Lazio? No thanks. Why make it easier for a club Villa have no relationship with to thrive in the market? If they want a striker – they should go out and pay top dollar instead of holding out hope that Villa might do them a favour by being desperate to sell the forward. Lazio can then simply hold up their own interest in Vedat Muriqi.
Take it or leave it, they can say, or ‘prendere o lasciare’.
It doesn’t really help Wesley to sell him, as well – does it? After an ACL injury, the striker needs some form of stability to find his feet once more. A new club and a fresh start doesn’t make a great deal of sense if the offer isn’t even acceptable for Villa.
There is one striker Villa should sell, though, and that’s Scott Hogan. Hogan can very clearly cut it in the Championship – but nobody truly gave him a chance bar Brentford and Birmingham City. A loan spell at Sheffield United did not develop into a material move either – and the less said about his spell at Stoke City, the better. However, Hogan thrived for the two teams that truly bought into him – Blues and the Bees. If an offer is there, and almost any offer – Villa should accept. It’s simply better for both parties that Hogan go out and get football, because he can score goals and have plenty more fun elsewhere.
There’s two others Villa should consider moving on. Henri Lansbury is one of those players. Smith is fond of Lansbury – with the midfielder having a fairly big role in one of the biggest controversies of the season when his ‘goal’ at Crystal Palace was snatched away by a refereeing decision that didn’t seem to be correct, at all.
He’s a clearly talented player who has performed well, occasionally, when selected – but those selections are so few and far between at this point that it’s almost impossible to imagine him starting a game next season.
That’s totally unfair – every player at Villa should have their eye on the squad to keep standards eye, but with the club eyeing a midfield signing – where does Lansbury fit in?
The third player? Lovre Kalinic. As someone with an international place at stake, Kalinic needs football. He will not get that at Villa without catastrophe. It’s not fair to suggest that Lansbury, Hogan and Kalinic will be happy collecting a wage at Villa and not playing.
Of course, it’s nice to pick up money without appearing in many games – but Villa need refreshed squad depth, and to allow these three players to move to a team where they will be able to perform – and hopefully shine – again.