Here are the latest Aston Villa transfer news and updates for Monday 15th June.
Note that the transfer window does not officially open until the 26th July 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19 on the domestic footballing calendar. There is also not a confirmed date for the transfer window to close, with the 2019/20 season yet to be concluded and no agreed start date for the 2020/21 campaign either.
If you missed the latest rumour surrounding Jack Grealish (£75m to Man Utd) or that of Christian Luyindama, you can check that out here.
Matija Šarkić
Given that Villa have considerable goalkeeping cover in the form of Heaton, Nyland, Steer and on-loan stopper Reina, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Sarkic’s future is in doubt.
The 22 year old Montenegro international is relatively inexperienced in terms of first team football, but is considered to be a highly regarded future prospect. Sarkic’s progress has been quietly monitored by many Villa fans, following a 2015 move from Belgian side Anderlecht.
Sarkic’s Villa deal expires on the 30th of this month and there have been consistent reports throughout May and June suggesting that a move to Wolves could well be on the cards. It’s not believed that Villa have put forward a new deal.
Whilst Wolves are strongly linked, it’s understood that a number of clubs, including Sunderland, maintain an interest. It does therefore appear that the prospects of Sarkic remaining a Villa player are slim, with first team opportunities under Dean Smith decidedly limited for him.
Caolan McBride
We also discovered at the back end of last week that promising Northern Irish midfielder Caolan McBride is set to join Villa on a three year deal.
The Northern Irish youth international will make a switch from Belfast side Glentoran and is one to watch for the future.
Detail on the 17 year old is of course limited, but McBride is known to play in a creative central midfield role.
The Glentoran Academy site remarks:
Caolan McBride has been at Glentoran for a long time and has stepped up very successfully into the U20 set up this season. He has grown in stature and matured as the season has progressed and emerged as an important player. He has a superb ability to run with the ball at his feet in crowded areas. That provides an X factor in any team.
CALLUM O’HARE
The dimiuitive and promising midfielder’s future at Villa Park appears increasingly uncertain, what with his contract ending this month and him having rebutted new terms at B6.
The 22 year old has caught the eye in Coventry’s promotion campaign from League 1.
Whilst few would argue at O’Hare’s potential, there was much in terms of development required both physically and technically when he has appeared in the Villa first team. The signs though, were promising.
Assuming that Villa and O’Hare cannot agree terms, Coventry are reported to retain a firm interest, whilst it’s reasonable to assume that other Championship teams will be monitoring his availability.
If O’Hare were to opt to move on, Villa would be entitled to a compensation fee.
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Dan. Are the rumours true Sarkic and CoH are going to our rivals Wolves for peanuts and we have bought a 17-year-old Irish lad on a 3yr deal WHY Dean Smith doesn’t play our young guns and we have plenty to choose from. I’ve been a Villan for 50 years and I’m getting more confused as to why we have an academy my question has just been confirmed on Villa Underground VTID
Hi Norman – we’ve got a couple of good write ups on the Villa Academy and where it’s arguably fallen short – these might interest you:
http://villaunderground.com/samir-carruthers-aston-villa-academy/
http://villaunderground.com/spotlight-why-has-the-aston-villa-youth-academy-failed-for-so-long/