You always knew that Aston Villa would announce the loan signing of Kortney Hause from the Dog Heads, before any announcement about Tammy Abraham was made.
Villa as a club are desperate for some sweetners for their fans, if they are to lose the current joint top scorer in the Championship, because he wants to play for Wolves.
Villa will no doubt try to announce a striker before any announcement of the serial badge kisser leaving, but Villa Head Coach Dean Smith has indicated that he is happy with the options of Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan to replace Abraham.
Losing Abraham would put a big question mark on Villa’s promotion potential, bearing in mind how the two strikers that have struggled for form in this season and the last.
Defensive Reinforcements
Kortney Hause meanwhile is a little shy of first team match fitness, having only played four games in the past 18 months or so. He also hasn’t played a first team game this season.
It’s a move that offers the player a chance for the 23-year-old to kick start his career again.
What will it offer Villa though? Still relatively young, the maximum number of league games Hause has played in a season is 25 (back in 2015/16), so while he’s not proven yet, he seems to have potential according to Dean Smith
“We’re very pleased to have brought in someone with Kortney’s quality,” said Smith, in a generic press release.
“With experience of playing at this level, he’ll be an important addition to our defensive options.”
Of course Villa are down to the bare bones, highlighted by Alan Hutton playing left side centre-back against Swansea City in the FA Cup, so Hause is a welcome addition.
The carrot of a possible full-time contract with Villa will hopefully spur him on.
Hause will wear the number 30.
With the rumour mill around Tammy Abraham leaving blowing hard, several striker’s names have been mentioned in connection to Villa…
Red Bee Herring?
Embed from Getty Images
Dean Smith used to manager Brentford, so lazy hacks have been putting 2 + 2 together to create articles about Villa being interested in Neal Maupay, who’s had a decent season so far for the Bees with 15 goals.
The one thing that many of these rumour articles forget to mention is Brentford would be looking for an inflated fee for the striker, but cash to outlay on big transfers is something Villa don’t have at the moment.
If Abraham needs replacing it will more than likely be a loan, but they would have to offer something the current strikers don’t have.
Victor
After being released by Beijing Enterprises, it’s never a good sign when a player is offering to play for free, as Victor Anichebe alledgly is for Everton. Any links of the 30-year-old forward to Villa are surely pure folly.
Bulgarian Rumour
There’s been some talk of Villa being interested, alongside a bunch of other clubs, in young Bulgarian international forward Kiril Despodov.
The 22-year-old – who is comfortable either wide or playing off the main striker – has had a decent season for CSKA Sofia, playing in the Europa League and scoring 10 goals in all competitions.
Talk of a £5m fee for a position that isn’t urgent for Villa makes it unlikely, when you consider FFP and the need for any Villa spend to be focused in improving their defence.
Dead in the Water
According to Spanish outlet Las Provincias alleged Villa interest in Levante midfielder Checik Doukouré has ended. Villa’s interest in the Ivorian international, who is unsettled at Levante, doesn’t seem to have been too serious.
Fuch Off
The Daily Mirror have declared Dean Smith to be interested in Leicester City fullback Christian Fuchs, on loan to provide an additional option at left-back. The 32-year-old has been squeezed out at the Foxes, with Ben Chilwell making the left-back spot his own.
Whether Fuchs sees his immediate future in lower league English football is another question, with the player favouring a move stateside to Major League Soccer.
Also, there’s a small matter of his reported £60,000-a-week wage, which Villa would need to pay a sizeable chunk of.
Surely it would be better to invest in a younger option with a potential longer-term future at the club, instead of more short-termism?
Lyden Return
Jordan Lyden has returned to Aston Villa following his loan spell with Oldham Athletic. The 22-year-old made 14 appearances, scoring once in all competitions.
UTV
Follow MOMS on Twitter at @oldmansaid
Well still untill 14 th Jan for Abraham to do a Delph. Fifa may agree then money will talk. I do hope he stays but when are we going to move forward as a club. Ohare was natural replacement for grealish instead we move Connor up when he was playing out his skin. Then we play 2 wingers who 90% if time can’t cross past the first defender. Deano is suffering from previous crap too many hangers on just interested in money. Too much choice. Look at Leeds young team 6 acadamy players against us on bench. Only one team believed and wanted to win. I think we have another 2 years to get rid of the craps before we can move forward. Meanwhile FFP will raise its head watch out for bombshell in Feb with blues and what it means for us. The rest of teams will be happy to see us fold.they are demanding blues suffer and its working. The play off lottery looks further away than ever.
I have just read that Abraham’s has now decided to stay with us and see out the season, I have to say he has seen sense at last and good on him for that, Maybe we should still go for Maupay what a partnership that would be.
Finding it hard to believe that Abraham’s is being disrespectful to the club for no reason, these are the actions of a spoilt kid only interested in himself. Is he in breach of his contract ? I don’t see any reason why Chelsea would condone this action. Anyway he has now shown his true colours and he’s certainly not bigger than the club so best forget him, if we can get Maupay for the reported £6 m that would be as good a deal as McGinn. Personally I think they will ask more but in any event we have to replacecAbrahams with a proven goal scorer if we are to have any chance of a play off spot