Conor Hourihane Loan to Swansea City
Conor Hourihane has agreed to a loan deal to Swansea City until the end of the season, according to reports. The Irishman has struggled this season to get game time in a Villa team that has transitioned into a quicker and more punchy countering attacking force.
Due to Villa’s more dynamic style, the Irish international midfielder had even slipped behind academy starlet Jacob Ramsay in terms of having the attributes to fit the way Villa were playing.
There were a slew of Championship clubs interested in Hourihane, with the Swans pipping the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth to his loan signature.
The Welsh club’s current second place in the Championship and their recent Premier League pedigree would have no doubt swayed the midfielder’s decision to where he wanted to play his football for the rest of the season.
Swansea fans will have a lot to get excited about as one thing Hourihane has always given Villa is end product, with plenty of goals to his name from midfield (24 in the league), especially during his time in the Championship with Villa (including a hat-trick against Norwich). His set piece delivery is also a strength, that always made him a useful player to have on the bench in the Premier League, whether Smith ultimately chose to use him or not.
Hourihane was a key part of Villa winning promotion from the Championship in 2018/19 season and should be a big help for the Swans in their quest to do the same this season.
What it Means?
Certainly Hourihane’s exit firms up the reports of Villa’s interest in Marseille’s Morgan Sanson, as Villa will certainly need another midfielder coming in, considering the density of fixtures ahead and the uncertainty that Covid-19 has cast over the league. Also, Sanson would provide some longer term security if Ross Barkley is no longer a Villa player come next season.
UTV
