O'Neill will fight for Young
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says he has no intention of letting key winger Ashley Young leave the club this summer.
Young is one of the more talented attacking players in the Villa squad and has already been linked with a variety of other clubs in the Premier League. However, the boss has already said that he expects Young to remain at the club.
Young's problem in recent seasons has been his consistency. He has shown glimpses of form that have led to a place in the England national side but he's never been able to take the step up to the next level for Aston Villa.
It's vitally important that Villa manage to keep him at the club because he has a number of qualities that are going to help in the push for Champions League football next season. However, the big money bid could be just around the corner.
Importance
Young takes the majority of the set plays for Aston Villa and this implies that he is the best kicker of a football at the club. This can often mean a few extra goals over the course of a season and this is not something that Villa will want to sacrifice.
Young is very quick and plays in the wide areas on either side of the pitch. The reason this is important is because it gives Aston Villa an extra attacking outlet when they are pushing forward.
The winger is one of the very few players in the Villa side who possesses the skill needed to do something extra to score a goal and win a game. He is a match winner and Villa will find it very difficult to replace him if he does eventually leave.
O'Neill said: "In the next couple of weeks I'm sure there will be great interest in Ashley, who has been fantastic for us. I felt myself that his form last season was every bit as good as in the previous year. Not everybody agreed with that but I thought Ashley was different class."
Modern Climate
The modern climate of football means that no player at any club is safe. A big money bid from a big club could be waiting and Villa will find it very difficult to resist when you consider the financial pressure of the modern game.
There are also clubs who can offer Young many things that Villa do not have. The chance of playing in the Champions League and a much bigger pay packet are just two examples.
O'Neill added: "Our job is, first and foremost, to keep the players. If that is the case then that is great. If that is not the case then obviously we have to get that valuation that we put on players and get as close to it as possible."
Advice
Be very cautious of how you approach Aston Villa because there is still a thick air of uncertainty over one or two players at the club. They could well make the top six but a lot depends on who stays and how they start. Therefore the safer option would be to wait until a few games of the new season have been played.
If Young does stay at the club then he will be a candidate to score the odd goal in the odd game. He will never be top scorer by the end of the season for either the club or in the Premier League. Betting match by match will allow you to limit any losses but cash in on good spells of form when Young is playing well.
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