Tottenham Hotspurs versus Aston Villa – Preview (Part 2)
For Aston Villa Ashley Young is on the verge of renewing his contract. Sources have revealed that it will be a long-term deal.
Frenchman, Houllier has also confirmed that Young is up for a new deal that will be signed “sooner rather than later”. He also said that expectations are the deal, which will commit him to at least 4 years with the club. Aston Villa has been one team that
has been on a straight route to improvement in the past 5 years and that has produced better players from the London based club.
Young has now just about 2 years left on his present contract and being one of the main performers of the club there has been interest shown for him by other clubs. Liverpool has been on the top of that list and in the summer Merseyside nearly saw the players
making a switch to Anfield but in the end it was wages that took the deal apart.
The Reds and Young disagreed on the salary and therefore he refrained from signing with Scouse. This season again the player has been in stunning form and will feature the Villian in their dominance.
The strategy for the club that has been paying off is the new role of Young acting as second or shadow striker behind the big bulky frame of Emile Heskey.
On the new contract of Houllier the manager informed, “The good news should come early, sooner rather than later”.
Young has also been linked with a sign up with their rivals Tottenham as they bided heavily for a new striker but in the end had to do with Aaron Lennon on the right wing along with new comer Rafael van der Vaart.
Houllier has praised Young’s further improvement saying that his form and capabilities are great and if he improves a notch more he can enter as a regular in England’s national squad.
Houllier expressed, “Ashley, to me, has international qualities. He is clever, reads the game well, works hard, is quick, has got quick feet, can score goals, make goals, takes part in movements to prepare goals”.
On the Three Lions issue he said, “Whether he can play for the national team is not down to me to say yes or no. All I know is that we want the player to step up another level because he is on the fringe of the international team”.
He commented that he had his best interest at heart, “I want him to be a regular player (for England). If you are happy with your game, you are not going to improve. You will stay at the same level and then some players will overtake you”.
He added, “But his involvement and dedication to what he does at training is really a good sign for the future for him”.
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