Midfielders In And Out Shocker?

All press talk and rumours obviously, but lets explore!

The Daily Star - amongst others - claim that Villa are lining up a £4million swoop for Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov. Blackburn have also been linked to the player. The Bulgarian international's contract runs out in 18 months time and although Celtic want him to extend the deal having been in fine form this season, it is thought they would rather sell him whilst he can still command a fee. Celtic don't want to let him run his contract down allowing him to leave for nothing on a Bosman deal.

Strangely the links to Lee Bowyer have also returned. Maybe this is just the sort of rumour that will keep re-surfacing because of his past with O'Leary. Reports suggest that Souness wants Gareth Barry - a move that was also muted in the summer - and that he would be prepared to let Bowyer move the other way as a make weight in the deal.

I think Bowyer is the sort of nasty, snarling, aggressive player that Villa need. But that was the Bowyer at the peak of his game. He is the SORT of player, but probably not the exact player we need. It appears there is a lot of baggage that comes with Bowyer and certainly some of the Villa fans I've read opinions of on the forums are very much set against such a move.