Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Monday May 29 2006
Time: 10:19AM
UK time is: 20:16:29
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Man Utd To Target Villa Midfielder?
Reports in the Sunday Mirror and repeated in the Sun today are claiming that Manchester United are preparing a bid for Aston Villa's talented young midfielder Steven Davis
20-year-old Davis, who recently became Northern Ireland's youngest ever captain, has been linked several times to Manchester United as Alex Ferguson continues his quest to find a replacement for former captain Roy Keane.
Davis played 34 games this season and came off the bench once. He scored four Premiership, 2 FA Cup and 2 Coca Cola Cup goals.
David O'Leary said recently 'There is no way Davis would be a player we want to sell. There are loads you wouldn't want to do that with and within that bunch you might have to bite the bullet and let one go to raise money. But he is not one of those. For that to happen it would have to be one taken out of my hands, an absolutely obscene offer money-wise.'
Adding
'Steven has been the most consistent player this season and he would win my vote for player of the year. But I don't buy into him being linked with other clubs.'
Taken out of the managers hands? Well, Doug has done that before and he will no doubt do that again.
The reports both suggest that Man Utd will test Aston Villa's resolve to keep the player with a bid around £5million. If Doug sold one of two players (Gareth Barry being the other) that David O'Leary apparently says are not for sale, surely David O'Leary would be forced to walk? Almost worth the sacrifice... almost!
Ferguson is bound to have seen that Davis was one of a very few Villa players to shine during a dire season.
Our latest poll asks your opinion of our young midfielder. To me he looks like a fantastic prospect, exactly the sort of player that we should build the team around together with Gareth Barry, James Milner, Luke Moore and Milan Baros (with Gabriel Agbonlahor being introduced slowly into the mix as well).
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Your Comments
Hopefully this is just press talk, trouble is Fergie has been linked several times before and there aren't many midfielder prospects like Davis about. Lets face it, if a bid big enough came in, Doug wouldn't turn it down.
The Fear
Hopefully this is just press talk, trouble is Fergie has been linked several times before and there aren't many midfielder prospects like Davis about. Lets face it, if a bid big enough came in, Doug wouldn't turn it down.
The Fear
Of course Doug will listen to offers. We are a selling club, nothing more nothing less. Plus if you where offered the choice to stay and stagnate at Villa or joining a major force in European football who would you pick? Yeah thought so, me too.
still skeggy
Of course Doug will listen to offers. We are a selling club, nothing more nothing less. Plus if you where offered the choice to stay and stagnate at Villa or joining a major force in European football who would you pick? Yeah thought so, me too.
still skeggy
If we could just wait a few more seasons im sure his value would rocket, £5m does seem to undervalue him somewhat..
andrew144
If we could just wait a few more seasons im sure his value would rocket, £5m does seem to undervalue him somewhat..
andrew144
£5m?? I almost choked. He cant be sold for that much, who would we replace him with?
groseyboy
£5m?? I almost choked. He cant be sold for that much, who would we replace him with?
groseyboy
Unfortunetly O'Leary will not walk, if DD lets Davis go to Manure then he will prove witout any doubt (that is if there is any) that he long past his sell by date.
irish villa
Unfortunetly O'Leary will not walk, if DD lets Davis go to Manure then he will prove witout any doubt (that is if there is any) that he long past his sell by date.
irish villa
how good is this boy?
green giant 12
how good is this boy?
green giant 12
he wouldn't want to go. he'll never ever be first choice at man u. it would be the end of his career. i'm past caring any more. let man u, chelsea, liverpool & arsenal buy every decent young player just to sit in reserve and stop them playing for other clubs. it's becoming pointless. the only thing that can help us if those 4 clubs take their entire squads by air to a pre-season tournament and are involved in a horrific 4 plane mid-air collision and the insurers refuse to pay out. unlikely somehow.
crayzeee
he wouldn't want to go. he'll never ever be first choice at man u. it would be the end of his career. i'm past caring any more. let man u, chelsea, liverpool & arsenal buy every decent young player just to sit in reserve and stop them playing for other clubs. it's becoming pointless. the only thing that can help us if those 4 clubs take their entire squads by air to a pre-season tournament and are involved in a horrific 4 plane mid-air collision and the insurers refuse to pay out. unlikely somehow.
crayzeee
Lazy journalism this in my opinion. I am now wondering if the old twot has a plan to undermine O'Leary at every opportunity and force him to walk.... cos it is starting to look that way Bakke.. Milner possibly. Davis.. possibly!
fatloser
Lazy journalism this in my opinion. I am now wondering if the old twot has a plan to undermine O'Leary at every opportunity and force him to walk.... cos it is starting to look that way Bakke.. Milner possibly. Davis.. possibly!
fatloser
i think his plan is to get us relegated so we can play his beloved small heath.
south coast villain
i think his plan is to get us relegated so we can play his beloved small heath.
south coast villain
Problem is, Oleary wont quit- as he wont get ajob in the premiership else where!! He wont get sacked cuz ellis cant afford to - or wont pay him off - either way were stuck
leelindsay
Problem is, Oleary wont quit- as he wont get ajob in the premiership else where!! He wont get sacked cuz ellis cant afford to - or wont pay him off - either way were stuck
leelindsay
If we're going to sell the likes of a Steven Davis, particularly at this very early stage of his development, then it all becomes a somewhat pointless exercise. As a player young Davis still has it all to prove. Yes the potential is very definitely there, and if he does step up a couple of notches and realises that potential, then we all know that he's not going to spend more than a couple more seasons at best at Villa Park. Now however is not the time to sell, either from the clubs point of view, nor I would imagine from the players.
glensider
If we're going to sell the likes of a Steven Davis, particularly at this very early stage of his development, then it all becomes a somewhat pointless exercise. As a player young Davis still has it all to prove. Yes the potential is very definitely there, and if he does step up a couple of notches and realises that potential, then we all know that he's not going to spend more than a couple more seasons at best at Villa Park. Now however is not the time to sell, either from the clubs point of view, nor I would imagine from the players.
glensider
If we are selling top young players like Davis then we should be looking for top money. A big bid like 12-15m and I'd be happy to see him go. Otherwise we should be trying to build our team around players like Davis. If Essien is worth 24m and Johnson is worth 8.6m then Davis is worth 15m.
ooahPaulMcGrath
If we are selling top young players like Davis then we should be looking for top money. A big bid like 12-15m and I'd be happy to see him go. Otherwise we should be trying to build our team around players like Davis. If Essien is worth 24m and Johnson is worth 8.6m then Davis is worth 15m.
ooahPaulMcGrath
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