Ashley Young looks destined to leave the club in the summer as his contract winds down in 2012, having made some pretty obvious ‘come and get me’ comments to his potential suitors. The 25-year-old spoke to the Birmingham Mail, revealing that he hopes to win titles and cups as he enters the peak of his career in a year or so’s time. The winger’s current deal runs out in 2012 and his availability has caught the eye of the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool in particular, although the likes of Manchester City (GRRRR) and Real Madrid have also been linked. A suggested fee of around £15m seems most credible although hopefully the growing interest in the England international can spark a bidding war for Villa’s sake.
The club were buoyed by Stewart Downing’s claims that he is happy at the club and hopes to stay on at Villa Park with contract talks under way. Before now I would have said Young’s likelihood of leaving was around 70% which has probably risen to at least 90% after his latest admissions. A telling part of the quotes, in my opinion, is the fact that he said he hopes to ‘help them’ meaning Villa, rather than ‘us’, sounds like he’s already left. The scenario is all to familiar to Villa fans having lost Barry and Milner, both to City, in recent years. I don’t think you can judge Young for wanting out after the club’s terrible season will undoubtedly see them finish solidly in the bottom half as he is better than that, as is Downing, Bent etc. so I’m just happy that we should have the likes of those, and the youngsters, tied down to long term deals.
“I’m an ambitious person who wants to win titles and leagues and cups and stuff.
“Hopefully, fingers crossed, I can do that. I think they say players start to peak at 26 or 27.
“I’ll soon be 26, so fingers crossed I can start peaking myself. I’ve been enjoying how things have been going for me.”
When speaking of Villa’s last two games of the season, Young added: “I want to be able to do well for myself, do well for the club and get them higher than we are at the moment.
“Fingers crossed, I can continue not to be injured, keep going, keep doing what I’ve been doing, and see it right through to the end of the season.”
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