Opinion: Aston Villa’s interest in 25-year-old could see Grealish or Hourihane leave

Aston Villa have been linked with a £10m move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Adam Reach, with Dean Smith desperate for more creativity in the squad. The Midlands outfit have struggled for form in recent weeks – picking up just one win in their last seven in all competitions – so some fresh faces may be needed.

Goals have been hard to come by of late too, with Villa scoring one or less in three of their last four outings, and Jack Grealish’s injury may be partly the cause. Conor Hourihane hasn’t managed to step up in the playmaker’s absence and Smith may feel he needs to dip into the transfer market to rectify the situation.

Reach is regarded as a left-sided midfielder, but he’s operated in a central role for Wednesday this season. The 25-year-old has scored and created nine goals in 25 league games, in addition to making 23 successful dribbles and creating 42 chances. His arrival might be down to the uncertain futures of existing players, however.

Grealish has been linked with a move away from Villa for some time. He might be considering a change in scenery if the Midlands club miss out on promotion for a third consecutive campaign. Hourihane may not be sold this month or next summer, but his place in the side could be up for grabs due to his poor form. Reach wouldn’t be a bad replacement for either player.

Crippy Cooke’s previous article