Man Utd and Aston Villa both keen on EFL talent
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Fleetwood Town teenager Josh Feeney, who has been linked with a move to Aston Villa.
Feeney, a central defender, is the current captain of England Under-16s looks set to leave the League One club at the end of this month, with a Premier League side being his likely destination.
The Daily Mail say that Villa are the favourites to land the youngster, but that United have made contact with the North West club as they look to hijack a deal.
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The defender becomes a free agent next month, so a tribunal will determine what fee Fleetwood will receive for the 16-year-old, but it is believed that the fee will be a six-figure sum.
Feeney hasn’t made an appearance for the League One side but was named in three matchday squads in the 2020-21 campaign.
Either Villa or United would be an ideal destination for the young defender, with both clubs having a strong history of bringing players through to the first team from the youth ranks.
The Daily Mail also reported last month that Celtic, Wolves, Leicester and Leeds were all interested in Feeney.
However, it is clear that Villa are the frontrunners as things stand.
Dean Smith is likely to be a busy man this summer and is looking to bring Norwich City’s Emi Buendia to Villa Park, recently bidding £30million for the playmaker.
Villa’s chances of signing Buendia are boosted by the recent comments of Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber.
He seemed to place a £30million price tag on the 24-year-old’s head earlier this week, saying: “If we do sell, it’s going to be a club-record deal.
“It’s probably going to start with a number three in front of it and that will give us great opportunities to maybe make the whole squad better as well. We’re really relaxed on that front.”
Buendia registered 15 goals and 17 assists in 39 games last season, and would be a great partner for Jack Grealish in attacking midfield.
Smith is also wary of Villa’s reduced creativity when Grealish is injured, so it’s hoped Buendia can lessen their reliance on their skipper going forward.