Aston Villa are thought to be very keen on Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil, according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon, as relayed by The 72.

The Lowdown: Neil profiled

Neil is 20 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder who can also play in a defensive or attacking midfield role.

He actually shares the same agent as Steven Gerrard and signed new terms with the Black Cats through to 2025 back in October.

The left-footed midfielder has contributed to 11 goals in 32 appearances so far this season, and his displays have seemingly caught the eye of Aston Villa.

The Latest: Villa interest

According to Nixon in The Sun on Sunday (16.01.21, pg. 60), as relayed by The 72, Villa are ‘ready to fight’ when it comes to the race for Neil’s services.

Villa scouts have reportedly been raving about the Sunderland gem, with Gerrard also keen on a move for what the club views as a long-term project.

The Verdict: Smart move

Sunderland manager Lee Johnson has said that Neil is ‘a little bit like a young Paul Gascoigne’, so it seems to be a smart move by Johan Lange and co to bring in the 20-year-old.

Villa have already bolstered their senior ranks this month by bringing in Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne, while they have also added to their academy squad with the signing of Kerr Smith.

It’s clear to see that the club are thinking of the bigger picture, so making Neil a Villa player this month could be an excellent move. Should a move go through, you’d expect that Villa would be open to loaning him back to the Stadium of Light for him to continue playing regular senior football, so it could be a rumour worth monitoring over the rest of the month.

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