Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane wasn’t interested in joining Birmingham City this summer after they showed an interest in him, according to Gregg Evans.
As to be expected, the transfer claim has had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.
Hourihane left Villa Park late in the transfer window to sign for Sheffield United on a season-long loan. His £30,000-a-week contract expires at the end of the season, so Dean Smith's side may have seen the last of the 30-year-old in a Villa shirt.
However, a move to Bramall Lane wasn’t the only option that the central midfielder had in recent weeks. According to Evans, who was speaking on the 1874 podcast, as cited by This is Futbol, Villa’s city rivals Birmingham also showed an interest in Hourihane, with the journalist believing that the Republic of Ireland midfielder had no interest in a move to St Andrew's.
He claimed: "Birmingham City tried to get him. They were interested in signing him. I don’t think he would have [joined them].
"I don’t think he was interested in doing that move purely because of what happened with Jack [Grealish], with the punching incident and the history. I just couldn’t see him ever been a Birmingham City player, but they certainly wanted him."
Villa fans react
@Total_Villa shared Evans’ claim about Hourihane on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. Here is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many loving the Irishman’s apparent stance on their local rivals.
“One of us”
“Villa legend”
“Can I love this man anymore? @ConorHourihane you’re a king”
“What a guy”
“my cult hero”
“Some boy man”
In other news: Aston Villa announce the signing of 'creative' free agent; he has the same agency as Konsa and Steer.