If Sheffield United want to sign Conor Hourihane this summer, then the door seems very much open when it comes to his current parent club, Aston Villa.
Hourihane has previously spoken on his future and admitted that he sees the chapter with Villa closed now. His contract is up in the summer and there isn’t going to be a new one on offer, or so it seems.
And if United needed any further encouragement that Hourihane will be available this summer, then a report from The Mirror this weekend only backs that up. In their report, they claim that new Villa manager, Steven Gerrard, is planning a huge clearout of top stars at Villa Park. Big money signings such as Leon Bailey, Danny Ings, and even England defender, Tyrone Mings, are said to be on Gerrard’s list of ‘can be sold’.
Naturally, the just adds further weight to the notion that Hourihane is done at Villa. After all, if Gerrard is prepared to let players go who are already in his first XI, then there’s zero chance of Hourihane being handed a new deal.
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Our View: Conor Hourihane Has Turned Things Around At Sheffield United
From looking like a shadow of his former self and a pointless signing under Slavisa Jokanovic, Hourihane has settled well under Paul Heckingbottom and played a key role.
In terms of making his move permanent, it’s one that the club should consider. Of course, he is a bit older and would probably need to take a drop in wages. But he brings a cultured left foot, international experience, and a good working relationship with ‘Hecky’ to the cause.
As Heckingbottom keeps saying, what division we are in will dictate the budget. But in Conor Hourihane, United have a player who can probably do a job in both the Championship and Premier League. On a free transfer, and on reduced terms, few would argue that Hourihane represents a decent signing this summer.
