Aston Villa should swoop or the Newcastle United midfielder.
Speculation is rife (via Northern Echo) that Newcastle United are keen on signing Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva in a move which would see him reunited with Rafael Benitez.
The Spanish manager brought the 30-year-old to English football back in 2007 when he was in charge of the Reds and it looks like a reunion is in the offing.
Should it happen then it puts Jack Colback’s hopes of regular football next season in jeopardy – and Aston Villa should swoop for the 27-year-old.
Jack Colback of Newcastle United
According to The Derby Telegraph, Aston Villa had a £500,000 bid turned down for Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan last week, but Villa would have the most immobile centre midfield in the Championship if Whelan is partnered up with Mile Jedinak.
Villans boss Steve Bruce could and should explore alternatives, and the Newcastle man might be one of them.
Colback, whose contract expires in 2019, could well be deemed surplus to requirements in the North-East, despite helping them to Premier League promotion.
The former Sunderland man started 24 Championship games under Benitez last season but their interest in Lucas suggests that the Spanish manager is looking to solidify his central-midfield position. Would he play regularly ahead of Lucas? Possible, but unlikely.
Aston Villa need a long-term solution in the middle of the park. At 33, Whelan isn’t it. Of course, Colback, being six years younger, would fetch a bigger fee than the Irishman, with Transfermarkt reporting his value to be around £5.2 million, but you get what you pay for.
Bruce will be looking to win promotion for the Villans next season. Whelan managed it with Stoke City in 2008 – Colback managed it just last season.
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