Aston Villa reportedly wanted to bring Matt Targett to the Championship again from Southampton.
Steve Bruce does not seem confident of signing a new left-back before the transfer window closes at 5:00pm this afternoon.
Aston Villa were pipped to the post by Fulham for Joe Bryan earlier in August and it seems that they are no closer to finding an alternative with time running out.
“It’s been very difficult to get somebody exactly like (Bryan). In fact, we’ve found it impossible,” Bruce told the Birmingham Mail.
While Fulham are certainly to blame for Villa being forced to rely on the unconvincing Neil Taylor, Middlesbrough have also played their part in Steve Bruce’s frustration.
Boro signed Sam McQueen on loan from Southampton on Thursday. And, while the 23-year-old was not on Villa’s radar, his move to the Riverside may have prevented Bruce from signing another Saints left-back.
As reported by the Mirror (live blog, 3.59pm), Villa were hoping to sign Matt Targett, who shone in the Championship during a spell at Fulham from January to May.
Targett, who is rated at £20 million by Southampton according to TEAMtalk, would have been the perfect addition to Bruce’s starting XI, ticking almost every possible box.
But Southampton are not going to let both their reserve left-backs leave in the same window, so Middlesbrough appear to have left Villa in limbo.
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