Dean Smith’s Aston Villa have seemingly failed to lure Wylan Cyprien to the Premier League with the Nice star staying in Ligue 1.
Nice play-maker Wylan Cyprien has turned down a move to Aston Villa, according to EuroSport.
With all things considered, this is not even the worst piece of news Villa fans will hear this morning.
Dean Smith’s side are hovering just a point above the relegation zone and their hopes of survival have taken a huge hit with goalkeeper Tom Heaton and striker Wesley Moraes both suffering injuries which appear to have ended their seasons prematurely.
Cyprien, a clever and classy midfielder rather than a shot-stopper or a centre-forward, would not have filled the void created by Heaton or Wesley’s absence but he’d have still been a fine addition to a struggling side.
The Nice ace has produced six goals and three assists in Ligue 1 this season and could potentially have offered the creative thrust Villa are missing with the dynamic John McGinn also set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
EuroSport, however, believe that Cyprien has no interest in swapping life on the riviera for the Midlands this month.
Villa’s loss is undoubtedly Nice’s gain. Head coach Patrick Vieira, himself a brilliant midfielder in his playing days, has handed Cyprien the captain’s armband on a number of occasions this season with the Guadaloupe-born star taking on a key role in a team short on attacking quality.
And, with billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe now at the helm, Nice are no longer under pressure to sell their star players in each and every transfer window.
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