Peter Whittingham’s stats put most of Aston Villa’s players to shame yet it appears he will join League One Blackburn Rovers after leaving Cardiff City.
Peter Whittingham started his career at Aston Villa
It seems like decades since Peter Whittingham was lining up in the claret and blue of Aston Villa. Though perhaps that is something to do with the fact that the 32-year-old spent the last decade at Cardiff City, making 457 appearances for the South Welsh club to sit eighth in their all-time list.
Therefore, few can begrudge Whittingham wanting a new challenge in the Autumn days of his career. HITC Sport understands that the veteran turned down the offer of a new contract at Cardiff and is now on the verge of a move to recently relegated Blackburn Rovers.
Now, the prospect of helping one of English football’s fallen giants get back on their feet undoubtedly appeals. Yet, despite playing a more reduced role in the Cardiff team under Neil Warnock, there’s little doubt that Whittingham still has the class to thrive at Championship level.
Cardiff City legend Peter Whittingham
Therefore, you wonder whether Aston Villa are perhaps missing a trick not giving Whittingham the chance to return to the club where he made his professional debut 14 years ago.
After all, The Telegraph reports that Financial Fair Play restrictions mean the Midland giants will be forced to sell before they can sign this summer. Therefore, talented free agents will surely come under serious consideration at Villa Park.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
Yet, this is not the only reason Villa should at least consider a last-gasp attempt to bring Whittingham back to the club. Despite starting just 27 Championship games last season, the Nuneaton-born midfielder still boasted seven goals and seven assists from a deep lying role.
Only one player in Villa’s expensively-assembled squad, talismanic top scorer Jonathan Kodjia (below), could lay claim to more league goals than Whittingham in 2016/17. And only Albert Adomah managed more assists.
Furthermore, with Stoke City rejecting Villa’s offer of £500,000 for experienced midfielder Glenn Whelan, as reported by Sky Sports, Whittingham’s availability should be even more tempting.
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