Aston Villa were linked with former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill before he joined Premier League rivals Aston Villa instead.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has confirmed that he was interested in signing Gary Cahill as he prepares to come up against the new Crystal Palace defender at Selhurst Park on Saturday, speaking to the Birmingham Mail.
After eight trophy-laden seasons at Chelsea, an England international with 61 caps to his name dropped into the free agent pool.
And despite being linked with seemingly every bottom-half Premier League club, Cahill eventually ended up at Crystal Palace, making his debut in last week’s shock 2-1 win at Manchester United.
The 33-year-old will be desperate to maintain his 100 per cent record on his first appearance at Selhurst Park when Aston Villa come to town. Though, if the Premier League newcomers hadn’t decided to focus on younger options instead, Cahill could have spent the opening weeks of the new season wearing claret and blue instead.
“Gary Cahill was a player discussed last January and at the end of the season,” said the former Brentford boss. “It was just one we didn’t end up going for and, instead, ended up with Ezri Konsa and Bjorn Engels.”
Cahill started his career at Aston Villa and, according to the Birmingham Mail, the Midland giants were also encouraged by the fact that he knows assistant coach John Terry well from his time at Stamford Bridge.
But Engels, Konsa and Tyrone Mings are three players with their whole career ahead of them while Cahill’s is coming to an end. And given how Engels and Mings have struck up an immediate understanding in Villa colours, Smith’s side look fairly solid in their first season back in the big time.
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