Aston Villa were reportedly in talks to sign Swansea City captain Leroy Fer during the January transfer window.
Aston Villa might have missed out on one of the most impressive bargain signings of this Championship season.
It is no secret that the Midland side wanted to bring Leroy Fer to Villa Park from Swansea City on deadline day, Sky Sports claiming that they had opened talks about a deal for the Dutch midfielder.
As we all know, Fer never made the switch and will stay at the Liberty Stadium until the end of the season, when his contract is due to expire. The Sun shed further light on the situation over the weekend and, with the former Norwich City powerhouse set to become a free-agent in a few months’ time, it is understood that he would have cost just £2 million.
In an era where Championship players are frequently being traded for £10 million and more, £2 million for a player of Fer’s experience and ability looked like a wonderful deal on paper.
What a signing this would have been for an Aston Villa side who are being forced to find a way around Financial Fair Play restrictions whenever they are looking at making a marquee addition.
Dean Smith and co, however, will be hoping that they can finally get Fer for even cheaper in the summer when his contract runs out.
Or that Tom Carroll, who did make the switch from Swansea to Villa on the final day of the January window, finally fulfils the potential he showed during his younger days at Tottenham Hotspur.
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