Darren Bent is expecting Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to secure the transfer of Harvey Barnes after Leicester City’s relegation to the Championship.
At the start of the season, not many would have tipped Leicester, who were then managed by Brendan Rodgers, to go down, in fact, they probably would have been tipped for a top-half finish.
But disaster struck this season and now they have headed back to England’s second-tier, as Bent expects a number of their star players, including Harvey Barnes, to leave, as he told talkSPORT Drive (31/05/23 at 5:40 pm).
There is interest from Aston Villa in Barnes, with Emery, after guiding the Midlands club to Europe, in serious need of added quality, especially out wide.
Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore, who returned from his loan spell in Turkey in January, are the only out-and-out wingers for Villa, so if Barnes does sign, then he will bring some much-needed competition.
Despite the Foxes going down on the last day, Barnes still managed 13 Premier League goals from the left flank and now Bent expects the former West Brom loanee, with ‘great quality’, to leave and join Emery in B6.
“Harvey Barnes, again, I think he has got great quality,” said Bent. “I think he has been linked to Aston Villa. I think he would be a great signing for them, so I think he is another one (that will leave).”
HARVEY BARNES WOULD PROVIDE COMPETITION
There is a lot of pressure on Leon Bailey to perform in the colours of Villa, but that consistency or those match-changing performances aren’t being produced enough.
Perhaps bringing in some competition would provide the left-footed speedster with a kick up the backside.
And then result in Bailey producing more consistent performances because Villa are going to need it now that the pressure on their shoulders is going to ramp up next season.
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