The Aston Villa midfielder looks to be out of favour at Villa Park. Could Derby County take advantage of this?
Aston Villa’s Aaron Tshibola
It’s been a difficult season for Aston Villa supporters. After relegation to the Championship, the club initially looked ready to bounce straight back to the Premier League after investing heavily over the summer and bringing in Champions League winning manager, Roberto Di Matteo.
However, after a turgid start to the season, the club made the decision to change things at the top, bringing in former Hull City and Birmingham City manager, Steve Bruce. After inheriting a bloated and unbalanced squad, Bruce then added a number of new players in January, and now faces a tough task of narrowing down his squad this summer.
One player who could be set for the exit door this summer, as the Villans look to offload so that they can again invest in their side, is midfielder Aaron Tshibola. Signed in the summer from Reading, Tshibola looked to be coming in to add some ferocity and energy to the Aston Villa midfield. However, after falling out of favour under Steve Bruce, the English midfielder joined Nottingham Forest on loan in January.
So which teams might be interested in a move for Tshibola this summer? One side who could use a player with his attributes is Derby County. The Rams are looking to start a new chapter under Gary Rowett, and will likely be looking for an injection of power and energy in their midfield (something they are currently lacking). Could Tshibola be the man for them?
Aston Villa’s Aaron Tshibola scores
Any potential move will likely depend on how the players wages fit in with Derby County’s transfer policy going forward. The club will also be dependant on outgoings to fuel their transfer business this summer, but a player of Tshibola’s qualities could be worth the work. The Rams may also look to take advantage of Villa’s need to sell this summer; but does that mean the club will necessarily sell to a rival?
Aston Villa pipped the Rams to the signature of Henri Lansbury last January, and have a number of impressive midfielders on their books. The real challenge facing Steve Bruce this season, will be finding a balance amongst his array of talented stars, and making sure he can keep them all happy, especially when not featuring.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
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