Aston Villa are struggling in 17th place in the Championship table.
Aston Villa are reportedly planning an £8million move for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan that would see the left-footed star return to Villa Park – but is the interest bad news for two current Villa players?
The Daily Mirror have claimed that Villa want to bring the Scotland international back to the Midlands from Sheffield Wednesday, leaving Villa to join Crystal Palace five years ago in the summer of 2013.
Bannan, 28, signed a new deal in August that sees him contracted to Wednesday until the summer of 2021, but Villa remain interested nonetheless and could look to move for him in January.
It is clear that Dean Smith wants to sign a new central midfielder and Bannan’s form this season makes him a prime candidate. But if he arrives, the writing is on the wall for duo Mile Jedinak and Glenn Whelan.
The veteran midfielders are both in the final years of their contract at Villa Park, with both players hardly the first names on Smith’s team sheet. Whelan has been in and out of the side, managing only six Championship appearances.
Jedinak, meanwhile, is yet to feature under Smith, remaining an unused substitute in all three of the former Brentford manager’s matches as boss since he replaced Steve Bruce.
With a matter of months remaining on their contracts and new signing John McGinn arguably considered the club’s best central midfielder, the signing of Bannan will surely see Whelan and Jedinak’s chances of a new deal evaporate.
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