Conor Hourihane is ready to leave Aston Villa with TEAMtalk claiming Championship rivals Swansea City and Middlesbrough want to hold talks with the Ireland international.
A £3 million signing from Barnsley four years ago this month, Hourihane will forever hold a place in the heart of many Villa fans.
He may not have become a genuine Holte End hero a la Jack Grealish or John McGinn but the 29-year-old set-piece specialist played a major role as the Midlands giants escaped the clutches of the Championship before re-establishing themselves in the Premier League under Dean Smith.
Like Neil Taylor, James Chester and co before him, however, Hourihane’s time at Villa appears to have reached its natural conclusion.
The one-time Sunderland youngster has started just three league games this season, falling behind Ross Barkley and 19-year-old Jacob Ramsey in the pecking order.
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa won’t stand in Hourihane’s way if he wants to secure first-team football away from the claret-and-blue corner of Birmingham.
The £30k-a-week Hourihane is keen on a fresh start, with Swansea currently leading Middlesbrough in the race for his signature.
Steve Cooper’s Swans are second in the Championship and are a results machine churning out wins at an increasingly impressive rate. Hourihane’s creativity and quality from dead-ball situations would only enhance their promotion prospects.
Boro boss Neil Warnock, however, is also a big fan and recommended Hourihane to QPR during his time in charge at Loftus Road.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
