Aston Villa wanted to sign Dowell from Premier League Everton before the midfielder joined Championship rivals Sheffield United instead.
Aston Villa failed with a £6 million bid for Kieran Dowell during the January transfer window, according to the Liverpool Echo, before the Everton youngster joined Championship rivals Sheffield United instead.
Five months ago, it seemed that Aston Villa had no chance of reaching the promised land of the Premier League after a worrying run of form that appeared to put pay to Dean Smith’s promotion dreams.
Sheffield United, meanwhile, had formed part of a clear chasing pack with Norwich and Leeds. So you could hardly blame Dowell, an Ormskirk-born midfielder, for seizing the chance to join The Blades on a short-term loan deal.
And his decision was certainly justified. The England U21 international impressed as Sheffield United finished second in the Championship, returning to the top flight after a 12 year absence.
Fortunately for Aston Villa, they weren’t made to rue their failure to sign Dowell in a £6 million deal. A remarkable turnaround in results led the Midland giants to Wembley, where they beat Derby County in the play-off final.
The question now is whether they will make a new bid for Dowell, who appears to have no place in Everton’s first team plans right now.
An intelligent, goalscoring number 10 like Dowell would come in handy but would he start for a club who already have the likes of Jack Grealish and Conor Hourihane in attacking midfield roles? Maybe a return to Bramall Lane would suit him better.
Fortunately, the Liverpool Echo believes that is indeed on the cards.
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