Aston Villa boss Dean Smith is reportedly a big fan of Henri Lansbury, and surprisingly believes that he could fill a major void next season.
According to a report from Birmingham Live, Dean Smith is a big fan of Henri Lansbury and believes that he has the potential to be Jack Grealish’s replacement if the Aston Villa talisman leaves this summer.
Lansbury has endured a largely miserable time since his £3 million move to Villa Park in 2017. He made 12 appearances in all competitions last year, and has only appeared three times during this campaign.
Most Villa fans would be forgiven for thinking that the 28-year-old’s future lies elsewhere. But it actually appears that the manager has a lot more confidence in the midfielder than many would expect.
Birmingham Live reports that Smith rates Lansbury highly. And surprisingly, the Villans boss believes that the former Arsenal trainee is a player who could step into the role if Grealish leaves the club – provided that he can stay ‘fit and focused’.
It may concern some supporters that Smith reportedly thinks this way. Unfortunately, Lansbury has not shown enough during his time at the club to suggest that he could fill the void that Grealish may leave if he does move.
Villa supporters will suspect that promotion is a must if they hope to have a good chance of keeping their star man. And if they lose him, they will be hoping that the club reinvest some of the money they receive on a replacement.
So not only could Lansbury being relied upon be a worry given that many fans will not see him in the same light as Smith apparently does, but it is also a hint that any fee received for Grealish may not necessarily go on signing a replacement either.
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