Williams has accumulated more bookings than goals this season – but that may appeal to a Villa side lacking a growling enforcer.
When you’re attempting to rebuild an entirely new club from the wreckage of the previous regime it helps if you’ve got a bit of money to turn plans into reality. Yet, while Dr Tony Xia was more than willing to dip into his deep pockets to snap up the signatures of Jonathan Kodjia, Ross McCormack and co, there is a way he could leave his bank balance relatively unscathed and his squad handsomely enhanced in January.
According to the Birmingham Mail, manager Steve Bruce wouldn’t say no to an energetic box-to-box midfielder in January with Mile Jedinak looking every inch his 32 years, Jack Grealish still relatively unreliable and Ashley Westwood lacking in more than one key area.
Therefore, he could be forgiven for glancing longingly at Reading’s combative US all-rounder Danny Williams. Out of contract in the summer, the 27-year-old could be the powerful, purposeful enforcer to protect Villa’s soft underbelly with a sheet of steel.
According to the Daily Mail, Villa made enquiries about Williams in the summer along with Newcastle United, Sunderland and Swansea City. And, with no new deal as yet forthcoming, the midfielder’s price tag is dropping by the day.
Bruce was left furious after Norwich’s Ivo Pinto scythed through the centre of the park in the build up to their goal against Villa earlier in the month and the 55-year-old Championship veteran will be more than aware that a soft centre could cost his side vital points in this punishing league.
Therefore, they could do worse than to make an audacious approach for a player starring at a club fighting it out for automatic promotion. After all, Reading’s odds of finishing in the top six may be a lot shorter than Villa’s right now but Tony Xia’s long-term project has enticed bigger names than Williams to the Midlands.
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