The talented striker has impressed for Preston North End this season after apparently failing to make the grade at Aston Villa.
Despite spending around £70 million on distinctly second tier talent since Tony Xia bounded into Villa Park, the club are still as far away from the play-off positions as Burton Albion.
And, just to make matters worse, Preston North End are eight places above Steve Bruce’s side in the table, thanks in part to the excellent form of two players unceremoniously shoved out of Aston Villa after barely the briefest opportunity to prove their worth, the Daily Mail reported.
While the energetic Daniel Johnson continues to display his attacking talent with four goals and four assists this season, the impressive progression of Callum Robinson at Deepdale should serve as a warning for any young-talent prioritising club thinking about hiring Roberto Di Matteo.
The Daily Mail reported in August that the Italian barely gave a second thought to handing a new contract to the striker who had risen through the ranks at Aston Villa, allowing him to return to Deepdale on a free after two previous loan spells under Simon Grayson.
Callum Robinson of Preston North End celebrates after the game
And, just half a season later, the Daily Mail add that Villa’s Midlands rivals Wolves were considering a January bid for a player now worth up to £4 million.
Robinson is hardly the most prolific striker with eight goals all season but his dynamic, direct running and combative style means he leads the line with pace and purpose.
Villa, on the other hand, spent a huge sum on three-goal Ross McCormack. Furthermore, with Steve Bruce suffering a striker shortage due to a series of injuries, Robinson would come in quite handy right now.
Even four months after leaving Villa Park, Di Matteo continues to drag the club down.
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