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Darren Bent’s name continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool this January with now less than two weeks to go before the close of the transfer window.

The England international is, according to reports, high on Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish’s wish list and the Merseyside club are said to be keen to make an offer for the player.

Bent, 27, is open to a potential move to Anfield. However, Villa boss, Alex McLeish has today been quoted as saying the following: “Am I wanting to do (transfer) business? I am not pushing. I am not in any hurry to lose any of my players.”

The former Rangers and Birmingham manager went on to add: “Only if it was an attractive proposition would we do anything so it’s very unlikely we would let any of our players go.”

The fact McLeish used the phrase attractive proposition in his answer says it all really. If Liverpool really want Bent then they will get him. It all depends on how much they are willing to fork out.

With Villa having splashed £24 million on Bent just 12 months ago, they are unlikely to let him go for anything less than that, so are Liverpool prepared to make a serious off to get their hands on the prolific goalscorer? Time will tell.

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The possibility of McLeish being installed as the new manager at midlands rivals Villa has sparked an angry reaction from many fans with an ‘Aston Villa Supporters – We Don’t Want Alex McLeish’ Facebook page already attracting more than 5,000 names in less than 24 hours. One fan remarked that he would be “disgusted” if the Scot took charge. If McLeish does cross the Birmingham divide he could be the most unpopular managerial choice in English football since Leeds opted for Brian Clough in 1974, a stint which famously lasted only 44 days.

Meanwhile Birmingham have already approached Portsmouth Chief Steve Cotteril to take over the helm at St. Andrews. The 46-year-old successfully piloted a respectable 16th place in the Championship for Pompey in a season which only saw the club emerge from administration in late October.

Chris Hughton is also said to be in the running for the post, leading Newcastle in 2010, after being met with a similar scenario, to a return to the top flight at the first time of asking . The Former Newcastle Boss has already found himself linked to a number of jobs this summer and was said to be near to taking over at West Brom earlier this year before Roy Hodgson was eventually appointed.

Other Names being said to be discussed by the Birmingham Hierarchy are Roberto Di Matteo, who led West Brom to promotion before being dismissed earlier this year after a bad run and Ex-West Ham manager Alan Curbishley, who made 130 appearances for the Blues in the early 80s as a player and enjoyed a lengthy managerial spell at Charlton, masterminding two promotions and leading the Addicts to regular mid table finishes in the top flight.

Meanwhile Acting Chairman Peter Pannu has expressed his fury at Alex McLeish’s exit, apparently via e-mail, after backing the Scot after their relegation last month. “We spent £40million, supported McLeish all the way, and what we get is relegation and a snub when Carson gave him unwavering support.” said Pannu.

McLeish, odds on favorite for the Aston Villa post, had two years to run on his contract and a huge legal fiasco is expected to unfold as the club are expected to seek compensation for his departure should it be revealed the Scot has another job lined up elsewhere . Pannu added: “Birmingham City FC does not grant him any right to speak to any outsiders until the matter is resolved. I’ll be meeting my legal team tomorrow.”

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Reds boss Kenny Dalglish is looking to build his team around predominantly British talent as he aims to bring the glory days back to Anfield.

Having recently secured the £20 million signing of Jordan Henderson from Sunderland, and having smashed the club’s transfer record bringing in £35 million man Andy Carroll last January, Dalglish and the club’s owners have clearly shown that they aren’t afraid to meet the high valuations placed upon British players, and have made no exception in their pursuit of Downing.

Liverpool have been monitoring the midfielder for some time now, but will step up the chase in the coming days as Villa look to cash in on the £15 million-rated England international, or risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires.

Downing, 26, only heightened interest by claiming that he will not be signing a new contract with The Villans.

“I know the club are keen for me to extend my contract as I only have two years left on my deal and that my agent [Struan Marshall] had a recent meeting with our chief executive [Paul Faulkner]. However, I am 26 and at a major crossroads in my career so I won’t be committing to a new deal.”

Downing looks to be the next high profile exit from Villa Park, following the departures of Brad Friedel to Spurs, and Ashley Young, who is widely expected to complete a move to champions Manchester United when he returns from holiday.

Charlie Adam is another man seemingly on his way to Anfield, currently priced at 1/6 to join from Blackpool, while Downing to Liverpool can be backed at 1/3.

As always, comments are welcome, or feel free to Follow @theadamconway on Twitter.

The former Rangers boss was already the bookmakers favourite to become the next Villa boss and today’s news has, unsurprisingly, resulted in his odds to move to Villa Park being significantly reduced.

Birmingham City released a statement on Sunday afternoon which read: “Birmingham City Football Club can confirm that Alex McLeish has resigned as manager. Acting chairman Peter Pannu received an e-mail resignation from McLeish earlier today [Sunday] while away on business in Amsterdam.”

McLeish took the reins at St. Andrews back in 2007 and delivered the club’s first piece of silverware in almost 50 years. However, following the club’s Carling Cup success last February, things in the Premier League went sour for Birmingham and they were relegated on the final day of the season with a defeat at the hands of Tottenham.

McLeish is now priced at just 1/5 to become the new manager at Aston Villa and that really does say a lot. I would be shocked, to say the least, if McLeish isn’t named the new Villa boss sometime next week, so stay tuned for any updates on the site and indeed our Facebook page.

I am really curious to find out what you make of this one, especially all you Birmingham and Villa fans. Comments below please.

It has been claimed that Ashley Young’s representatives this morning held talks at Old Trafford over a move for the Aston Villa winger. A much trusted source with strong links with the club, also claimed that bar any shock developments, David De Gea is widely expected around the club to be a United player next season, as a deal is apparently said to be all but done.

Sensationally it has also been revealed that Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder is said to have been in secret talks with Manchester United officials over the last number of weeks, despite claiming he wasn’t planning on exiting the San Siro club. Despite claims of a move for one of the star players of the World Cup last summer being off, Alex Ferguson is desperate to land the Holland International as he builds a side that can land the scot a third Champions league trophy.

Although no comment has been made by either party, it is understood that Young’s representatives have been in discussions with United over the duration of this week.

The Villains have apparently given up all hope of convincing Young, who joined Villa from Watford in 2007 for a fee of 10 million pounds, to stay at the Birmingham club. In fact, such is the gloomy feeling of pessimism around the club, an article in the Daily Mirror today suggests Villa are so resigned to the England international’s Departure that they will not even attempt to offer him an improved contract. Young had stated throughout the season that he would talk over his future, and possibly a new Villa deal, in the summertime, but according to The Daily Mirror the club just don’t believe he will even consider staying.

Young has already made it been known that he wishes to play in the Champions League, suggesting that he is set on an exit from Villa Park. Villa finished a poor ninth in the league last season, after previously being in contention for qualifying for Champions League and finishing in the top six over the last three seasons. The former Watford midfielder has grown to prominence throughout the last few years and is now considered a key player by Fabio Capello, as Young proved his worth scoring against Switzerland in a Euro 2012 qualifier last weekend.

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No major player has made the two mile move directly from St Andrew’s to Villa Park since Alan Curbishley signed for Tony Barton’s European Cup winners in 1983, and following Birmingham’s relegation, Lerner feels Foster (who has five caps for England, albeit currently on an “indefinite break” from the international scene)  is an apt replacement for Friedel, who moved on a free transfer after three largely successful years.

Foster was named Birmingham’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season last month, highly praised by Blue’s fans  for his “series of inspirational performances” shown over the course of the season, which despite his best efforts  ultimately concluded in relegation. Although some consolation was held as Foster helped City in winning their first trophy for 48 years, beating Arsenal  in the Carling Cup last February.

No Move may be made until Lerner finds a replacement for Gerard Houiller, who stepped down this week as Manager due to health reasons, however as a host of clubs eye up the Ex- Manchester United Goalkeeper, American Tycoon Lerner may be faced with no other choice than to swoop for his man earlier than he would like, with a bid thought to be between £6-10 million this week.

A move to Villa would suit Foster as he only recently relocated to the Midlands from Cheshire and was in fact born in Leamington Spa, a neighbouring area in the West Midlands where most of his family still live.

However, is it wise for Villa to go for a Goalkeeper who has experienced relegation in his solitary two seasons as a Number One  (Birmingham this year and Watford in 2007) or should they go for a more experienced figure for perhaps a better value for money deal? Should Lerner leave these decisions to his new manager (whoever he may be) with such arguably little understanding of the game and can Birmingham gain promotion next season without their man Foster?

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Young, 25, has impressed this season with 9 goals in 39 appearances for Villa and as a result of his good form, it is no surprise to see the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish interested.

Should Young join the Premier League Champions, he will face stiff Competition from the likes of Antonio Valencia, Nani and Park Ji-Sung for a place in the United midfield.

The England international has proven himself as one of the best wingers in the Premier League following his £9.75 million move to Villa Park from Watford in January 2007.

He can play on either wing and has proven this season that he can play just behind the striker in a playmaking role, and with Ryan Giggs turning 38 next year it looks likely that he will be playing a more central role to pave way for a player like Young to play on the left wing.

With just a year left on his contract, it is thought that Villa will have to make do with just £15 million. We can’t forget that just two years ago Villa wanted £25-30 Million when Young had more time on his contract, so now seems like the best time for United to make their move.

Young has struggled to impress for England over the years, but a fine performance against Wales a few months ago has Fabio Capello keeping tabs on him for a possible involvement in the Euro 2012 squad if they are to qualify. A move to Old Trafford would no doubt boost Young’s chances of being a starter for his country in the coming years.

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Friedel’s contract at Villa Park is due to expire in the coming weeks and unsurprisingly, a number of Premier League clubs are monitoring his situation.

The former American international, who turns 40 later this week, is understood to be open to a move away from Villa and with Liverpool and Tottenham among the clubs interested, it would perhaps be a surprise to see Friedel still plying his trade in the Midlands next season.

The player’s agent, Tony McGill, had this to say when asked about Friedel’s future: “I will be holding talks with Brad next week, once the season has finished and we will then go over his options.”

McGill went onto add: “I have read the newspaper speculation, but we are not going to talk about any clubs until the season has finished.”

Liverpool have been the favourites to sign Friedel for a number of weeks now and given the fact he used to play for the Merseyside club, it is hard to see past a move to Anfield this summer. However, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp in desperate need of a world class goalkeeper, a move to White Hart Lane may appeal to Friedel more than the switch to Liverpool.

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Football clubs may not need to obtain a title loan, but perhaps you do.