• Young’s wage demands believed to be the stumbling block
• Aston Villa were keen to get the full-back off their wage bill
Luke Young’s proposed transfer to Liverpool collapsed today, leaving the full-back facing an uncertain future at Aston Villa. Liverpool had agreed a £2.5m fee with Villa on Tuesday for the former England international but there were suggestions that Young was unable to agree personal terms at Anfield as well as being reluctant to relocate to the north.
The news will come as a disappointment to Liverpool and Villa. Roy Hodgson, the Liverpool manager, was keen to bring in the experienced defender to improve his options at full-back and also increase his quota of home-grown players, while Villa were eager to move on one of their higher earners as they look to reduce their £70m annual wage bill. Young was earning more than £2m a year at Villa and has three years remaining on his contract, with further signing-on fees due over the course of that period.
Liverpool had initially indicated Young would have to lower his demands, which have deterred interest from other clubs this summer, although when Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, reported earlier in the week that a bid had been accepted it began to look like a deal might go through. That is no longer the case, leaving Young to continue his pre-season training in Portugal with Villa and O’Neill cursing a missed opportunity to free up some money.
The Villa manager has been told he will have to operate within the constraints of a “sell-to-buy” policy this summer, accentuating the need to move on a number of players on the periphery. At the moment, however, Steve Sidwell, Nigel-Reo-Coker, Habib Beye, Curtis Davies, Nicky Shorey and Young all remain Villa players. There has also been no progress with James Milner’s situation despite ongoing negotiations between Manchester City and Villa.
Aston VillaLiverpoolTransfer windowStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk
