Villa aim to snatch Heskey from Liverpool's clutches

[Sir X]

Villa aim to snatch Heskey from Liverpool's clutches

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O'Neill moves to secure Wigan forward despite informal Anfield agreement
By Sam Wallace and Jason Burt
Friday, 23 January 2009

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The Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has identified Emile Heskey as the man to help Villa qualify for the Champions League

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Martin O'Neill has launched a late bid to steal Emile Heskey away from Liverpool by signing the Wigan Athletic striker for Aston Villa this month. It is understood that Villa and Wigan are already in negotiations over the player, who is likely to cost around £6m.

Heskey, 31, had an informal agreement to join Liverpool when his current contract expired in the summer. However, O'Neill had identified the England striker, whom he managed at Leicester City, as the man to help push Villa on to qualify for the Champions League this season and improving his £40,000-a-week wages should not impact on Villa's unwillingness to pay beyond £60,000-a-week.
There is no love lost between O'Neill and Rafael Benitez over last summer's bad-tempered Gareth Barry transfer saga and signing Heskey now would make for a particularly sweet revenge for the Villa manager. Wigan have already taken steps to fill the gap left by Heskey by signing Mido from Middlesbrough on a loan deal until the end of the season. They are close to finalising the £4.5m signing of the Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega as a long-term replacement for Heskey.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will attempt to move the signing of Heskey forward to this month in order to trump Villa. Given Benitez's recent complaints about the slow response of his chief executive Rick Parry on transfers it will be an interesting test of the fragile peace at Anfield. At Liverpool, Heskey will have to be content with the role of Fernando Torres' understudy. For Wigan the deal makes sense because they will lose Heskey in the summer for nothing and, in seventh position, 10 points off the relegation zone, they are in a strong position to keep their Premier League status. As one of the club's two top earners, along with goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, on £40,000-a-week, the sale of Heskey will also free up some of the wage bill which takes up a substantial part of Wigan's turnover.
Heskey has re-established himself as a major figure within the England team under Fabio Capello despite a woeful international goal-scoring record of five in 50 caps. He worked with O'Neill at the start of his career. They both left Leicester in the summer of 2000, Heskey to join Liverpool and O'Neill to take over as manager of Celtic. "Martin O'Neill was a big influence on me," Heskey said recently. "He was the first manager who really gave me the freedom to express myself, who encouraged me to play."
O'Neill is hopeful of signing another centre-back as well this month although West Ham have told Villa that their first target, Matthew Upson, is not available. The Villa manager will also try to recoup some funds by selling Marlon Harewood. The striker John Carew has not played since November because of a back injury but is now back in training with the first-team.
Armed with the cash from the £14m sale of Wilson Palacios to Tottenham Hotspur, Wigan have been made aware that Stephen Hunt had a £5m buy-out clause inserted into the last contract he signed at Reading. That was following the collapse of his move to Sunderland, this time last year, for the same amount.
Reading offered the 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international a new contract at the end of the last January transfer window, which was for three-and-a-half years, which he signed but only on the insistence of a get-out clause.
Hunt is desperate to play in the Premier League and despite Reading's success so far this season in the Championship, where they are on course for automatic promotion, he would rather return sooner. However, according to sources, it is understood Hunt had hoped to attract a bigger club than Wigan although he will move to the JJB Stadium if they are the only bidders.
Reading have already signed another Irishman, Jay Tabb, from Coventry City for £300,000 but insist he has not been acquired as Hunt's replacement although they are also interested in another winger, who could fit the bill, Barnsley's Jamal Campbell-Ryce.
Wigan are also believed to be close to off-loading Olivier Kapo, who has failed to settle since his £3.5m move from Birmingham City in the summer and may return to France on loan while they plan to again try and sign Hendry Thomas, from Deportivo Olimpico, the former club of Palacios and left-back Maynor Figueroa.
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[Assasin]

Villa agree Heskey fee with Wigan


Heskey has scored for Wigan three times this season


Aston Villa have confirmed they have agreed a £3.5m fee with Wigan for England striker Emile Heskey.
Heskey, 31, had said he would decide on his future at the end of the season, when his current contract expires.
But talks between Villa and Wigan began on Thursday, and BBC Five Live's Pat Murphy said he expected a quick resolution to negotiations.
"I understand the proposed deal is well advanced and may be finalised on Friday," he said.
Murphy added that Heskey was a good fit for Villa, who are managed by his former Leicester boss Martin O'Neill.
"It makes sense for the player, who has re-established himself as England's first-choice target man and whose contract with Wigan runs out this summer.

I've kept an eye on Emile's career and when he's confident he's a top player



Martin O'Neill

"Signing for Villa would keep his profile high, especially as they are still active in the FA Cup and Uefa Cup as well as trying to qualify for next season's Champions League, and he would play more often for Villa than he would for Liverpool.
"Furthermore, O'Neill has always spoken warmly about the player he managed for four years at Leicester."
Under O'Neill, Heskey helped the Foxes to League Cup triumphs in 1997 and 2000.
And the Irishman is still grateful to Heskey for "playing fairly" by the club when he moved to Liverpool for £11m in 2000.
"I've kept an eye on Emile's career and when he's confident he's a top player," he said. "Something levelled at Emile is that he doesn't score enough goals and I am sure he probably thinks exactly the same.
"But it doesn't mean he hasn't made a massive difference in other areas. Confidence is always a big thing for Emile."
606: DEBATE

I think he will be a good signing especially at £3.5mill, an England international, proven in the premiership



Trinity_Villain

"It would be difficult not to support someone who was brilliant for you. He was a young kid at Leicester and was fantastic.
"We were desperately disappointed when he moved but he said he wanted to go and play with Michael Owen at Liverpool - but he did his part for Leicester.
"He signed a new contract and we eventually got £11m for him when he could easily have gone and played abroad for a year, because of his age and rules at that time, and we wouldn't have got any money. He played fairly by Leicester." Heskey will bolster Villa's attacking options, joining a strike force that includes John Carew, Marlon Harewood, Gabriel Agbonlahor and youngster Nathan Delfouneso. Villa are currently fourth in the table and pushing for a Champions League spot.

[Lazie]

Heskey would have been an idiot to go back to Liverpool. His style of play should fit the runners Villa have.

[Assasin]

you see it too?

If Keane can't get game how Heskey a go get game a pool.

Mi nuh see the last Pool game but I read where Torres is overlooking Keane for Gerrard to pass the ball to.

Heskey will make Villa interesting with a fit John Carew, is it going to be the two big man upfront? and Gabby and Young on the wings or will one of the bigmen sit?

Interesting to see what the genius Martin Oneil will do. I think this means Harewood is on his way out.