Aston Villa’s Ashley Young is determined to join one of the top clubs in the Premiership at the end of the season, and will decline to sign any new contract that is offered to him by the Aston Villa management. The England winger has been closely linked with a move to Manchester United for some time and it has been rumoured that Alex Ferguson already has plans in place to take him to Old Trafford this summer.

The Sun reports that although the player says he just wants to focus on his games with Aston Villa he has confided with friends that he is ready to move on.

They also quote a source as saying: A source close to the player said: “Villa are showing no sign of breaking into the top four and Ashley knows he has to think about playing at the very top if he wants to become an England regular before the European Championships.

“He loves being at Villa and the way the fans treat him but is set on moving in the summer.”
The 25-year-old player has been instrumental in Villa’s improved performance after Christmas.

One of the main motivations for the player is his ambition to play in the Champions League and Aston Villa don’t look like they’ll be able to break into the top four any time soon. He also feels that Champions League football is key to his England career.

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Young only has a year left on his contract and could leave for £12 million after he called off talks to extend his present deal by four years, but the Villa boss Gerard Houllier hinted in January that he’d rather let the contract run out, than sell the player for less than he feels Young is worth.

But Alex Ferguson has been well-known as willing to pay whatever it takes to secure his most wanted targets and Ashley Young is suppsedly top of his wish-list.

obertan ... no future la at old trafford ...

If we buy young, he can play in the hole behind striker (rooney). Had been a revelation since he switched from the wing to the hole (since milner left i think). Always thought he was a bit one dimensional on the wing. His movement playing centrally is great. If we get him to play behind rooney, think it will be great. can still play nani/ valencia on the wing: Potential line-up next year??
-------------------------Rooney (chica, berba, welbeck)-------------------------

-------------------------Young (rooney, berba)------------------------------

Nani (Giggs/PJS)---------   CM   -------  CM ----------- Valencia (Nani/ PJS)
Evra -------------------- Vidic  --------------  Ferdinand     --------  Rafael
------------------------------Mystery KEEPER-----------------------
A great side no?? just had to get some consistency from our CM group n we are good to go.

PS: AM excluding obertan/ bebe from the equilibrium as i dun see them progressing anyway to make an impact next year. Bebe most probably loaned or play in reserve/CC. Obertan should be gone. think he asked for transfer request during the close of the jan transfer window.

i agree. rooney just does not cut it as a no.7 for united. Dunno why, ever since cantona had worn it, somehow i expect the no.7 in the team to excite me with something extra. cantona had the class. beckham had his godlike crossing ability. ronaldo brought excessive stepover n tricks to BPL. somehow, the way rooney plays just does not "excite" me. Macam takde imagination saja. (AM INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO BLOCK THE EXISTENCE OF THE CURRENT NO.7)
Nway, on the topic of young playing as the "AM", i kinda thought young had been fantastic for the last 18months now playing that role for villa. Not sure whether its AM or drop-off striker, basically he just drifts off to find space , be it on the flank or right behind the midfield. Kinda like the free role rooney had been playing for the last few matches. Furthermore he will only have 12months left in his contract in the summer. We could most probably get him in th 10-15mil range. Need not spend upward of 25mil on the likes of sneidjer/hamsik, who we also had to take into account whether they can adapt to the BPL. I seriously think young is a very legitimate option.

SAF so influential that the FA got scared and panas punggung..

last season most rooney's goal is tap in, header in the penalty box, from penalty spot. True, his last minute goal against citeh memang emotional, but 6 yard box header hardly exciting stuff (unless u find peter crouch exciting).
And i disagree on the part that young does not play the AM role "often". Pretty much every match i see him in these days (last 12 months at least), had either been behind bent or heskey. If capello is not impressed with him in that role, would not had started him there in the game against wales.

heheehe... you based where? i am in Penang..

i also want Liverpool to play like the recent MU game in every game....dont say Arsenal...we are also bewildered why we cannot consistently repeat those kind of display against the likes of WBA or Wolves...