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Here’s the latest Aston Villa transfer and team news.
Busy time
The optimistic Aston Villa players will be out on Christmas morning as preparations continue for Crystal Palace on Boxing Day and Chelsea just two days later.
Villa’s hectic holiday period will now intensify with three games in a week culminating in a trip to Old Trafford on New Years Day.
Dean Smith’s team is in top form right now after taking seven points out of nine available against Wolves, Burnley and West Brom, the latter among Villa’s most dominant performance of the season to date.
The boss held his press conference this morning before the Palace game and confirmed how he will have his players on Christmas morning.
Video not available
“Everyone’s plans have changed a bit,” explained Smith, who will sit down for a festive dinner with the players and staff at Bodymoor Heath later. “Last season I gave the players Christmas Day off, but I won’t do it this season.
“I feel like the games are coming in fast and thick and we have to be in and getting ready for Palace and then Chelsea.
“The holidays that we would normally have at Christmas are in moderation due to the pandemic. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope they have as good a day as they can.”
Ultimate jack
Manchester United and rivals Man City will rekindle their interest in Aston Villa’s talisman captain Jack Grealish next month, according to reports.
The Daily Mirror has been told that both Manchester clubs will seek to tempt the 25-year-old Grealish with Champions League football next season and officials will seek to start talks with Villa in January about a proposed transfer in the summer.
Grealish’s form, according to the Mirror, has also alerted champion Liverpool following reports in the Spanish press that Mo Salah is drawing a lot of interest from Real Madrid.
BirminghamLive, meanwhile, understands that there is absolutely no chance that Grealish will leave Villa Park this season or next given the club’s formidable form this term.
View of Liverpool
Our sister title, the Liverpool Echo, also insists that the Reds have no interest in signing Grealish, even if he has scored five goals and claimed six assists in the Premier League this season.
The Manchester giants may feel they want to put Villa’s resolve to the test, but it is clear that Claret and Blues will be looking to build around their talisman that will be in action at home against Crystal Palace on December 26.
Welcome back
Aston Villa hosts Crystal Palace on Boxing Day and looks to build on their impressive start to this season.
Dean Smith’s team is red hot as of late after winning seven points out of a possible nine in December. As for Palace, the Eagles are coming off the back of a humiliating 0-7 at home to Liverpool and still winless in three.
Meanwhile, Palace boss Roy Hodgson will welcome a familiar face Villa fans know all too well on Saturday when Christian Benteke returns from a one-game suspension.
The Belgian forward received two yellow cards against West Ham after scoring himself in a 1-1 draw at London Stadium. Benteke, 30, has scored three of three for Palace after rediscovering his form in front of goal.
The forward scored 49 of 101 in all competitions for Villa during his three incredible B6 seasons, while, at Selhurst Park, Benteke had 26 in 124 appearances, including just nine strikes since the 2017/18 season.
Forward
Aston Villa’s forgotten man, Lovre Kalinic, is out on loan again.
The goalkeeper will move to Hajduk Split next month when the Croatian transfer window opens on January 18.
Kalinic spent nine years in Hajduk’s youth team before bowing with the first team in 2009.
We went on to play 130 times between 2009 and 2016 before moving to Gent in Belgium, the club from which Villa signed him for £ 5.4 million in January 2019.
The 30-year-old was Dean Smith’s first signing in that January transfer window and initially came in as Villa’s new No. 1 only to lose form and fitness.
He has only made eight appearances for Villa and none since the Championship loss to West Brom in February 2019.
He spent the second half of last season with Toulouse, but made only four appearances before returning to Bodymoor Heath during the pandemic.
Back home
Kalinic revealed that he had offers from Belgium before he decided to return to Hajduk Split.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper will return to his native Croatia when his transfer window opens next month, on a loan deal until the end of the season.
A move in January was always on the cards, as he seeks regular minutes to get his career back on track, and a romantic return to Split, coupled with the size of the club, proved to be an opportunity that was too attractive to turn down.
However, Kalinic was not short of offers, according to the man himself. Having played for Gent before Villa, the opportunity to return to Belgium was also an option.
“I take this opportunity to thank the president [Luksa] Jakobusic, who started the story of my return, ”Kalinic told the Croatian press.
“His wish was really great, also on my part, although they offered me several options from Belgium on the table. Many will say that Hajduk is currently underperforming, but Hajduk is still a great club. “
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