According to reports in The Mirror, Aston Villa youngster Andre Green is a target for Premier League duo Bournemouth and Crystal Palace and they could move for the winger before the transfer window slams shut next Thursday.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that both the Cherries and the Eagles scouted the 19-year-old in his side’s 2-1 defeat against Reading in the Championship earlier this month, and he certainly would have caught their eye again after he scored the first senior goal of his career in Villa’s 4-2 win against Norwich City at Villa Park on Saturday with a curler from the edge of the penalty area.
The Mirror says that the Midlands outfit rate the wide-man as an even bigger prospect than Jack Grealish, although they will be keen to tie him down to a new contract considering he has less than two years remaining on his current deal.
The report adds that Green has been watched by a number of other top flight outfits as he has progressed through the ranks with Villa, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Why do Bournemouth and Palace want Green?
The 19-year-old winger is quick, direct and loves to run at opposition full-backs, and he successfully completed 14 of the 22 take-ons he attempted in 15 Championship appearances for Villa last season.
The majority of those outings came from the substitutes’ bench but he could get much more of a look in this term with Villa not spending the money in the transfer market that they did last summer, and he has played the full 90 minutes in their last two league fixtures.
Green has scored one goal and created one chance in his three Championship appearances at the start of the campaign, while he has already successfully completed five of the seven take-ons he has attempted to show that he is growing in confidence.
Could Villa really cash in on him?
It seems unlikely right given that Green looks to have finally broken into the starting line-up, but you can never say never considering that the Midlands outfit could look to recoup some money following their high levels of spending in 2016.
However, the likes of the 19-year-old and fellow youngster Keinan Davis are already making waves this season, and Bruce could look to them to make an impression rather than relying on more senior professionals that have failed to make an impact like Ross McCormack.