The odds of Aston Villa securing the signing of the much sought after Conor Hourihane have been dramatically cut by bookmakers.
The midfielder, who is also a target of Sheffield Wednesday, has been the subject of a high amount of speculation so far this transfer window.
He has been previously tipped to join his former teammate, Sam Winnall, in making the move to Hillsborough. However, it has been reported in the last few days that a move to Villa would be a preference for the Irishman. SkyBet are now offering odds as low as 1/4 on Hourihane joining the club.
He originally joined Barnsley for a £250,000 fee in the summer of 2014. Previously, he had represented Plymouth but a transfer to the recently relegated Tykes proved a tempting proposition for him.
Obtaining the services of both Hourihane and Forest captain, Henri Lansbury is a major part of Bruce’s plans going forward. If they are to make the playoff from here, the business they do in January is going to be vital to them chances.
It is also thought that Hourihane will join Villa for free in the summer, should a move not materialise. He is now entering the final 6 months of his original two-year deal.
The Lansbury deal, though, appears to have hit a stumbling block. Originally, it was reported that the completed takeover of the Tricky Tree’s would open the door for him. Now, with the collapse, the situation appears to be unclear.
As well as the two mentioned – another potential Bruce target remains Jordan Rhodes. They have already seen a £10,000,000 bid rejected for the forward, with Middlesbrough reportedly asking for 12.
