OPINION
Aston Villa must reignite their previously reported interest in Wigan Athletic’s Nick Powell as he continues to shine in League One this season.
Sun correspondent Alan Nixon reported on his personal Twitter account in December that the Midlands giants had approached Wigan about signing the 24-year-old midfielder.
Steve Bruce’s side were unsuccessful in their pursuit of Powell at that time, but they must revive their interest in the summer to sign the goalscoring talent.
The 24-year-old has made football look easy while playing in League One this season, and has scored an impressive 12 goals in 31 appearances during this campaign.
Powell is one of the main reasons why Wigan are currently battling for the league title as he dominates the midfield battle for them.
The central midfielder also pulls the strings for his side by dictating the pace of the game through his sublime passing ability.
It’s clear for everyone to see that Powell is currently a big fish in a small pond, and that he needs to be playing at a higher level.
While it’s true that he could be in Championship next season with Wigan, the Villans could offer him much more.
Bruce’s side still have chance of being promoted to the Premier League this season, and Powell wouldn’t look out of place as a squad player, but even if they stay in England’s second tier they will be aiming higher than Wigan during the next campaign.
The current League One side will just hope to cement themselves in the Championship next season, whereas the Villans will once again be battling at the higher end of the table.
Bruce knows his side need to sign a player like Powell sooner rather than later, as his midfield consists of a lot of aging bodies.
When looking at the Villans’ starting line-up from the defeat to QPR, there were only three players that were younger than 29-years-old, with midfielders such as Mile Jedinak and Robert Snodgrass featuring.
Therefore, no matter the league the Villans find themselves in next season, the club must swoop for Wigan’s Powell in the summer.