Aston Villa are unlikely to sign Brentford playmaker Romaine Sawyers this month, with Middlesbrough now interested in signing the ex-West Brom player, according to Press Association Sport journalist Nick Mashiter.
The reporter claimed via his personal Twitter account on Tuesday that Sawyers, 27, is into the final 18 months of his deal at Griffin Park and he is starting to attract attention from across the Championship.
Although Villa have been linked with the midfielder, who Dean Smith managed at both Brentford and Walsall, they are unlikely to snap him up in the January transfer window.
Middlesbrough are keen on Brentford's Romaine Sawyers. 18 months left on his contract. As mentioned elsewhere last month, #avfc unlikely in January. #boro #brentfordfc
— Nick Mashiter (@nickmashiter) January 8, 2019
OPINION
Sawyers was a class-act for Brentford under Smith’s leadership, but his form has dropped significantly since the ex-Bees boss joined Aston Villa. If Smith was to sign him again then there’s no doubt that he would be a good player at Villa Park, but right now, the Villa boss has other priorities in the January transfer window and a playmaker isn’t one of them. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, might as well avoid signing Sawyers as well. Tony Pulis does not look as though he will be able to win promotion to the Premier League this season, so it may be better to wait until the summer before having a go at singing the former West Brom midfielder. He will be in the final year of his Brentford contract by then and should be much cheaper. It’s hard to see how he can improve this Boro side right now and playmakers aren’t that likely to want to play for Pulis – mainly because they won’t have the chance to do what they’re best at.