Noel Whelan has suggested that Aston Villa’s transfer policy this summer will depend on whether or not they can secure promotion, but expects them to try and complete a permanent deal for Tyrone Mings.
The BBC Radio Leeds pundit believes that Dean Smith’s side will go all out to sign the on-loan Bournemouth defender, but could be restricted if they fail to reach the Premier League.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “He [Mings] has been brilliant for Villa and you can see what a top defender he is. Obviously, plenty of other clubs will be seeing that, too.
“It helps Villa that he appears settled and happy there, and I would imagine they want to sign him permanently. I’m expecting a Villa bid but their chances of getting him depends on the play-offs.
“It’s very similar to Leeds in that their transfer policy and who comes and goes will largely depend on what division they’re in.”
OPINION
Mings has been fantastic since signing from Bournemouth in January, and Smith will be desperate to keep hold of a defender who has come in and really sured up a leaky defence. It’s no coincidence that Villa went on that extraordinary run of 10 wins with him in the side, and his form has been a big factor in them reaching the play-offs. That could prove to be something of a double-edged sword though. Other clubs will have noticed his performances, and there will be a fair few interested in snatching him away this summer. If Villa go up, that shouldn’t be an issue, and they would probably have enough in the bank to see a deal through. If they can’t make it out of the Championship, however, that will complicate things massively, and it could prove to be a real uphill struggle to ensure the centre-back’s stay at Villa Park becomes a permanent one. He seems happy at the club, which is a plus, but in modern football, money often outweighs loyalties.