Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has said that Aston Villa must do ‘everything they can’ to re-sign loan star Tyrone Mings this summer.
The 26-year-old made a huge impact at Villa Park after joining on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth in January, and BBC pundit Whelan is adamant that they need to get him back ready for Villa’s top flight return.
“Villa must do everything they can do sign Tyrone Mills,” he told Football Insider. “He is an absolute beast. He stopped the rot for Villa when he joined and transformed their defence.
“He looks ready to play at the top level. He is a powerhouse – excellent in both boxes, dominant in the air, mobile, good on the ball. He ticks every box. You think they will go all out for Tyrone Mings now. They would be silly not to sign him. If he is not required by Bournemouth, I’m sure they will be banging the door down to get him with a massive bid, whatever it takes.”
OPINION
Whelan is absolutely spot on, here. Mings was truly magnificent for Dean Smith’s side after joining in January, and it’s no coincidence that the team kicked on and secured promotion once he was part of the set-up. This is a player who has struggled to find a role for himself at Bournemouth, where he was bought as a left back and where injuries have hampered his progress. However, it seems clear after his Villa experience that he is now very much a centre back. It will be interesting to see what the Cherries’ stance on him is this summer. He’s now a fine centre half and you’d think that that is where he wants to play from now one. However, Bournemouth already have Nathan Ake and just spent big money on Lloyd Kelly from Bristol City. So they may not see Mings as a priority moving forward. That’s what Villa will be hoping for, as it would allow them to steal in and secure the defender’s future. That would be an ideal scenario for the Villans faithful, wouldn’t it?