Sky Sports presenter Joe Thomlinson has been speaking on the Football Daily YouTube channel about Aston Villa’s decision to let Matt Targett leave the club.
Aston Villa were certainly not holding back during the January transfer window following the arrivals of Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Calum Chambers and Robin Olsen all looking to add quality and depth to the club.
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Digne appears to be a major coup given his Premier League and international experience. He cost the club £27 million, but while it may have appeared that Steven Gerrard was adding strength to the left-back area by possessing two quality players in that position, Targett departed on Deadline Day for Newcastle United.
Targett won Aston Villa’s Players’ Player of the Season last campaign, which makes his departure an interesting one, as Thomlinson spoke of his surprise.
He said: “Matty Targett is a very good pick-up for Newcastle. I don’t think there’s an option to buy there, I’m very surprised Villa let him go because they don’t have an awful lot of cover at left-back, and Lucas Digne’s fitness record is pretty good – but he does have a tendency to miss sort of 5-10 games here and there.”
TIF Thoughts on Matt Targett’s departure…
While Targett’s desire to get out and play regular football has to be respected and applauded, it does raise questions as to what Villa’s aims are in the long term, as being a contender at the right end of the table requires having a number of top players in every position – not just one like Digne in the left-back department.
Targett’s loan deal to Newcastle has no option or obligation to buy, so that could mean if he goes away and performs very well, he can rotate more with Digne next season or even earn a permanent move to Tyneside. Either way, Gerrard was clearly not convinced by him, which is why a new left-back was brought in and he’s been allowed to leave.
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