Target
Manchester United have failed in their bid to bring Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish to Old Trafford, according to reports.
With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer desperate to add some attacking flair to United’s laboured midfield, Grealish has been extensively linked.
The 24-year-old has been in fine form for his boyhood club this season, with eight goals and six assists in all competitions.
He lit up The Theatre of Dreams earlier this season, when his sublime curing effort got Villa on their way to an impressive 2-2 draw.
It has been widely reported that Solskjaer plans to make a move for Grealish in the January window, along with a number of other attacking midfielders.
However, a report from the Daily Record has claimed that United have been unsuccessful in their bid to test Villa’s determination to retain him.
Earlier in the window Dean Smith categorically denied that his most prized asset could be on the move this month.
"I think he's a big target for many teams and you can see why,” Smith said.
"He's a top player but as I've said before, our owners are very ambitious and want to establish us as a top Premier League club.
"To do that you have to keep your best players, so we'll be keeping hold of Jack Grealish. People can keep looking but they can't touch."
Deal
Mbwana Ally Samatta is expected to be granted a work permit for his move to Aston Villa, BirminghamLive understands.
Villa have agreed a deal to sign the striker from Belgian champions Genk for a fee of around £8.5m.
Samatta has been targeted to replace Wesley Moraes, who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury sustained in the win against Burnley at the start of the month.
The 27-year-old has undergone a medical as he held talks with Villa over the personal terms of the transfer.
The Tanzania captain needs a work permit to play for Villa and he is expected to be granted one.
Although Samatta doesn’t meet the requirements through his international side, because Tanzania are ranked 134th, his record of regular games and goals for Genk works in his favour.
The 27-year-old's best figures came last term as he helped fire Genk to the title with 20 goals in 28 league games and 32 goals in 51 appearances in all competition, including nine in the Europa League.
Samatta hasn't been quite as prolific in the current season but still boasts a decent record with 10 goals in 28 outings, 26 of which have been in the First Division A and Champions League.
It remains unlikely the necessary permission will be granted in time for the player to face Brighton on Saturday, with his debut expected to come against Watford next week.
It is understood Villa are keen on signing another forward as well as Samatta to boost Dean Smith's squad for the Premier League survival battle.
Debut
Dean Smith looks set to hand Pepe Reina his Aston Villa debut at Brighton on Saturday.
The decorated Spaniard arrived on loan from AC Milan this week as a direct replacement for the injured Tom Heaton.
Reina, 37, has played just once this season, though, starting for Milan in their 2-1 victory over Genoa way back in October.
Back at Villa, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland had previously put in a couple of impressive displays against Liverpool and Leicester but, against Manchester City last week, was found wanting for two of City's six strikes.
Ahead of this weekend's trip to the south coast, Smith batted away claims World Cup winner Reina would be rusty between the sticks having not played in over three months.
"He is challenging Orjan who has played the last three games," Smith replied, "but I wouldn’t bring anyone in if I didn’t think they couldn't play straightaway – looking at him in training, not a problem, listening to him speak, he is certainly ready."
Smith, who looks set to add Genk striker Mbwana Samatta to the ranks, added: "Pepe has settled in fine, which is what I’d expect. With Heaton injured, everyone knew I wanted keeper with Premier League experience.
"It was important we moved quickly and we've been very lucky to get someone so vastly experienced and has leadership qualities within the dressing room, we're pleased to have him.
"He's a leader. He will be a voice in the dressing room we need. We are fairly young squad, our recruitment in the summer was players with potential and these kind of players (Reina) can help them fulfil their potential by helping them with their experience.
"Pepe was there (against City) and he still signed, so we must have done a little bit (to persuade him to sign)!"
Elsewhere, Smith was full of praise for Reina's fellow new recruit Danny Drinkwater, who endured a difficult afternoon against City last week having been caught dallying for Riyad Mahrez's killer second goal just 24 minutes in.
Like Reina, Drinkwater hadn't played a game in a while, but Smith was pleased with what he saw from the Premier League winner.
"I don't read social media or look at what people are saying," Smith declared, "but I do get told and there was a bit of criticism of Danny which I thought was very harsh because I thought he started the game really well for us and looked really crisp on the ball.
"Unfortunately, he got caught on the ball for the second goal. After that it was difficult, not just for Danny but for all 11 of our players.
"He didn't hide, that's not what he's about. We want players who've got that guile and bravery to get on the ball. Bravery is not always about sticking your head in and making tough tackles, but it's about getting on the ball when you've made mistakes.
"He trained a full week before Man City, but where else get do you get match fitness if doesn’t play? It didn’t go how he wanted in terms of the result and performance, but it was not just him. I like what he brings, it’ll get better."
Smith confirmed 20 of his outfield players trained at Bodymoor Heath on Thursday, with Bjorn Engels and Matt Targett set for recalls after respective illness and injuries. Heaton, Wesley, John McGinn, Jed Steer and Keinan Davis all remain sidelined.
"It's looking good," Smith said, when asked about any knocks, "twenty fit outfield players trained who are all pushing for a place."
Villa head to the AMEX Stadium on Saturday ahead of what's a critical run of game against the sides around them in the fight for survival, and Smith added: "We're now playing teams in and round us. Our season will not be defined by games against Manchester City and Liverpool.
"Brighton, Watford, Bournemouth we’ve got coming up – they're massive games. Brighton were very good at Villa Park and we needed a last-minute winner. They played for an hour with 10 men but they haven’t won many, only two of their last 11 in the Premier League, we’ve only won three of 10.
"We know it’s a tough league and see it as chance to get win. We have shown we can do that. We had a poor performance at Watford and changed it. We put in a good performance at Burnley and Leicester, then we were poor once again against the double league champions. We took that match in isolation and our focus is now on Brighton."
Expected Aston Villa XI for Brighton, 3-4-3 : Reina; Konsa, Chester, Mings; Guilbert, Drinkwater, Nakamba, Targett; El Ghazi, Grealish, Trezeguet.
Qatar
Jonathan Kodjia has arrived in Qatar ahead of completing his transfer to Al-Gharafa.
It is reported that the Qatar Stars League outfit will pay in the region of £2.5m for the Aston Villa striker.
Al-Gharafa confirmed on Thursday evening that Kodjia was set to fly out to the Middle East after Villa boss Dean Smith all but confirmed he had played his final game for the club.
Smith said: "He hasn't trained with us this week and won't be involved on Saturday.
"Everyone knows Jonathan's out of contract at the end of the season. As is his age, he's allowed to talk to clubs at the moment."
With Villa set for striker incomings of their own, with Mbwana Samatta set to sign in the coming days, the former Bristol City striker was allowed to find himself a new club.
On Friday, the club, who are coached by ex-Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, confirmed he had arrived in Al-Doha, ahead of finalising his move.
Samatta's imminent arrival is not expected to be the end of Villa's transfer business, with Smith in the market for another striker, with a loan deal the most likely option.
This weekend will see Villa line-up without a recognised striker for the third straight game after injuries to Wesley and Keinan Davis have left them extremely short for the trip to Brighton.
Complicated
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed there is interest in Islam Slimani – but admitted a deal for Aston Villa to sign the striker is ‘complicated’.
Villa are believed to be keen on landing the Algeria international on loan for the rest of the campaign to hand Dean Smith a new attacking option in the battle for Premier League survival.
But Slimani is currently at Monaco, having joined the French side on a season-long loan in August. There is no recall clause, meaning it is up to the Ligue 1 side whether he returns to Leicester.
Rodgers was asked about the situation in his press conference today and confirmed there is interest from another club – thought to be Villa.
“That looks like it’s going to be complicated,” Rodgers told LeicestershireLive. “There is interest in him and he’s due to be there for the season.
“I’m not sure if anything will happen there."
Slimani has been left out of Monaco’s starting XI for the last three games and Leicester are understood to be open to the idea of him returning to England to join Villa.
But with Monaco holding all the cards, Villa will have to be patient with their pursuit of the 31-year-old who has scored seven goals in 14 appearances this season.
Villa are close to completing the arrival of striker Mbwana Samatta from Genk and want to sign another attacker on top of that deal.
Higher
Dean Smith admits the millions Brentford demanded for Neal Maupay was too much.
The Villa boss looked at signing his former goal-getting Frenchman in the summer, but said: "I felt we had to walk (away) at the stage it got to."
Maupay, of course, signed a four-year deal at Brighton for an initial £16m, with the forward impressing supporters at Villa Park during Villa's 2-1 victory over the 10-man Seagulls back in October.
The striker, 23, has scored seven goals from 22 Premier League games but hasn't notched since mid-December.
"Neal was a lad I brought into Brentford," explained Smith previously. "I think it was for £2million. He spent a couple of seasons with us.
"He's a good lad who I get on really well with, a good player but, again, the market value of the players was growing and growing.
"I felt we had to walk (away) as a football club at the stage it got to. He ended up going to Brighton and good luck to him. He's scored a few goals already, he's a good kid and hopefully he has a dry spell on Saturday."
Smith, meanwhile, will be without a recognised striker for the third-game running following the season-ending injury to Wesley on New Year's Day.
Villa are close to landing Racing Genk hotshot Mbwana Samatta for £8.5m but the deal will not be struck in time.
On Thursday, Smith was asked about why he didn't sign Maupay once more, to which he said: "He's a terrific lad. I spent a couple of years with him at Brentford and really enjoyed working with him.
"I'm glad to see him doing so well in the Premier League. I've never really doubted that because he's got the work rate, personality and desire to do well.
"He was one that we looked at. I spoke about it in the summer but the numbers that were being banded around were getting higher and higher."
