Liverpool in £2.75million bid for Villa’s Young

Liverpool have launched a bid, believed to be around £2.75million, for Aston Villa right-back Luke Young, according to Wednesday morning’s Guardian newspaper.

The paper reports that Roy Hodgson has renewed his interest in the 31-year-old, who was a target of his when he was Fulham manager.

Young is a versatile player, and although at home at right-back, can play across the defence, including left-back – an area the Reds lack in options following the departures of Emiliano Insua and Fabio Aurelio this summer.
Young would also provide cover for right-back Glen Johnson, who missed a lot of his first season for Liverpool through injury.

The Guardian reports:

Although Hodgson’s pursuit of Young might raise a few eyebrows among Liverpool supporters, the 31-year-old is able to operate in both full-back positions and was asked to represent England as recently as last November, when Fabio Capello failed to persuade the defender to reverse the decision he made earlier that year to retire from international football with seven caps to his name. He would also increase Liverpool’s quota of homegrown players to comply with the new Premier League rule.

Young has had quite a last couple of years, having signed for Villa from Middlesbrough in 2008 for £5.5million. He then lost his half-brother, who was found dead on holiday in Crete in 2009.

Young struggled to break a regular first team place in the Villa first team.

UPDATE: Liverpool and Aston Villa have agreed a £2.5million fee for Luke Young.

Martin O’Neill has confirmed the bid has been accepted, “There has been an offer from a football club which Luke is mulling over,” said the Villa boss.