Aston Villa: O'Neill set to swoop for Emile Heskey
Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is on the verge of completing a shock £3.5 million move for Wigan’s England striker Emile Heskey.
The Irishman has been keen to be reunited with the 31-year-old for the past 12 months and has finally dug deep to get a player who had been expected to join Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer.
Heskey could even be available to face Doncaster Rovers tomorrow as he missed Wigan’s third round tie against Tottenham Hotspur due to a hamstring injury.
He will provide necessary competition to Gabriel Agbonlahor and John Carew with Marlon Harewood’s long-term future at the club uncertain.
O’Neill and Heskey enjoyed a fruitful partnership for five seasons at Leicester City before he made an £11 million move to Liverpool in 2000.
At Anfield he won multiple honours, including the FA Cup in 2001.
He moved to Birmingham City for £4.75 million in 2004 and was named Player’s Player of the Season and Fan’s Player of the Season after finishing as top goalscorer with 11 goals.
