Targeted Ashley Young in vote for Villa
Jul 25 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
VILLA’S prized asset Ashley Young has shrugged off speculation linking him with the world’s biggest clubs by declaring: “I’m happy here.”
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been reported to have an interest in Villa’s star winger this summer.
Speaking exclusively for the first time from Villa’s Peace Cup training base in Marbella, Young admitted he was flattered by the attention.
But the former Watford wideman insists he still has unfinished business to complete in claret and blue and is in no rush to leave Villa.
“Obviously it’s flattering for me to be linked with such big clubs, some of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Young, who has also been linked with moves to Chelsea and Tottenham.
“But I’m an Aston Villa player, I’m happy here and I’ve got two and a half years left on my contract.
“If you look at when I came I set myself a lot of goals. I’ve achieved some of them, like getting into the England team, winning player of the month awards and being named the PFA Young Player of the Year.
“But there are still things that I want to achieve here. The club’s on a high and on it’s way up and hopefully so am I so I’m happy here.”
Young is unsure whether he will start Villa’s first Peace Cup game against Malaga at their opponents’ La Rosaleda stadium tonight.
“Fingers crossed I’ll be playing but the gaffer hasn’t said anything yet,” he added.
“I might have only just come back for pre-season training but I’m a player who wants to play every game, but it’s up to the gaffer. If he thinks it’s too soon and I don’t play I’ll just have to keep myself fit for the next game.”
Manager Martin O’Neill hopes Villa’s involvement in the Peace Cup will prove to be the perfect preparation for their Premier League campaign.
“The incentives are there for us because it is competitive and it’s a build-up to the Premier League which eventually is what it’s all about,” said O’Neill.
“It’s competitive stuff because you’ve got the possibility of getting into the semi-final and the final. All of those things are ahead of us.”
Villa completed their Bull Ring to Bull Ring challenge to unveil the new home replica shirt yesterday afternoon.
Club journalists Paul Brown and Jack Woodward drove the Nike strip all the way from the Birmingham shopping centre to the team’s hotel in Marbella.
