O'Leary happy with deadline deals
Aston Villa boss David O’Leary insists he is delighted with his club’s deadline-day transfer business – despite Nolberto Solano’s return to Newcastle.
Solano, 30, was eager to return to the north-east just 19 months after making the switch to Villa Park.
But in exchange O’Leary landed teenage midfielder James Milner – whose place in the Magpies first team was under threat following the signings of Michael Owen and Albert Luque – on loan.
O’Leary said: “When you consider what we have got in return for a player who wanted to be elsewhere, we’ve definitely got the best of the deal.
“Nobody at the club wanted Nobby to leave and that includes me, the chairman and supporters so we initially rejected Newcastle’s offer.
“But Nobby made it very clear he wanted to leave, there is clearly no point trying to hold onto a player under those circumstances.”
O’Leary also landed Wilfred Bouma and Eirik Bakke to add to the recent signing of striker Milan Baros to Liverpool.
O’Leary told Villa’s official website, www.avfc.co.uk: “We were determined to ensure his (Solano’s) departure benefited Aston Villa.
“It was important not to lose the momentum of our recent work in the transfer market and we didn’t want Nobby’s exit to take the gloss off some excellent summer business.
“So we held out for a fee that reflects what we paid to Newcastle 18 months ago, and also insisted that James Milner was included in the package.”
Meanwhile, former Birmingham defender Ray Ranson has ended his interest in a takeover at Villa Park.
Ranson, a successful businessman since ending his football career, has been courting the midlands outfit for some time but after a proposal was submitted to the Villa plc board and rejected, the ex-Manchester City player has ended his pursuit.
“Mr Ray Ranson confirms that he recently submitted a proposal to the board of Aston Villa plc subject to due diligence,” a statement to the Stock Exchange said.
“Unfortunately the board of Aston Villa plc have decided that the price indicated was inadequate. Mr Ranson has therefore decided not to pursue his interest in making an offer.”
Villa responded to Ranson’s statement with an announcement of their own to the Stock Exchange.
It read: “The board of Aston Villa has noted the announcement made on behalf of Mr Ray Ranson earlier today that he is not pursuing his interest in making an offer and confirms that, after careful consideration by the board and consultation with its professional advisers, the proposal was considered inadequate as to amount and the form in which it was expressed.”
