Norwich City have not just asked about the availability of Villa striker, Ross McCormack, as reported by the Daily Mail
Norwich have NOT just suddenly enquired about mis-firing McCormack.
I have it on excellent authority that Aston Villa contacted Norwich a couple of months ago, way before Ross couldn’t get out of his driveway because his electric gates failed or he started eating too many kebabs (according to Steve Bruce) and they offered the player to the Canaries.
My source tells me, and let me be clear here, I am not ‘in the know’ and if you read stuff here regularly you will know that I have an occasional, very well placed source.
Again, if you follow us, you’ll have seen the proof of that pudding before.
So, back to what I was saying, my source tells me that Villa offered us Ross but were knocked back with Moxey saying ‘No.’
I’m told the player is on £40k per week at Villa and has a guaranteed wage increase to £60k per week if promotion is gained – that contract lasts for 4 years and he’s 30 years old.
Yes, he was Alex Neil’s number one target in the summer but his value has plummeted. The news that the Fulham dressing room overwhelmingly told their manager last week that they didn’t want him back at Craven Cottage tells its own story.
I’m not saying that City haven’t spoken with Villa recently because things change in football on a daily basis and Ross’ situation has deteriorated. Various reports suggest he wants out of Villa Park but who can afford him?
I’m sure in light of recent events that Villa want shot of him and will have been putting out feelers, his agent is probably ringing every Chief Exec in his address book (mobile phone, you know what I mean) as well.
McCormack has not suddenly become a bad player overnight and his scoring record is, Villa aside, very good at this level. The bottom line is though, Ross would probably have to drop £10k a week on his current contract and Villa would probably have to drop to about half the £12m they paid for him, for Norwich, who spent the McCormack money on Pritchard and Oliveira, to be interested.
Would either Aston Villa or Ross McCormack be prepared to accept that sort of deal? That would seem highly unlikely so don’t start panicking like the Canary Twitterati did last night.
It’s not impossible for those reasons above but don’t get on the phone to Coral just yet.
OTBC