Aston Villa to finalise deal for defender exit this week as sell-on clause update drops
Aston Villa look set to continue their busy start to the January transfer window.
Villa have allowed Aidan Borland to leave on loan to Swindon Town as the midfielder has joined Sil Swinkels on a temporary deal in League Two.
The latter now finds himself at Chesterfield, while the Villans continue to utilise the loan market despite the struggles of Zepiqueno Redmond at Huddersfield Town.
There have been moves the other way with Alysson confirming his Villa switch from Gremio, as Brian Madjo also looks set to come in.
A permanent exit from Villa Park is now on the cards as yet another academy talent looks to move on from the Midlands.
Finley Munroe of interest to Middlesbrough and Bristol City
Finley Munroe has made first-team appearances for Villa, but has never quite threatened to become a true member of the senior side under Unai Emery.
The Spaniard is typically reluctant to trust in youth players, and the 20-year-old has felt that as much as anyone else in recent years.
The left-back joined Swindon in the summer and has gone on to have a positive season in League Two, attracting interest from the Championship.
BBC reporter Nick Mashiter has reported that Middlesbrough and Bristol City are fighting it out to land the Englishman this winter.
The Robins have tabled a bid of around £350,000 for the defender, with Boro offering a similar fee to their fellow second-tier outfit.
A deal for Munroe could be swung towards the Riverside, with a sell-on clause included in their bid, which could help a deal be finalised this week.
Who is Finley Munroe?
Even those associated with the claret and blue outfit may be unsure who the full-back is, even after his first two appearances in B6.
The defender featured as Villa lost in the Conference League semi-final second leg against Olympiacos, but hasn’t been seen for the first-team ever since.
He spent last season on loan at Real Union before joining Swindon this campaign, where he has gone on to catch the eye under Ian Holloway.
Eight goal involvements in 23 starts is an excellent record for a defensive-minded player and has clearly piqued the interest in the Championship.
Even with this positivity surrounding Munroe right now, it makes total sense for Villa to cash in and protect themselves for the future with a sell-on clause.
Stay up to date this winter with our Aston Villa transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Villa Park, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.