Pundit shares what he's heard about Aston Villa January transfer pursuit of Ronnie Edwards

We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…

Alan Hutton admits that he has heard that several teams have been monitoring Ronnie Edward's situation at Peterborough, amid reports Aston Villa have targeted the young defender.

Reports emerged from the Mail on Sunday (January) that Villa had expressed an interest in the 20-year-old centre-back and had joined the race for his signature alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace this January.

It's understood that Palace have already seen three separate bids rejected for the defender's services and Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has repeatedly insisted that the centre-back is not for sale.

While Hutton believes that Edwards will be keen to make the next step forward in his career, he believes that Peterborough will hold out for a big fee so that it's the right move for all parties.

"I've heard that a number of clubs are monitoring his progression moving forward," Hutton told Villa News.

"This has been going on for a couple of seasons now, I've obviously heard his name be rumoured at different clubs and things.

"That's a lot of appearances for someone so young so I think he'll be looking to move forward in his career, the next step if you like.

"Obviously, they'll be looking for a good fee for him, I've heard the owner talking about it on the likes of talkSPORT, he's an asset for the club so the deal will have to be right for all parties."

So far this season, Edwards has made 25 appearances for Peterborough in League One popping up with a single goal and assist from the backline. Having made his Posh debut back in 2020, the defender has already made 118 appearances at only 20 years old.

Edwards' immense experience combined with his young age means that plenty of top-flight clubs are sniffing around Darren Ferguson's squad and it remains to be seen who will win the race for his signature, whether in the January window or beyond.

In other Aston Villa news, Hutton has been left thrilled by the "ideal" situation surrounding Douglas Luiz at Villa Park