TWTD understands that Aston Villa’s move for Blues defender Aaron Cresswell is still very much in its early stages. Last night, national newspaper reports claimed a deal which would see the 22-year-old on his way to Villa Park could be completed within the next 24 hours, however, that appears unlikely to be the case.
The clubs are believed to still be discussing the player’s valuation with some sources reporting that Villa, managed by former Norwich boss Paul Lambert, are willing to pay £3.5 million for the Liverpudlian.
Town will almost certainly be trying to negotiate a higher figure with claims of a £6 million price tag having been put on his head, although it’s unlikely that a relatively inexperienced left-back such as Cresswell would go for anything approaching that sort of fee.
Cresswell cost the Blues tribunal-set compensation of £240,000 rising to £520,000 based on appearances and promotion after he left Prenton Park at the end of his contract last summer.
Tranmere would be entitled 20% of Town's profit if and when the full-back is sold. In addition to the £240,000 initial fee, the tribunal awarded Rovers an additional £45,000 after Cresswell makes 15, 30, 45 and 60 appearances for the Blues, plus a further £100,000 should Town reach the Premier League by the summer of 2014.
Cresswell has so far made 46 appearances for Town, scoring one goal, taking the fee Town have paid up to now to £375,000.
In October, having impressed in his first couple of months at Portman Road, Cresswell extended his Town contract until June 2015 with the option of a further year.
Elsewhere, Derby boss Nigel Clough is considering whether to risk striker Steve Davies in a pre-season friendly at Mansfield this evening with the Rams anxious that the 24-year-old, who is set to leave Pride Park this summer, avoids injury.
Davies has been a Blues target all summer but the clubs have been unable to agree a fee and last week Town manager Paul Jewell rang Clough to tell him he could look elsewhere for the big frontman he is looking to add to his squad.
Clough says Davies’s situation could become clearer towards the end of the week: "There is still a fair bit of interest in him. The interest seemed to cool at the end of last week but there are one or two possibilities now and we will know more towards the weekend."
The Rams boss says his club’s price tag, believed to be around the £1 million mark, isn’t unfair: "You cannot base the valuation on appearances because Steven has not been ever-present for three or four years. But when he has been on the pitch, he has scored goals. He has a good goals-per-game ratio.
"We also know the asking price of trying to replace him. So the valuation is based on those two things, really.
"We don't think we are being unreasonable with our valuation and we hope we get something near it."