Aston Villa are looking to sign Town left-back Aaron Cresswell for a fee of £3.5 million, according to reports. The 22-year-old was the Blues’ Player of the Year last season having signed from Tranmere last summer.

New Villa manager Paul Lambert is claimed to close to agreeing a fee with Town for the Liverpudlian and hopes to get the deal done within 24 hours.

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.

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 £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.

Photo: Action Images

BlueBadger added 23:29 - Jul 24 Edwards has done well at right back, why not Martin at left?
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:32 - Jul 24 Daleyitfc - why dont you go play on the A14.
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El_Smangus added 23:33 - Jul 24 @BlueBadger We need Martin in midfield. I think this will be a key season for him if he can build on last. He has finally been given a role he excels at, so why would anyone want to throw him at left-back where his dangerous tackling would be a liability for the team? Keeping Cressy here long-term is key to building this team.
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GTRKing added 23:36 - Jul 24 It's Paper Talk & he won't go at all.
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TractorBoy666 added 23:36 - Jul 24 First bit of news, of some other club wanting our players. F*** off Lambert you scum bag. It just shows that there is none at Norwich for him to grab cos they're all s**t.
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buryblue77 added 23:37 - Jul 24 ooohhh dozell, harsh, but........fair! BTW where's walbers now, he had a funny turn and became a bit positive and left us. We just have daleyncfc to live with now.
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SheffieldBlue1 added 23:37 - Jul 24 Those who are saying this is a good thing are thinking truly at the short gain, and not the long term affect: - Short Term Gain: We get 3.5 mil, which no-one can accurately guess how much would be spent on rebuilding the team, which my guess is not a lot. We would proceed to buy a number of short term, medicore left back on loans/short term deals, leaving our already depleted defence shacky and incomplete. - Long term Affect: We would lose a player who we could technically build our team around. It is an unfashionable thing to say, but why not say this about a left back? If we had a sustainable and reliable LB, the focus would be on improving other areas of the team, slowly but surely. Cresswell provides us with a completely reliable and sound left back. This would be a terrible deal for ITFC. Compounding our reputation as a selling club.

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finidigeorge88 added 23:38 - Jul 24 If he does go, yes it would be such a shame but we could potentially bring in 4 players for the transfer fee and there respected wages and be within budget
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geography26 added 23:40 - Jul 24 Agree with most of the comments on here that if we sell him the club is a joke and shows no ambition! But £3.5m + Stephen Warnock and I would get over it!
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BlueBadger added 23:40 - Jul 24 Lee Martin has had half a season of being vaguely effective in our midfield. His pace and industry would, however be an asset at left back.
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buryblue77 added 23:41 - Jul 24 Bluebadger, Edwards had already played a wing back role, more for his country I believe so he did have some defensive instincts there. Martin is an attacking player, probably best as a second striker and not out wide so I really wouldn't think LB would suit him, or make him happy.
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casanovacrow added 23:42 - Jul 24 if he does go the money needs reinvesting. before Wickham was sold we were told Jewell had money then we got told the Wickham cash was to be used too. How much of that did we use? about 2.5million. Beginning to question Marcus's ambition for the club
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Michael11 added 23:42 - Jul 24 @BlueBadger - I really hope that was sarcasm about playing our most creative midfielder at left back then calling it a win win situation?!
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flashblue added 23:42 - Jul 24 Christ, he's not THAT good. No championship club could say no to 3.5m.
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Jimmys_Law added 23:44 - Jul 24 @GTRKing. God you have no idea how much I hope that it's just paper talk. This would be a huge step back for the club. This is a true test for the ambition of Evans, Jewell, Clegg and everyone else involved with the club and let's all hope we do our best to keep him.
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buryblue77 added 23:45 - Jul 24 casanovacrow I've been saying since last summer that if Evans really does have Premier League ambitions then the majority of transfer fees received should be reinvested, however we do have debts so Mr Evans could be using that income to service losses.
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blueash78 added 23:48 - Jul 24 Bluebadger you must be as blue as paul lamberts pajamas! This is a complete contradiction to what we're told pj is trying to build this year. Absolute nightmare!!!
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Tractamatt added 23:48 - Jul 24 Im wondering how long the management at portman road have known about this because is'nt one of the french guys we have/had on loan been a left back, coinsedence,maybe not,Get ready for some serious dissapointment folks.
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casanovacrow added 23:51 - Jul 24 Good point tractamatt. anyone seen if this french guy is even fit enough to clean Cressys boots? might give us all a little bit of potential comfort :-s
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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:52 - Jul 24 good kid, and not bad money compared to what forest got for their full back let's see if evans has enough balls to say thanks but no thanks http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18869616
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KiwiBlue2 added 23:52 - Jul 24 I hope that he stays and sees how this season goes. I would try to keep him here until January at least when we/he should have a fair idea whether we can get up to the Prem or not. However an opportunity to play in the Prem is obviously every players dream but if he keeps developing a much more successful club than Villa might come knocking ........
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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:53 - Jul 24 ummm, told you not to vote for him - we always sell our 'player of the year'!!!
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El_Smangus added 23:54 - Jul 24 This will be pathetic if management cash in on Cresswell at first opportunity. At the very least, give him a couple more seasons to continue his development (of course, preferably, we keep him long term). If this club isn't willing to hang on to one of our key players for more than a season, serious questions have to be asked.
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willrigs16 added 23:56 - Jul 24 Bluebadger -Lee Martin as a left-back? What an earth are you on? Whatever it is, I'll have some please. Tractamatt - I agree. Hope it's complete garbage though, such a good player. Mind you, £3.5m is a difficult sum to turn down for any Championship club...
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runningout added 23:57 - Jul 24 5m would be more realistic...
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