Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Roy Hodgson wants Ashley Young to lead Liverpool revival

Aston Villa winger Ashley Young is top of Roy Hodgson's wishlist as he tries to add British players to his Liverpool team.

Hodgson, who has strongly denied that he is not a big enough name to persuade Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to stay, will try to find out this week if Villa manager Martin O'Neill is willing to let Young leave.

The winger, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Friday, made a big early impact at Villa following a £10million move from Watford in 2007.

But inconsistency last season meant he missed out on going to the World Cup with England.

Liverpool have sold Yossi Benayoun to Chelsea for £6.5m and replaced him with 29-year-old Serbia World Cup player Milan Jovanovic, a free agent. Hodgson could also sell Javier Mascherano to Barcelona for £25m and bring in Brazil's Gilberto Silva at a fraction of the price.

He said: 'We would be foolish not to be aware of the importance of homegrown players with the way UEFA and Premier League rules are going. Otherwise we're going to struggle to get our squad numbers together.

'I think the club have been trying to do that already with younger players like Jonjo Shelvey and Raheem Sterling but it takes time for them to come through so we might have to go into the transfer market.'

Hodgson is anxious to sort out the futures of Torres and Gerrard but if the Liverpool and England skipper decides to join Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, Liverpool want Holland forward Rafael van der Vaart in part-exchange.
The manager turned down the chance to sign Jovanovic for a fee when he was at Fulham but sees him as a good capture on a free transfer.
 
He said: 'We have furnished the World Cup with more players than any other team but looking at the squad at Melwood, it did seem very small in terms of seniors.'

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But all the experts on here are telling me how boring Roys team will be surely Ashley Young doesnt fit into that style 

Just read that article again. Hodgson doesn't mention Ashley Young once.

Hodgson mentioned English players, which obviously means we need Ashley Young.

Also I don't want him if it means replacing Masch with Gilberto Silva. Ashley Young is an effective winger without being an overly skillful one wouldn't expect it would mean Hodgson changes the style he plays for the first time in his career Brian

I remember Martin O'neill saying Ashley Young is worth 80 million after Real Madrid wanted him.

After that his head got a little to big and he wasn't so good last season apart from a few games.

Ya and I think because he is English his price tag would be massively over inflated you'd probably need the £25 million you got for Masch to get him.

I'd prefer paying £12 million for Turan who is a proven International and actually younger than Young. Buying English is just to expensive.

What about the new rule being introduced about English players

Trying to make it the " English Premier League " again.

We have enough English players already without paying £25 million for an over rated English player to be honest.

 O' Neill wouldn't let him go for anything cheaper sure they want £40 million for Milner, for £65 million you'd buy some of the World Cup teams for F**k sake.

English players are massively over rated with massively over inflated price tags. Young fits into this bracket, you'd probably get Alexis Sanchez for the same amount if not cheaper who would you prefer.

 Also I bet you'd get someone like Podolski for half the price you'd get young probably get Schweinsteiger, Klose and Podolski for half the price as you'd get Young and Milner.

I bet Oliz would be cheaper than Young. Do you see what I'm getting at.

Alexis Sanchez from Udinese anyday.
He was quality at the World Cup, I haven't seen him at club level but im sure he doesn't disappoint.

Milner is a good player but you are correct that because there English its another 5-10 million on there name.

Lets look at this in hindsight, Rio Ferdinand 32 million, He isn't the best player in the world but he was no where near 30 million even when he did play for Leeds.

He was sh*te last season, wouldnt say he is now worth 15mil +

What about the new rule being introduced about English players

Trying to make it the " English Premier League " again.

We could sort Turan an English passport out.

'Honest mate, his Da's got a stall on the Heritage...'

Wow, another Fail article with no quotes supporting the headline.

Who would have thought?

I'm inclined to agree actually. My mistake there ladies and gents, I hold my hands up.

Topic locked.