No Villa bid for PNE defender

Preston's Player of the Year Greg Cunningham has been linked with Aston Villa.
Greg Cunningham is reportedly interesting Aston VillaGreg Cunningham is reportedly interesting Aston Villa
Greg Cunningham is reportedly interesting Aston Villa

A football website claims Villa are interested in taking the defender to the Midlands.

The same organisation reported earlier in the summer that Wolves and Blackburn were looking at him.

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Left-back Cunningham is among a number of players who North End will be looking to sort new deals with in due course.

They have a dozen players in the last year of their current contracts and do not want to reach next summer with a glut of negotiating to do.

Deepdale sources say there has been no contact from Villa regarding their supposed interest in Cunningham.

The two clubs were in touch as recently as last week when Callum Robinson moved from Villa to Preston.

Nothing was mentioned with regards to Cunningham then.

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Nevertheless, the Irishman’s form in a Lilywhites shirt last season is sure to have attracted attention.

He joined North End on a free transfer from Bristol City just under a year ago, having failed to hold down a regular place with the Robins.

Cunningham started all but three of PNE’s league games last term.

His performances earned him the fans’ player of the year award and the players’ player of the year gong.

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The 25-year-old scored twice – the winner against his former club Bristol City in January and a late equaliser at Birmingham in April.

Villa currently have three left-backs on their books in the shape of Joe Bennett, Jordan Amavi – a £7.7m buy from Nice – and Aly Cissokho.

So it would not seem to be a position which Villa are in any particular rush to strengthen at this stage. Whether any of that trio will move on following relegation to the Championship, remains to be seen.

North End would be loath to lose Cunningham and know they have time to reach an agreement on a new deal.

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They signed Tommy Spurr in the summer to provide cover and competition down the left-hand side.

Cunningham and Spurr can operate at left-back, at left wing-back and in a back three.

Spurr rolled his ankle in last Saturday’s win at Chorley, with no news since on the extent of the injury.

He travelled to Ireland with the Preston squad for the training camp at Fota Island.