Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill will this week
attempt to resurrect his attempt to sign West Ham midfielder Nigel
Reo-Coker.
Villa have made contact with the Hammers and, although no formal
bid has been made, are understood to be ready to pay £7million for
the England Under-21 captain.
West Ham are looking for a larger offer for the player they bought
from Wimbledon for just £500,000 three and a half years ago.
But reports indicating they want £10-12million for Reo-Coker are
believed to be wide of the mark, with £8-9million a more realistic
figure.
The 23-year-old, who led England to the semi-finals in the European
Under-21 Championships in Holland earlier this month, has made it
clear his days at Upton Park are numbered.
Villa report back for pre-season training on July 4 and O'Neill is
keen to start bringing in new blood sooner rather than later with
the war chest promised him by owner Randy Lerner.
He wants time to blend any newcomers in with his current squad
after having only two weeks' preparation time last summer following
his arrival as David O'Leary's successor in early August.
But the Irishman is aware he could face competition from Manchester
City for Reo-Coker if Sven-Goran Eriksson takes charge at
Eastlands.
O'Neill has already lost the services of one experienced midfielder
in Gavin McCann to Bolton, while there is a question mark over the
future of Steven Davis, who has been linked with a move to Fulham
alongside former Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez.
Fringe midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba's days at Villa are also
numbered, with Benfica reportedly interested in the former
Manchester United player, who ended last season on loan at
Burnley.