Ashley Preece of Birmingham Live has claimed that Aston Villa would like to sell Henri Lansbury when the winter window opens but face one major obstacle – finding a suitor willing to match his lofty wages.
The 30-year-old is surplus to requirements at Villa Park, having been left out of this season’s Premier League squad as Dean Smith prefers Douglas Luiz, Marvelous Nakamba, Ross Barkley, John McGinn and Conor Hourihane in midfield. However, selling Lansbury has proven difficult.
Preece wrote in Birmingham Live that the former England under-21 international earns £40,000-a-week at Villa, so clubs have been put off from making a move given his substantial salary.
Indeed, the club couldn’t even agree a mutual termination of his contract, so they could be stuck with Lansbury until his deal expires next summer unless he is willing to lower his demands.
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The former Arsenal man joined Villa on a four-and-a-half-year deal in 2017 and has gone on to make 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and supplying nine assists.
Lansbury no longer commands even a place on the substitutes’ bench under Smith and has only featured in the Carabao Cup this season [Transfermarkt], so he desperately needs a move away from Villa.
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