With just a few days left in the transfer window, it looked like Aston Villa were done with business, having only picked up Grant Holt and Ryan Bertrand on loan. Now, it seems, there's another blip on the club's radar.
And "blip" is probably the right word. Villa are being linked with Eunan O'Kane, a 5'6" midfielder currently plying his trade at Championship side Bournemouth. The 23-year-old caught the eye last weekend playing in his side's FA Cup tie against Liverpool, but he's been an asset to the Cherries, helping them win promotion last season and becoming a fan favorite. He's not a goalscorer, but his way of seeing the game and his technique would be an asset to this Villa side.
Essentially, Villa are signing Northern Ireland's version of Barry Bannan, just a few months after letting him go to Crystal Palace. But this would be a chance for a new wee midfielder to get a fresh start, not weighed down by his past at the club.
The source on this story is the Daily Mirror, so take from it what you will. It makes sense: Paul Lambert likes to pick up young players from the lower leagues, and Aston Villa are in desperate need of a midfielder. Then again, those could be the exact reasons someone manufactured this story. Real or not real?