FC Nuremberg to Aston Villa: Sorry, please try again later

Aston Villa have had a bid turned down for FC Nuremberg's Hiroshi Kiyotake, according to the German club's director of sport. It is rumored that Villa offered €8-10m for the midfielder, but Nuremberg aren't interested in selling at the moment.

However, the Japanese midfielder may have exactly the spark necessary for Villa. He's an attacking midfielder who can play in a front three or in the center of the pitch. He's also a creative minded player, something that's lacking in most of the claret and blue shirts. With the deal for Kiyotake seemingly off the table, let's hope that Paul Lambert has another bright young thing in mind.

It's possible, of course, that Villa will go back with an improved offer for Kiyotake, but at 10m it seems the price may already be a bit steep for what Lambert is prepared to spend. Yet if the club manages to sell some of its dead weight, or negotiates a decent offer for Darren Bent, a higher bid may be in the cards.