Andy Lochhead, a former Aston Villa player, has died at the age of 81.
He was a muscular centre-forward famed for his aerial abilities who played for Villa in the early 1970s, when the club was at its lowest ebb following relegation to the Third Division.
Lochhead finished his debut season at Villa as the club’s leading scorer, with 13 goals, although the club fell short of promotion, placing fourth.
However, they astonished everyone by reaching the League Cup final, when they were defeated 2-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
Lochhead’s daring heading ability made him a fan favorite with Villa fans, and his goals propelled them to promotion the following season as they won the Third Division title.
That season, he made 53 appearances and scored 25 goals in all competitions, tying him for top scorer and earning him the Midlands Footballer of the Year award. He left Villa in 1973 after 154 games and 44 goals.
“Aston Villa is saddened to learn of the passing of former striker Andy Lochhead, who has died at the age of 81,” the club announced in a statement.
Aston Villa are interested in Jeremie Frimpong.
Aston Villa are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong, who is 22 years old.
According to the Kicker, Aston Villa are interested in Jeremie Frimpong’s services. The 22-year-old full-back has been in superb form recently, and the Premier League club is keen to add him to their ranks.
Frimpong rose through the ranks at Manchester City but was unable to make the first squad. The 22-year-old then decided to join Celtic in pursuit of first-team opportunities. Bayer Leverkusen approached him in the winter of 2021 and secured his services for only €11 million.
Since joining the German club, the Dutch international has grown in stature. And he has recently done marvels for them.
Frimpong has appeared in 103 appearances for Leverkusen and has produced 39 goals. In his first eight games of the season, he has already contributed five goals.
He is one of the most crucial players in Xabi Alonso’s system, and he wants to keep him around for a long time. As a result, Leverkusen have signed a new contract with the 22-year-old.His old contract expired in the summer of 2025, but his new contract expires in the summer of 2028.
The new agreement is advantageous to both sides. According to the source, he will now be among the club’s top earners, and Leverkusen will have a strong negotiating position if a club comes knocking.
However, a major European club might still sign him by activating a release clause that is believed to be included in his new contract. The 22-year-old wants to play for a bigger club in the near future, and he is likely to cost between €35 and €40 million, which most elite clubs can afford.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, are interested in signing the Dutch international. Emery has signed several outstanding players at Villa, and he hopes to add Frimpong to his squad. The Spanish manager believes the 22-year-old might make them a lot better team in the future and is willing to give it a shot in 2024.
However, according to the source, the player wants to join one of the top clubs in the summer of 2024 and may not want to join Villa at this stage of his career. With the new contract in place, Villa must reconsider their interest in the Leverkusen full-back.
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