Striker who scored 91 Premier League targets says he nearly signed for Aston Villa

Now, one other former Premier League star has admitted that he may’ve signed for Villa at one level.

Certainly, talking on The World Class Stamp Podcast, James Beattie has been reviewing his profession, and he says that he held talks with Aston Villa when he left Southampton to hitch Everton.

Again within the 2000s, Beattie was a dependable supply of Premier League targets, netting 91 instances throughout his top-flight profession.

James Beattie spoke to Aston Villa earlier than becoming a member of Everton

Beattie spoke about his departure from Southampton.

The striker says that Harry Redknapp determined to promote him as quickly as he arrived on the south coast, claiming that he had a dialog with Aston Villa earlier than finally shifting to Everton.

“You moved from Southampton then to Everton, which supervisor was on the time? Moisey would have been, yeah. He’s clearly again there now.

“Was it Redknapp at Southampton that form of was initiated the switch or no matter occurred there was?” Beattie was requested.

“So, yeah. So, Harry, Harry got here in, and very first thing, first dialog we had, he went, Beattie, I’m going to should promote you, you’re my solely saleable asset,” Beattie mentioned.

“After which he mentioned, , I’m positive there’d be no scarcity of suitors. And I spoke to Aston Villa and Everton (who he signed for).”

James Beattie stats for Everton

Beattie was one in all English soccer’s hotter properties within the early 2000s.

Certainly, Beattie hit 23 league targets in a single season for Southampton in 2002/03, therefore why Aston Villa wished to signal him.

Nevertheless, Beattie didn’t fairly carry that type over to Everton, and it’s honest to say that Villa had a little bit of a fortunate escape right here.

Villa would battle for strikers round this era. Milan Baros and Kevin Phillips would arrive at Villa Park, however fail to make a lot of an influence.

Gabriel Agbonlahor would finally come by means of the Villa academy and turn into a star and a future England worldwide, whereas Beattie would by no means add to his 5 England caps after getting his transfer to Goodison Park.