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Dean Smith will have a lot of remodelling to do if Mile Jedinak leaves Aston Villa, with Australian A-League expansion hopefuls Macarthur-South West Sydney entering discussions with the Birmingham-based player, per reports by Fairfax Media.
What’s the word?
According to information seen by Fairfax Media, Macarthur-South West Sydney have submitted paperwork to the Football Federation Australia declaring they are in negotiations with Aston Villa’s Jedinak.
Clubs hoping to be one of the two granted an expansion slot for the Australian A-League have until December 12 to submit their plans before the FFA meet.
It is suggested that the Campbelltown-based bid is among the frontrunners to be granted a licence, and aim to appoint the 6ft 2in midfielder as their captain.
Fairfax Media claims that discussions are already underway between the Australian club and player, who is said to be interested in returning to his country ahead of a career in coaching.
Jedinak’s contract at Villa is up in June and Lang Walker, the property development company funding Macarthur-South West Sydney, are said to be willing to pull out all the stops to sign the 34-year-old in the summer.
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Jedinak’s exit creates multiple openings
Despite Jedinak’s age, he has been an inspirational figure at Villa since switching from Crystal Palace in 2016 for a reported £5million.
Under Steve Bruce particularly, the Australian was pivotal for he did not solely stick to his defensive midfield position – filling in as a central defender eight times this season, compared to just once as a midfielder.
Dean Smith may have spoken on how Jedinak’s presence in training has helped keep the squad motivated and focused, but he is yet to call on his services since taking charge.
It is also unlikely the club will table a new contract for someone past their prime, but losing Jedinak would leave Villa chasing fresh blood in both defensive and midfield positions.
Luckily, they do appear to have the remainder of this season to work with the 79-cap former international as Smith works on getting the club back into the Premier League.
