Aston Villa will step up their attempts to keep World Cup-bound star Matty Cash after he helped Poland to Qatar.
Villa’s attacking right-back only declared his allegiance to Poland last October after qualifying through his mother. His decision has been vindicated already after helping Poland to the finals with a 2-0 play-off victory over Sweden. Atletico Madrid want to sign the former Nottingham Forest youngster, who has three goals and five assists in 57 Premier League appearances for Villa. He has also previously attracted interest from Italian giants AC Milan while at Forest.
Now Cash’s impending appearance on the biggest stage later this year is sure to intensify overseas interest in the ace with Atletico eyeing him as a replacement for Kieran Trippier. Cash, 24, is under contract at Villa until 2025 after signing from Forest in 2020 on a five-year deal for £16million.
He played 90 minutes at the Silesian Stadium on his fourth international cap as Poland beat Sweden with goals by Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski. Poland will now have the chance to improve on their elimination in Russia four years ago when they finished bottom of Group H.
Cash and Co are awaiting Friday's draw for the finals in Doha with the World Cup getting under way on November 21. Villa will be desperate to keep Cash this summer in the meantime as boss Steven Gerrard plans another overhaul.
Gerrard, backed by Villa’s billionaire owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, was active in January bringing in Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Calum Chambers, Robin Olsen and Kerr Smith. He also tied keeper Emiliano Martinez to a new five-year deal until 2027.
Brazilian ace Coutinho, 29, has already been a smash hit with four goals and three appearances in 10 top-flight games on loan from Barcelona. Villa have a £33m option to buy Coutinho this summer which Gerrard is keen to do in his second window in charge.
Left-back Digne, signed for £25m from Everton, expects more quality incomings this summer. Villa are in the market for a top defensive midfielder like Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips and Yves Bissouma of Brighton. While there have been claims of a potential swoop for Atletico striker Luis Suarez with his contract up in the summer.
Digne said: “Over time, you will see that there will be the quality to break into the top seven in the Premier League. Managing to attract someone like Philippe is already a sign. This summer, it will still move a lot. There are ways. You have to progress quickly. It is an ambitious club.”
