Last Updated: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:38
Martin O'Neill is being linked with a £3.5million player-plus-cash bid to take Wigan's central defender Titus Bramble to Aston Villa.
The Villa boss is in the market to bolster that position this summer following the forced retirement of Martin Laursen at the end of last season. And he has already been linked with a myriad of stoppers including Middlesbrough's David Wheater and West Ham's Matthew Upson.
However it is now being reported that O'Neill will switch his sights to 27-year-old former Newcastle defender, Bramble, who enjoyed an impressive season at the JJB Stadium last term.
Bramble has just one year left on his current Latics contract and Villa are thought to be ready to tempt the club's new manager Roberto Martinez with money plus teenage midfielder Barry Bannan. The 19-year-old has struggled to force his way into O'Neill's plans and spent two months on loan at Derby last season.