Sources: WBA plot bid for "impressive" £42k-p/w "lucky charm", Bruce loves him - opinion

West Bromwich Albion are setting up for a big summer transfer window in the Championship with Steve Bruce keen to improve the squad and now reportedly a new transfer target has been approached.

According to Football Insider, a West Brom source has told them that the club have approached Aston Villa with the view to sign Conor Hourihane.

The report suggests that Hourihane is not expected to sign a new deal with the Villains and now the Baggies have registered their interest in the player ahead of the transfer window.

The Albion manager and the Villa midfielder are no strangers to each other, as Bruce was the manager at Villa Park when Hourihane joined back in 2017, so it’s clear that the manager loves him and would like to add his qualities to his current squad at The Hawthorns.

Hourihane scored a hattrick against Norwich City when the former Villa boss gave him his chance in the team five years ago, and Bruce was full of praise for the player:

“I’m delighted for Conor.

“It is not often a midfield player gets a hat-trick. He was terrific.”

Since working with Bruce, the 31-year-old has been on loan at Swansea and more recently played his part in Sheffield United’s promotion challenge in the play-offs.

This season the £42k-per-week ace who was hailed “impressive” by Steve Cooper has scored one goal and contributed four assists, creating six big chances, making 1.3 key passes on average per game whilst being successful in the large majority of his dribbles (82%) and winning most of his aerial and ground duels (61%) in the Championship.

Hourihane who has been dubbed a “lucky charm” for his team by journalist Matt Law, has offered consistency and creativity for Sheffield United which has obviously caught the eye of the Albion