Looking and sounding like a man enjoying his football again, Tom Cleverley has given the clearest indication yet that he could join Aston Villa on a permanent basis in the summer, by saying that the Midlands club are ticking all of the boxes with Tim Sherwood in charge.
Out of form, short of confidence and not exactly the darling of the Holte End earlier in the season, Cleverley is a player transformed since Sherwood took over from Paul Lambert. The midfielder has scored in each of Villa’s last three matches – after failing to do so in his previous 31 appearances – and is turning in the sort of dynamic displays that had promised so much earlier in his career.
Ray Lewington was at Villa Park to see Cleverley seal the victory that enabled Sherwood’s team to take another significant step towards Premier League survival and the England assistant manager cannot have failed to have been impressed with the performance of a player who last represented his country 18 months ago.
“I feel the last 10 to 12 games I’m getting back to what I know I can do, that always helps when you’re playing every week in a winning team,” Cleverley said. “I feel like I’m playing in my best position, confidence is high, not only among myself but also among the team.
“The managers’s taken the shackles off a bit, he doesn’t mind his midfielders flooding the box as long as someone else is holding the middle of the pitch. That’s brilliant for me and Fabian [Delph], we’re scoring goals and feel like we can gamble a bit more. When we’re playing with a smile on our face, we always play better.”
Aged 25, Cleverley will not be short of options when his contract expires at Manchester United at the end of June. Villa have yet to open talks, preferring to wait until Premier League safety is secured, but there are signs that Cleverley could be persuaded to turn his season-long loan into a permanent arrangement. “I’ve really got to like playing for this club in the last few months,” Cleverley said. “This manager, you have to give him credit for getting me where I am.”
Asked whether his decision would be based partly on finance but also with his football career in mind, Cleverley replied: “I agree with that 100%. I think first, and foremost, you have to be playing at a club where you fit in, where you’re playing in the position where you want to play and where you like the manager, the lads – this club ticks those boxes. But first the club have got to offer me something. Those talks haven’t taken place yet. We’re just concentrating on the football on the pitch at the moment.”
Pressed on the financial aspect, Cleverley added: “I don’t think any Premier League players are going to be short of a quid or two. You have just got to be happy first of all. And I am at this club, so let’s see where we go from there.”
Cleverley was quick to pay tribute to the excellent Jack Grealish for the way that the 19-year-old glided to the byline before delivering the low cross that left him with the simple task of tapping home from three yards out. Four points clear of Hull with two games to go, including the visit of already relegated Burnley on the final day, Villa now appear to be safe.
As for West Ham, this was another vapid performance from a team going through the motions. The visitors were toothless up front and desperately short of creativity in midfield, just about the only positive for Sam Allardyce was the way that Reece Burke, an 18-year-old centre-half, acquitted himself on his third Premier League start. “When you get your chance in this game, you grasp it. And for me he has done a fantastic job,” West Ham’s manager said.
Man of the match: Tom Cleverley (Aston Villa)
