Manchester City’s Scott Sinclair set for Aston Villa talks

Aston Villa, 11/2 with Coral to be relegated, have reportedly opened talks with Premier League champions Manchester City about signing winger Scott Sinclair.

The 25-year-old is believed to be keen on a move away from the Etihad, in a bid to reignite his stuttering Premier League career, after struggling to break into City’s first team.

Sinclair, a former Chelsea trainee, has made only 19 appearances for City in two-and-a-half years, including just three starts, while spending a big portion of last season on-loan at West Bromwich Albion, where he struggled to make in impact.

Villa manager Paul Lambert is keen to bolster his attacking options as his side struggle in 12th position in the top-flight table, just five points clear of the relegation places.

Lambert’s side currently hold the worst attacking record in the division with just 11 goals scored, and the Scottish coach would hope to add City wideman Sinclair to his West Midlands outfit, in a bid to boost the Villans’ forward threat.

After striking 36 times in 91 outings for Swansea, the former England Under-21 international left Wales for Manchester in 2012, in a deal worth a reported £6.2m. A move to Villa may also open the door for a possible future call-up to Roy Hodgson’s England first-team squad, with the tricky winger having not been given a chance to prove his worth at City.

Sinclair, who spent time on-loan at six lower division clubs before signing for Swansea for £500k in 2010, was also instrumental in the Swans side that won promotion in 2011 and then survived the Premier League drop under Brendan Rodgers the following season.

However, the talented wingman has featured on just four occasions this campaign for Manuel Pellegrini’s title-chasing team, including only two league outings against Crystal Palace and Burnley.

Villa boss Lambert will be happy to accommodate City’s out-of-favour forward, hoping the Englishman can boost his side’s chances of avoiding a relegation scrap this season. Aston Villa are odds-on 1/10 to avoid the drop this term.