Aston Villa secure deal to bring in Chelsea misfit on loan

Danny Drinkwater has switched one claret and blue club for another, with Aston Villa confirming that they have signed the midfielder on loan for the rest of the season.

The former England international spent the first half of the season on loan at Burnley but that agreement was terminated earlier this month, freeing up Drinkwater to seek more regular first team action elsewhere.

Indeed, the midfield man made just one Premier League appearance under Sean Dyche, hauled off just before the hour mark against champions Manchester City in December.

The 29-year-old has, in fact, started just six league matches in over two-and-a-half seasons since leaving Leicester for Stamford Bridge in 2017.

That move came about having played a pivotal role in Leicester's shock title win in 2016, in which Drinkwater registered seven assists and averaged 3 tackles per game for a WhoScored.com rating of 7.30.

His performances saw him earn three England caps and Villa will hope that they can help the player recapture that sort of form in their bid to beat off the drop.

Dean Smith's squad has been decimated by injuries to key players over the last month, with a short term deal for Drinkwater helping to cover for the loss of star midfielder John McGinn, who faces at least another two months out having fractured his ankle.

Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph reports that Chelsea dropped their demands of paying the players wages in full to sanction the deal, which rules out any potential loan moves for either Michy Batshuayi or Olivier Giroud this month. 

Villa had been linked to both back up strikers for the Blues to their own former front man Tammy Abraham but aren't permitted to sign two players on loan from any one club.