Aston Villa secure extension on Danny Drinkwater loan
Villa have reached agreement with Chelsea to extend Danny Drinkwater’s loan stay until the end of the season.
The midfielder will remain with Dean Smith’s squad for their crucial Premier League run-in, after the two clubs agreed to extend a deal which had been due to expire on Tuesday.
Drinkwater was an unused substitute in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Wolves, having missed Villa’s first three matches following the top flight’s resumption with a hamstring injury.
The 30-year-old has made only four appearances since joining in January and was disciplined for a training ground altercation with Spanish winger Jota, just prior to the season’s suspension in March.
But Villa’s coaching staff have been impressed with Drinkwater’s attitude and fitness levels since training resumed in May and he will be given the chance to contribute to the club’s survival battle.
Villa, who sit 19th in the table, had already reached an agreement over the weekend with AC Milan to keep goalkeeper Pepe Reina for the rest of the campaign.
The veteran Spaniard has also not featured since the league’s resumption, after being dropped for the first time in his Premier League career in favour of Orjan Nyland.
Yet there are question marks over the latter ahead of Sunday’s trip to Reina’s former club Liverpool, following high-profile mistakes in matches against Sheffield United and Wolves.
