EXCLUSIVE: Villa boss ONeill to start spree with 5million bid for Juhasz

Published: 26 May 2009 - 17:42:04

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EXCLUSIVE: Villa boss ONeill to start spree with 5million bid for Juhasz

Martin O'Neill is ready to launch his summer spending with a £5million bid for Roland Juhasz after making a personal check on the giant Hungary defender. The Aston Villa manager received encouraging reports about Juhasz and decided to see for himself in Anderlecht's Belgian Jupiler League title play-off against Standard Liege, after the two fierce rivals finished the campaign tied at the top. O'Neill was at a packed Maurice Dufrasne Stadium last Thursday to see Juhasz give another assured performance as the teams fought out a 1-1 draw, Standard going on to be crowned champions with a 1-0 win in the return leg on Sunday. Though also linked with Standard's midfielder and skipper Steven Defour and their American defender Oguchi Onyewu, a free agent this summer, it is understood 6ft 4in centre-back Juhasz was the player under review. The 25-year old has been capped 44 times and has steadily increased in stature since making his Anderlecht debut in a Champions League tie against Chelsea nearly four years ago. Signed from his home club MTK, he was voted his country's outstanding player in a poll conducted by the Hungarian Federation at the end of last year and would cost at least £5million. But with Martin Laursen forced to retire through injury earlier this month, O'Neill needs a commanding figure at the back and is ready to tempt Anderlecht with a bid.