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EXCLUSIVE: Aston Villa hijack Stoke bid for Collins with 5m offer
Published: 20 Aug 2009 - 14:51:20
Aston Villa have matched Stoke's £5million bid for West Ham defender James Collins. Martin O'Neill hopes to snatch the Wales international after Stoke boss Tony Pulis admitted Collins had failed to agree terms for a move to the Potters. Upton Park boss Gianfranco Zola is understood to have sanctioned the 25-year-old's sale to raise funds for other targets. Sportsmail revealed earlier this week that Stoke's bid had been accepted and Pulis still hopes to get his man, despite admitting the two parties were 'a little bit apart'. 'I think both sides are only a little bit apart,' said Pulis. 'I just hope we can all get around the table again. 'I certainly don't think it's dead and he's a player I would like, along with others before the end of the transfer deadline.' Collins appeared in West Ham's opening game of the season, a 2-0 win at Wolves. His departure would help fund a bid for Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh.
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