Fabian Delph has undergone a medical at Manchester City
Friday 17 July 2015 18:31, UK
Sky sources understand Fabian Delph has had a medical ahead of a proposed move to Manchester City - just days after apparently turning down a move.
Delph was photographed entering a south Manchester clinic frequently used by City for player medicals earlier on Friday afternoon.
Manchester City triggered the £8m release fee in Delph's contract last week but the Aston Villa captain turned down a move to the Etihad before releasing a statement saying "I'm not leaving, I'm staying at the football club."
But Delph now appears to have had a change of heart and looks to be on the verge of becoming the second England international to join City this week following the £49m arrival of Raheem Sterling from Liverpool.
Earlier this week, Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood told Sky Sports News HQ he was delighted Delph had elected to remain at Villa Park, adding the decision to stay put was entirely his own.
“I knew there was interest from Manchester City and few other clubs who had shown a lot of interest in Fabian as I expected for such a small fee on the buyout clause,” Sherwood said.
“But he never ever indicated to me that he wanted to leave. We could do nothing about it. Aston Villa Football Club could do nothing about it, it was Fabian Delph’s decision to stay.
“Obviously we can try and sway his choice by telling him the pros and cons. I told him what we are trying to build here and he obviously liked the sound of it. It’s up to us to strengthen now and put some real quality in and around Fabian Delph and others.”
Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor also welcomed Delph's decision to to stay, insisting it demonstrated a great deal of loyalty to the club.
"A lot of players have left over the last 10 years and for him to stay shows his commitment to the club and how much he loves playing for the club, so credit to him," Agbonlahor told Sky Sports News HQ.
Delph signed a new four-and-a-half contract with Aston Villa last January, four months after making his senior England debut. He has made 134 appearances for Villa since joining the club from Leeds in the summer of 2009.
