Ruairi Daly 
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Celtic midfielder Stefan Johansen is wanted by Premier League side Aston Villa.
According to reports, the 24-year-old Norwegian international could move for a fee of around £5 million, less than a year after he was given the PFA Scotish Player of the Year award.
Since the end of August, following Celtic’s exit from the Champions League he has struggled to replicate the form of last season and endured a torrid spell in the Hoops jersey.
This season he has made 28 appearances, scoring four goals and assisting on six occasions – with his last league goal coming on Flag Day against Ross County.
His two assists against Malmo in a crucial playoff tie were quickly forgotten about as he put in under par performances time and time again.
He has also underperformed In his national team colours and took plenty of flack from the Norwegian media after they failed to secure a place in Euro 2016 this summer in a playoff against Hungary.
Johansen was given time off to recover after he admitted to suffering from a back injury but since then he still hasn’t quite reached the standards he set last year when he scored 10 goals and added 13 assists.
Fans have been frustrated by his performances this season and have wondered why Ronny Deila has continued to play him despite his clear lack of confidence in the side.
As Aston Villa cling onto life in the top flight of English football before the new TV deal kicks in, they are going to pull out all the stops to try and prevent their relegation to the Championship.
Eric Knott 
