Villa have option to sign Cleverley from Man Utd in January

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has confirmed the club have an option to sign Tom Cleverley from Manchester United in January.

Cleverley, whose current deal at Old Trafford is set to expire at the end of the season, joined Villa on loan in the summer.

The England international, 25, has featured in five English Premier League matches for Villa this season, completing over 88 percent of his total passes.

“We have an option on Tom,” Lambert said. “We have not gone into great detail but he has played well. He was the one lad who was busy on Saturday [at Everton], he has so much to offer.

“He’s a good guy, a good professional and does everything high tempo even when he trains.

“Whatever happens in January will happen, the option is there but we still have a couple of months to go.

“I just want him to play well here and enjoy it and that’s what he is doing which is half the battle.

“It’s not been an easy start playing at a new club but come January we will see.”

Villa are scheduled to face bottom-of-the-table Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Monday, 27 October.

Pochettino rules out Paulinho loan move

Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has rubbished reports linking Paulinho with a return to Brazilian giants Corinthians.

The Brazil international, who joined Spurs from Corinthians for around £17 million in the summer of 2013, has failed to tie down a place in Pochettino’s starting XI despite the departure of Sandro to QPR.

Instead, Pochettino has preferred French enforcer Étienne Capoue, Belgium international Mousa Dembélé, and youth academy graduate Ryan Mason.

When asked whether Paulinho could rejoin Corinthians on a possible loan deal, Pochettino said: “No. No Tottenham player, including Paulinho, will be loaned to Brazil. There is no chance.

“Paulinho arrived late, one of the last players to join the squad after the World Cup.

“There isn’t any problem. He is training and doing well, it’s just a technical decision.”

Gabbiadini would welcome EPL switch

Sampdoria forward Manolo Gabbiadini has revealed  he would be open to playing in England and Spain in the future.

Gabbiadini, 22, has scored four goals in just five Serie A appearances for Sampdoria this term. His most recent strike helped the Blucerchiati salvage a 2-2 draw at Cagliari last Sunday.

“In my mind I have only Sampdoria, but I like English and Spanish football a lot,” Gabbiadini told Il Messaggero.

“In Italy we must learn from those leagues.

“I’d like to try one of those leagues as it would be a good life experience.”