Watford snub offers for Young

Watford have turned down £5million bids from Tottenham and Aston Villa for highly rated youngster Ashley Young.

Hornets boss Aidy Boothroyd also revealed a third Premiership side, believed to be Liverpool, had also been rebuffed in their approach for the pacy 21-year-old forward.

However, Boothroyd admitted he may not be able to hold onto Young forever after a series of eye catching performances for the Premiership's rock bottom side.

He said: "I have had three Premiership clubs on the phone making verbal bids for Ashley Young, but I have turned them all down.

"As it stands today, I absolutely do not see him leaving the club this month. But tomorrow, Ashley might come up to me and say: 'I've had enough'. But he is not daft, and he knows this is the best place for him to be.

"I know there will be people who have agendas to have Ashley moved on, and I understand that. But, thankfully, the people surrounding him are good people, and Ashley is a very level-headed, talented young man.

"If and when the time is right, and he wants to go, he will go. But the price has to be right, and it has to mean the club will be improved."

Spurs boss Martin Jol is keen to continue his policy of snapping up the best young English talent while his compatriot at Liverpool, Rafa Benitez, has placed a similar emphasis on youth in his recruitment policy.

For his part, Villa boss Martin O'Neill has made no secret of his desire to spend some of American owner Randy Learner's cash in the transfer window and is desperately in need of some pace in attack.