It was just two years ago that Stephen Ireland scored 13 goals from midfield, earning the title of Manchester City Player of the year.
Thereafter, he suffered from worrisome health issues and fell out of form and favor at Eastlands, leading to his transfer to Aston Villa in a swap for James Milner. Now, it appears he could be on the move again — this time to Liverpool, according to sport.co.uk.
Since his move to Aston Villa, the 24-year-old former Irish international has appeared in just 10 league matches without netting a single goal and has been the recipient of multiple calls for improvement from manager Gerard Houllier.
His exit from Villa Park has long been expected, with Liverpool often considered as a likely landing spot — given that he was linked to a move to Anfield as early as last summer.
According to the latest report in sport.co.uk, Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is planning to make an offer for the £5 million midfielder, though the bid may be considerably lower in hopes of receiving the embattled player at a bargain price.
Ireland does offer considerable upside if he can find his form, though he must be viewed as a complementary piece and low-risk purchase, not a centerpiece for the club if he is transferred.
