A Tale Of Two Clubs: Wigan Sign Adrian Lopez, Aston Villa Fail To Complete Deal For Gueida Fofana

Aston Villa and Wigan Athletic. Two clubs, sitting exactly even in the Premier League table, with twenty points and -14 goal difference. The Villa have lost two of their last three matches, while Wigan have drawn Everton, beaten Wolverhampton and forced a draw with Arsenal with just ten men. But the true difference between Wigan and Villa might be reflected in this morning's news:

Two managers, each chasing after young talent in their respective homelands. Roberto Martínez managed to land the 23-year-old Lopez until the end of the season, hoping his experience will help Wigan's often spotty defense. It may not be the absolute best pick the Latics could have made, but for a club of limited means, in the relegation zone just a game ago, it's a smart move. But then, Wigan are a team that tend to look outside English football, signing Hugo Rodallega, Maynor Figueroa, and Antolín Alcaraz all within the last few seasons. While such signings may not have propelled the club into European competition, Wigan have managed to stay in the Premier League, and they've thought outside the box to do so.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, have failed to sign on loan 19-year-old midfielder Fofana, who captained the France U-19 squad. Despite the Villa desperately needing another defensive midfielder--particularly if Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker are sold in January--Houllier mentioned that the club needed "a balance in terms of wages and abilities." Aston Villa are a young club at the moment, playing many of the players that came up through the youth system, but that's no reason to not to sign another young talent. Was Houllier's name not enough to tempt Fofana to Villa without a high salary? Or is it that the club is so worried about relegation that only proven players will get the nod in January?