Aston Villa consider recalling Andre Green from Portsmouth loan to boost promotion bid

England under-19 international Green is meant to spend the season on loan at Fratton Park, where he has helped the club to the top of League One.

But new boss Dean Smith is looking at ways he can get the winger back to Villa Park this month as he plots a promotion challenge in the second half of the campaign.

Green, 20, has played a major role in helping Pompey move five points clear at the top of League One.

After a slow start to the season he has been on fire over the past two months, scoring five goals in the last nine matches for Kenny Jackett's side.

And Smith believes Green offers the kind of pace and creativeness going forward that his tenth-placed Villa side are lacking – leading to him try to find a way to recall him from his loan deal early.

Such a move would be hugely popular with Villa supporters who were frustrated former boss Steve Bruce sent him out on loan in the first place last summer.

They believe the home-grown youngster is exactly the kind of player who can help the club bridge the five-point gap between themselves and the play-off places in the Championship.

But Pompey boss Jackett is desperate to keep hold of Green, believing he can play an integral role in helping the club claim automatic promotion to the Championship.

The club have already seen another one of their influential loan players leave this month after Ben Thompson was recalled by Millwall.

The Championship side had seen his impressive form at Fratton Park and decided they needed him back to help their fight to stay clear of relegation danger.

Losing Green would further damage Pompey at a time when they were hoping to strengthen their efforts to finish in the top two.

Villa are expected to make a final decision next week on Green, with the club also hoping they can persuade Tammy Abraham to snub the chance of a move to Wolves to stay with them until the end of the season.

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