Simon Dawkins goes on loan, this time to Aston Villa

Simon Dawkins is still a Tottenham Hotspur player, if you can believe it. The 25-year-old academy product has spent the last two years on loan with the San Jos Earthquakes, but proved to be nothing more than an above-average MLS player, which means there is no room for him on a team like Spurs. There is room for him on a team like Aston Villa, though!

Dawkins has joined Villa on loan for the rest of the season, which is a good move for Spurs. Sending him back to San Jose, where the Earthquakes badly wanted him back, would have been nice enough for the Quakes and Dawkins, but it would have done nothing for Tottenham. Dawkins was never going to earn Spurs a transfer fee of note in MLS, but he could do it at Villa.

The midfielder will be cover for Marc Albrighton and could get some time in the second half of the season. If he plays well enough, Villa or another club may pay a small sum to buy him permanently. That would be nice for Tottenham, adding to their "We Need A Striker" fund, which will still go untouched.