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Aston Villa manager John Gregory is urging goalkeeper Michael Oakes to agree a move to Wolves and admitted: ``It would suit everyone if it was to happen.'' The clubs have agreed a £500,000 fee and former England Under-21 keeper Oakes is now thinking over a move to Molineux after having talks with Wolves manager Colin Lee. Gregory would welcome the deal going through now as Oakes could leave for nothing next summer under the Bosman Ruling when his contract runs out. But the Villa chief also thinks that Oakes needs to be playing first team football on a regular basis at this stage of his career. Last season Mark Bosnich's injury problems meant Oakes was the number one at Villa for around five months. But, even after Bosnich's summer departure to Manchester United, Oakes has slipped into the number three berth this season behind David James and Finnish Under-21 keeper Peter Enckelman. Gregory said: ``In a perfect world I wouldn't want to lose Michael because I would rather have three or four keepers here than just two. ``But it would suit us both if the deal was to happen, the fact we would get some money by him going now and also because Michael needs to get back to first team football. ``His circumstances have changed here after being number one for a lot of last season but that's football. We have all been in it long enough to know things can change from week to week let alone season to season. ``Michael is a great kid, a smashing professional. He still lives in Manchester but he has never been late for training. He's always first in and last out. ``Looking at him as a friend you would like him to go on and do really well at Wolves because he deserves it.'' Gregory was full of praise for the way Enckelman has progressed and he recently enjoyed a spell in the first team when James was sidelined through injury. He said: ``He has done really well and we had no hesitation about putting him into the side when David was injury. ``If he had had to stay in the side, we wouldn't have had a problem with that either. We are really pleased with him.'' Carling Net |