Exclusive: Preston and Leyton Orient register interest in Aston Villa sensation Finley Munroe
Preston North End and Leyton Orient are racing to sign Aston Villa loanee Finley Munroe, sources have told Football Insider.
The 20-year-old has been a standout performer for Swindon since joining the League Two club on loan last summer.
Championship hopefuls Preston and League One outfit Leyton Orient have registered their interest in taking Munroe on loan for the second half of the season.
Munroe, who enjoyed a spell out on loan in Spain last season, is also attracting interest from some European clubs.
The attacking left-back is among the highest assist-making defenders in the country, with six in 23 league games, as well as two goals.
Aston Villa to face Finley Munroe cross roads in January
Swindon have enjoyed an excellent start in League Two this term, and promotion is a distinct possibility for the Robins just after the halfway mark of the campaign.
Munroe’s performances have been a major contributor to that, as the division’s top scorer Aaron Drinan is the only man in Ian Holloway’s squad who can boast a better tally than the youngster’s eight goal involvements at present.
The Aston Villa starlet has only failed to start in one league game for his loan club so far this term, and given the quality of his displays, he will surely continue to receive a similar level of gametime until the conclusion of the campaign.
The Swindon stint is clearly benefiting the left-back, but Villa are now at something of a crossroads in terms of how they want to handle his development.
Leyton Orient look set to provide them with the option of moving the youngster up a tier to League One, while Preston may offer an even bigger jump to the Championship.
A jump to a higher league would take Munroe one step closer towards achieving his first-team dream at Villa Park, but it would also provide the risk that comes with a fresh environment.
Munroe in esteemed EFL company with assist stats
Reece James is enjoying a strong season at Chelsea, but the Premier League’s top assist-making defender has been left in the dust by Munroe’s tally so far this term.
The England international has four assists to his name in the league so far in 2025-26, but that pales in comparison to the six that the Villa starlet has already built up.
Hull City star Ryan Giles is the only defender in the entire EFL who boasts a higher tally than Munroe at the moment, with the likes of Coventry’s Milan van Ewijk and Cardiff’s Ronan Kpakio only able to draw level with him.
Munroe’s displays are certainly evidence that he has a big future ahead of him, and it is now up to Villa to decide how to handle that next step for him.