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Aston Villa’s decision to sell promising youngster Daniel Johnson has frustrated Tim Sherwood.

Three weeks before the boss arrived at Villa, 22-year-old Johnson was allowed to join Preston North End for just £50,000 - a transfer fee that now looks like a steal.

The centre midfielder, who was once seen as one of Villa’s brightest prospects, has bagged eight goals for his new team and his all-round performances have lit up League One.

Had Sherwood been in charge just a month earlier, he would have blocked any permanent move and given Johnson the chance to shine.

It’s likely that he would have sanctioned a temporary switch to allow the Kingston-born ace the opportunity to flourish - but now it’s Simon Grayson who is seeing the best in him.

The regular game time is clearing helping him mature and if Preston are successful in the play-offs Johnson will become a Championship player next term.

For two years the youngster was Villa’s U21 captain but despite making the match-day 18 on a number of occasions, he never made a single first-team appearance.

Loans at Chesterfield and Oldham earlier this term helped him get a feel for league football then Preston quickly snapped him up when Villa let him leave for good, much to Sherwood’s later surprise.

Aston Villa's recent wins over West Ham

Clearly the midfield man needs to be playing games but if he had stuck around in the Midlands for another six months or so he might just have got that opportunity with the claret and blues.

Sherwood is a keen believer in youth and promoting from within.

At Tottenham he helped nurture young central midfielders Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason - both of whom are now regulars in the starting XI.

He also thinks highly of Gary Gardner and will give him the chance to impress in training ahead of a potential push for a starting role next season.

With Tom Cleverley’s long-term future still uncertain Villa are on the hunt for at least one new middle man.

Swindon’s Massimo Luongo will be targeted in the summer and is thought to be up the top of Sherwood’s wishlist.

Johnson would have had every chance to make an impact in that role had he still been around.

Unfortunately for Villa he’s starting to look like one that got away.