Aston Villa are chasing Manchester United defender Paddy McNair.

The Express & Star says Villa are stepping up their efforts to bring in McNair, ahead of their Championship opener on Sunday.

The claret and blues have lost Ciaran Clark to league cohorts Newcastle, who activated his £5.1m release clause, on the week of the big kick-off.

Villa are keen to borrow United's Northern Ireland Euro 2016 performer McNair, 21, ahead of Sunday's curtain raiser away to Sheffield Wednesday.