With Villa having recently appointed Johan Lange as Sporting Director and the new Premier League season just a matter of weeks away, the club, like many, will be exploring urgent reinforcements.
Villa will be needing those reinforcements more than most, having miraculously over-turned a seven point deficit with just four games to go, surviving courtesy of a final day draw against West Ham (1-1).
Who will be the faces to appear in Villa’s newly unveiled kit for the 2020 / 2021 season?
Here are the latest Aston Villa transfer news and rumour for Sunday 2nd August:
JAMES MCCARTHY
The 29 year old Crystal Palace midfielder is now into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.
The Irish international, formerly of Wigan and Everton, does fit the bill in terms of Premier League experience, something sorely missing from Villa’s squad last season.
McCarthy played over 30 games for The Eagles last term, proving that he’d overcome a horror double leg break suffered in 2018 whilst still at Goodison Park.
McCarthy is understood not to have yet signed nor had activated a 1 year extension to his current Palace deal, meaning that he could leave on a free transfer next summer.
However, if Villa opt to express a firm interest, a fee in the region of £5 million is reported to be enough to secure the former Latics man’s services.
PEPE REINA
The likeable and experienced Spanish goalkeeper cut a composed and reliable figure between the sticks during Villa’s successful escape from relegation.
Reina joined as an emergency loan in January after Tom Heaton suffered a season ending injury on New Years Day and found his deal extended as the Premier League’s campaign extended due to Covid-19.
Now 38 and still with a year left on his Milan deal, Reina has been repetitive in his desire to play first team football as he now finds himself in the twilight of his professional career.
Villa have offered the former Liverpool keeper a 2 year deal, but there are complications stemming from his current contract with the Italian Serie A side.
Milan are willining to let Reina go for free, but must first agree to a severange deal, bridging the gap between what he would have earnerd and an apparent wage drop if he were to switch to Villa Park for the remainder of his current contractual term.
Assuming that the finer details can be ironed out, this would appear to be a sensible deal for Villa. Until Heaton has recuperated, Reina represents a steady pair of hands in goal, with Orjan Nyland’s credibility often in the spotlight.
AARON HICKEY
Villa have also been linked to promising Scottish defender Aaron Hickey in a deal worth £1.5 million.
The Hearts full-back, just 18 years old, has already broken into the first team and is courting interest from German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich as well as Italian side Bologna.
A deal-breaker for Hickey is his expectation to play first team football, thus Bologna are reported to be leading the chase for his signature.
Villa, who have struggled in the full-back position for a number of years may therefore keep a watching brief, but it could be a gamble to lift such an inexperienced defender into a side that must kick on from last seasons relegation near miss.
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