Here is the latest transfer news and rumour concerning all things Aston Villa, as Dean Smith looks to reinforce the squads strike-force.
TAMMY ABRAHAM
Embed from Getty ImagesThere’s no doubt that Tammy Abraham would fit the bill as Villa attempt to improve on a lacklustre showing in front of goal last term.
The England striker, still just 22, fired an impressive 26 goals as Villa secured promotion from The Championship in 2019.
Villa are known to have serious intent this window, but the short timespan between the end of the two campaigns and other clubs’ awareness of Villa’s needs are hampering negotiations.
Such factors appear to be holding up progress for the likes of Ollie Watkins, with the delay frustrating and increasingly unsettling with the new season due to start on September the 12th.
This is perhaps pushing Villa to explore more audacious transfer targets, utilising a war-chest understood to be in excess of £100m. This has seen more outlandish links emerging towards players such as former Real Madrid star Gonzalo HiguaÃn.
Whilst the club would naturally prefer value for money, this close season looks very much to be a sellers market but Purslow / Lange will be mindful of the urgent need to improve Smith’s squad markedly.
Abraham was a predatory striker for Villa, scoring not just a number of important goals but doing so consistently in a hit and miss Championship side. He has since also gone onto prove that he can cut it in the Premier League, an important requirement as part of Villa’s stated recruitment policy.
Chelsea have opted to significantly strengthen during the close season and the arrival of prolific attacker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig puts Abraham’s position at clear risk. Frank Lampard’s side are also widely reported to be considering bringing in additional strike-power, suggesting that the former Villa loanee could find himself further down the pecking order than he might have previously expected.
Abraham is reported to have a preference towards staying to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, but Smith may be able to lure him back to Villa Park with the promise of guaranteed first team football. Regular game-time is also a known requirement for England selection under Gareth Southgate, although this is not the only criteria, as Jack Grealish can attest.
The financials are unlikely to be a problem, and whilst a fee isn’t clear, any movement will ultimately hinge upon Abraham’s appetite to take on the challenge again at B6. The frontman did show in January 2019 a measure of commitment to Villa, snubbing a proposed move to Wolves, instead opting to stay and score the goals that sent the club back to the top-flight after a three year absence.
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