Aston Villa have now held talks to sell a £140k-a-week star, who Unai Emery described as “fantastic” earlier this season.
Villa looking to strengthen Champions League push with new signings
Villa are currently in a very strong position to qualify for the Champions League, sitting third in the Premier League table, eight points clear of nearest-rivals Liverpool, but they remain keen on bringing in some new signings to bolster their chances even further.
That is according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, who said: “This Conor Gallagher situation’s come not out of nowhere. They were always probably one of the teams that were on the outskirts.
“But it doesn’t surprise me because let’s look at what Villa did last January. Their loan signings of Asensio and Rashford were phenomenal, weren’t they? They really made an impact. I was told Villa would do the same. It looks like they might be trying for Gallagher. I think there’s a real chance for this. Villa seem to have a belief that they can get this one done.”
Not only is a new central midfielder of interest, but the Villans have also set their sights on a striker, and it was recently revealed they have been given the green light to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, who is currently on loan at Besiktas.
The interest in signing a new centre-forward stems from the fact Ollie Watkins is the only out-and-out striker on the books, with Donyell Malen predominantly featuring as a winger throughout his career to date.
Malen is the natural back-up option for Watkins, but according to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have now entered talks to offload the Dutchman to AS Roma on loan, with the deal including an option to buy.
With Leon Bailey potentially in line to return to Villa Park, having been unable to make an impact since arriving at Roma, the Italian club are looking to raid the Villans once again, setting their sights on a forward who has impressed at times this season…
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“Fantastic” Malen is solid option for Emery
The 26-year-old often only features as a substitute, but he has caught the eye when given the opportunity this season, chipping in with seven goals and two assists in 29 matches in all competitions.
Not only that, but the Netherlands international, who pockets £140k-a-week, was also praised by Emery after the 2-1 victory against Burnley back in October, with the manager describing him as “fantastic” and adding: “If we can get Malen close to the box, he has qualities and is a fast player to shoot and he is clinical.”
Malen is a solid back-up option for Villa, so it would be a shame if they were to sanction a departure this month, although they could perhaps afford to lose him if a deal for experienced striker Abraham goes through.