Aston Villa make contact to sign English sensation after Man Utd transfer collapse
Aston Villa are starting to line up their January business, and there is plenty bubbling away before the window opens.
Aston Villa’s January transfer plans gather pace
Midfield has featured in this week’s gossip, with Gabriel Sara back in the conversation.
Sport Witness, relaying Brazilian reports on Monday, named Villa among the clubs interested in the Galatasaray player. The Turkish side are said to be willing to negotiate around £34m, although reports from Turkey suggest around £30m might be enough.
That gives his admirers a price to consider.
Alejandro Balde is another name on the radar, and Jorge Mendes is said to have informed Villa about the conditions for signing the Barcelona defender.
Barcelona reportedly want £34m, while Mendes considers a loan with an option to buy a more workable route, but Villa are among several English clubs assessing him.
There is interest coming the other way, too, with journalist Graeme Bailey reporting on Friday that Real Madrid and PSG are watching Zion Suzuki.
Bailey says Villa want Suzuki to stay, and his five-year contract gives them room to be stubborn if somebody does come calling.
Keeping that core together while finding the right additions will give Unai Emery and the recruitment team plenty to weigh up.
Aston Villa make contact over Louis Page
Villa have now joined the scramble for Leicester City’s Louis Page, with Bailey reporting that they have made an enquiry about the teenager.
His TEAMtalk update puts Villa alongside many other Premier League clubs to have asked about him, and Man United still believe they can land the midfielder after their summer pursuit fell short.
Page was believed to be on the verge of a switch to Man United at one point before the move fell through, but the Red Devils haven’t given up.
|
Louis Page’s all-time stats for Leicester |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Championship |
18 |
0 |
1 |
|
League One |
12 |
0 |
3 |
|
FA Cup |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
League Cup |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
36 |
1 |
6 |
There is a European audience, too, as Real Madrid and Barcelona have watched Page, while Borussia Dortmund’s interest was reported in September.
Leicester are willing to discuss a January departure, but anyone hoping for a bargain will have work to do. The Foxes want the overall deal to be worth roughly £15m, while they also insist that Page stays with them on loan until the season ends.
Bailey also indicates that most of the fee could come later. On the figures reported, the first payment could be below £5m, easing the immediate cash demand.
Why Aston Villa must offer Page a clear path
The attention follows an impressive rise.
Dubbed the “next Jude Bellingham”, the 18-year-old was last season’s EFL Apprentice of the Year, following the England star onto the winners’ list.
For Villa, the attraction goes beyond grabbing a fashionable name before somebody else does, as Page would give Emery a young midfielder with senior experience, plenty still to learn and bags of potential.
A left-footed player who likes getting forward offers something for the coaching staff to develop, particularly if he can become a consistent threat around the penalty area.
Page only scored his first senior goal on Friday, helping Leicester beat Oxford City in the FA Cup, as the Bellingham label should not become a demand for immediate fireworks.
Regular football matters more than a famous shirt at this stage, and another few months playing for Leicester could serve him better than watching games from Villa’s bench.
Emery’s side would need to explain how he earns opportunities in Birmingham, whether through cup starts, substitute appearances or another suitable loan.
That is where they could make a persuasive pitch, and their strongest selling point would be a proper plan for Page’s career, with Emery central to it.
