Aston Villa have moved into pole position in the race for a defender, despite rival interest from Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
Villa preparing move for “leader” ahead of Europa League showdown
As we approach the business end of the season, and it is still all to play for in the Europa League, with Unai Emery‘s side set to take on Lille at Villa Park on Thursday night, in the second leg of their round of 16 clash.
Villa hold a slender lead heading into the game, having secured a 1-0 win at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, although they will have to bounce back from a defeat in their latest Premier League match, falling to a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford at the weekend.
Emery called for his side to issue a response in the coming weeks, saying: “There are still matches to play, points to play [for]. We’re still in a top position. But we must get better at some things and keep fighting.
“We must be positive. Recover energy. We must use the points we had before to try to keep going, keep fighting and keep recovering tactically and with confidence.”
However, the Villans have been on a downward spiral as of late, winning just one of their last six matches in all competitions, which suggests they may need to strengthen in the summer, and they have now identified a new primary target.
Villa preparing opening bid to sign “leader”
According to a report from Sports Boom, Borussia Dortmund defender Waldemar Anton has now emerged as a top target for Aston Villa, and they are leading the race for his signature, despite rival interest from Premier League rivals Tottenham and West Ham.
Emery is keen to improve his defence this summer, and an opening bid for the Dortmund star is now being prepared, with the German club expected to be willing to cash-in for a fee of around €35m – €40m (£30m – £35m).
Described as a “leader” by Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger, the 29-year-old has established himself as a key player for Dortmund this season, making 36 appearances in all competitions, and an average FotMob match rating of 7.45 in the Bundesliga is the second-highest in the squad.
No Dortmund player is averaging more blocks (0.5) and clearances (5.5) per 90 in the league than the 12-time Germany international, who also has two goals to his name.
That said, the Uzbekistan-born defender is set to turn 30-years-old in the summer, which means it could be a risk for the Villans to shell out £35m, especially considering he is yet to prove himself outside Germany.
Aston Villa may not have much cash to splash in the summer, given their well-documented PSR issues, and it was recently revealed they could be forced to cash-in on three of their most important players…
Worry for Emery as Aston Villa may now be forced to sell “outstanding” star with Martinez and Rogers
The Villans may have to cash-in on an important player.