Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has already delivered Yves Bissouma verdict amid Tottenham Hotspur move

Aston Villa won’t be landing one of their priority transfer targets from the January window this summer with Brighton’s Yves Bissouma opting for a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Reports suggest that the much admired Mali international is on the verge of completing a move to the Antonio Conte’s Spurs for a fee believed to be in the region for £25million. A bargain in today’s market.

Steven Gerrard was and still is a great admirer of Bissouma and at a cut-price, it does come as a suprise that the Villans haven’t gone back in - especially with interest still there in adding a new midfielder.

With that said, the signing of Boubacar Kamara may well be seen as enough in that particular role and may well be the scouser’s ‘right target’ after all.

What has Steven Gerrard said previously about Yves Bissouma?

The former Liverpool captain spoke openly about his admiration for Bissouma following the close of the January transfer window and was quick to admit to the media that the club had had a bid rejected for the Malian.

Speaking in February, he claimed it was ‘well documented’ that the club wanted a defensive midfielder but would only move for one if the player was ‘right’ for the team.

“It was well documented that we put in a bid for Bissouma at Brighton which was turned away, and we respected and appreciated it,” Gerrard said.

“If a move is not right then we will not become desperate and make a decisions that we do not think is right. If it’s not right at the time we might have to be patient in a few situations.

“Pre-window and during the window we were probably linked with 12 holding midfielders. It’s a position we’re looking to add in.”

“I won’t be a manager who will try to be wasteful or compromise in certain situations and go down the list because I believe our fans and this club deserves the right people in the right positions,” he added.

“If that’s the case and we have to be patient then we’ll do it.

“The support I’ve had during the first window and since I walked in the door has been brilliant and I really appreciate that.

“We will keep analysing the squad and if we feel we need support in that area we’ll look for the right target.

“We won’t compromise and try to find Plan B, C, D or E. We’ll keep pushing and try to get the right person.”

Bissouma not donning the claret and blue next season will come as a blow to many fans but maybe just maybe the addition of Kamara proves that he wasn’t the right person after all.

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