Aston Villa ‘in contact’ over £30m West Ham target as five clubs consider move for Wolves ace

Aston Villa have reportedly made a transfer enquiry for Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo but will face fierce competition from six other clubs.

The Italian only moved to the Turkish Süper Lig six months ago but he’s only made 10 appearances in that time and is reportedly considering his options as a result.

Two serious anterior cruciate ligament injuries have slowed down the 23-year-old’s progress over recent years but he remains a top talent, showcased by five goals in just 349 Süper Lig minutes last term.

Monchi’s imminent arrival as the new president of football operations at Villa Park has sparked a flurry of activity in the summer window, with countless names linked and official contacts reportedly underway for potential signings.

Turkish publication Takvim claims Zaniolo is one of the players Villa have made an approach for as they are one of seven teams “sat at the table” to enquire about his services.

It’s reported Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Arsenal have all joined Villa by making an enquiry. Galatasaray are open to a sale as long as their €35 million (£29.9 million) valuation is met.

The player himself is said to be happy with the situation regardless of if he stays or goes - as Galatasaray will provide Champions League football - but a move elsewhere could open up a more prosperous career path.

Meanwhile, Wolves forward in high demand

In other West Midlands transfer news, Villa’s local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers have a big decision to make as wonderkid striker Fabio Silva is attracting interest from all across Europe.

The 20-year-old enjoyed a successful 2022/23 in two halves, as he scored seven goals in 20 Jupiler Pro League appearances with Anderlecht and then joined PSV Eindhoven, where he scored five in 19 games.

A vast improvement from his early days in a Wolves shirt has gained the interest of Galatasaray, Ajax, Sevilla, AS Roma and AC Milan, according to the Express & Star.

Wanderers struggled for goals last season and could really do with some firepower up top, especially with Raul Jimenez and Diego Costa heading out the exit door.

Silva, who cost €40 million (£34.2 million) from Porto in 2020, is finally beginning to show his sky-high potential. It awaits to be seen whether Wolves would sanction a permanent move – and if so, how much they would demand.