Aston Villa have £21m Europa League defender ‘on radar’ amid ‘£60m’ midfielder transfer claim

Victor Nelsson is the latest name to be linked with a move to Aston Villa this summer, according to reports in Turkey.

The Denmark international is said to be Steven Gerrard’s ‘radar’ in the upcoming transfer window, as per Tum Spor.

They claim Villa aren’t the only team interested in signing the centre-back, with the west Midlands club facing competition from AC Milan and Fiorentina.

Nelsson only joined Galatasaray last summer and has made 45 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish giants, scoring once.

The site adds Villa, as well as other interested parties, are expected to ‘knock on Galatasaray’s door’ with a ‘serious’ offer for the 23-year-old.

In addition, the report states that Nelsson, who played every minute of the Turkish club’s Europa League campaign before being eliminated by Barcelona in the last-16, has a £21m release clause in his contract

Although predominantly a centre-back, the Danish international can also operate in a holding-midfield role.

He has represented his country at youth level before making his senior debut in November 2020 in a 2-0 win over Sweden - a game he played the full 90 minutes.

Elsewhere, former Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has suggested Kalvin Phillips snubs a move to Manchester United in favour of his ex-team next summer.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the 35-year-old believes due to Phillips’ allegiance to current side Leeds United, putting Villa in pole position for the England international.

"I don’t think Kalvin Phillips would do that, [being a] big Leeds fan himself. I don’t think he’d go to Manchester United," Agbonlahor said.

"And I’m hearing that maybe Aston Villa are in for Kalvin Phillips. I think that’d be a better choice for him."

A move for the midfielder wouldn’t come cheap, with reports suggesting Phillips would cost those interested between £50-60m.

However, Agbonlahor doesn’t think the Leeds midfielder’s price tag will be a problem for Villa’s ‘wealthy’ owners.

"Our owners are one of the richest in the Premier League, after the Newcastle [United] and Man[chester] City owners," he added.

"Aston Villa and Wolves [have] very, very rich owners. So I’m sure Kalvin Phillips would love to come from Leeds to Birmingham, you know, great place, Birmingham."