Aston Villa ready for ‘transfer battle’ with Tottenham for Inter Milan star

Aston Villa were beaten to January transfer target Rodrigo Bentancur by Tottenham Hotspur and are now preparing to battle them for another star this summer.

Steven Gerrard’s side are reportedly monitoring Inter Milan midfielder Arturo Vidal, according to Calcio Mercato.

Villa will reportedly face tough competition from Tottenham, while Marseille and Galatasaray are also thought to be interested in the midfielder.

Vidal’s current deal with Inter Milan expires this summer, however there is the option for the Serie A club to extend it for a further year.

It is unclear whether the 34-year-old will choose to remain with Inter or look for a new adventure, but it is thought Spurs will be his most likely destination as Antonio Conte hopes to reunite with his former midfielder.

The Tottenham boss signed Vidal for both Juventus and Inter Milan and so may have the advantage over Villa in their pursuit of the veteran.

The West Midlands club are eager to bolster their midfield after missing out on Bentancur, while Douglas Luiz has been linked with a move away from Villa Park.

Meanwhile, Gerrard is hoping to secure Vidal’s former Barcelona teammate, Philippe Coutinho, on a permanent deal at the end of the season.

Villa are thought to have a £40 million obligation to buy in the Brazilian’s contract, however reports have claimed they are looking to lower the fee.