Aston Villa ‘readying move’ for £65m-rated transfer target, facing competition to sign former Unai Emery man

Aston Villa have enjoyed a strong run in the Premier League this season and will be eager to end their campaign with a bang before shifting their attention to the transfer window.

Unai Emery’s side have banked a very respectable 54 points so far, putting them currently in eighth place. They have just two losses in their last ten fixtures and banked strong wins against Chelsea and Newcastle United.

The Villans are certainly building a team to be reckoned with, but will they add to their ranks this summer? We’ve gathered the latest transfers news linked with the West Midlands outfit as we head towards the final games of the 2022/23 season.

Villa preparing move for £65m-rated summer target

Aston Villa are said to be readying a deal for major summer transfer target Dusan Vlahovic. The Juventus forward still has three years left on his current deal but has been told he can leave at the end of the season if The Old Lady fail to secure a top four finish.

That’s according to Football Insider, who report that Villa are in hot pursuit of Vlahovic, who has 10 Serie A goals this season. While it looks at though Juve will likely earn their Champions League spot, there are still four games left for results to change.

Vlahovic, 23, is valued at a handsome €75 million (£65m) by Transfermarkt. Villa want to make him ‘the face of a long-term project’ and are willing to offer a lucrative deal in order to see him move to the Premier League this summer.

£65m midfield duo swoop being planned

Villa are also reportedly keen on making a swoop for Real Sociedad duo Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino. Spanish outlet AS (via TEAMtalk) report that the Premier League side are ready to make a mega bid for the midfielders this summer.

The price has been reported at €75 million (£65m) and Emery is said to be very interested in bringing them to Villa Park.

West Ham rival Villa for midfield target amid Declan Rice doubts

It’s no secret that Declan Rice has been linked to a move away from West Ham this summer, and as a result, the Irons are already scouring the market for his replacement. According to The Athletic, they have set their sights on Aston Villa target Matteo Guendouzi, who is due to depart Marseille this summer.

The Villans have been interested in Guendouzi for some time now but interest from other clubs has spiked ahead of his imminent exit. The former Arsenal man worked with Emery during his time in North London and the two could well be reunited, if they can beat Premier League rivals West Ham to the deal.