Aston Villa and Wolves in 'race' for same target as European giants 'evaluate' offers for young star

West Midlands rivals Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers have vastly different targets for the season as we edge closer to the half-way point of the campaign.

But with the January transfer window on the horizon, both clubs might be in competition for a top target who is on the radar of several Premier League clubs.

Wolves currently sit rock-bottom of the division but will be hoping for a change in their fortunes following the arrival of new head coach Rob Edwards. A crucial part of Wanderers’ chances of staying up could hinge on their business in the January window.

Whereas for local neighbours Villa, a strong run of form has seen Unai Emery’s side rise back into the top six as their Champions League ambitions grow. The Villans have been known to use the January window effectively in recent years and will hope for that to continue in a similar fashion this time around.

Aston Villa and Wolves do battle for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia

According to reports by Fichajes, both Aston Villa and Wolves are amongst the Premier League sides to have contacted Real Madrid regarding the services of 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia.

Alongside Sunderland, the pair are reportedly prepared to offer €20m (£17.5m) for the young forward, who broke onto the scene earlier this year and made a name for himself at the Club World Cup, where he scored four goals in six matches for Los Blancos.

But the Real academy graduate has found minutes hard to come by this season amidst the club’s star-studded strike force, and so a January exit has become a possibility as he looks for the next step in his career. While Los Blancos are said to believe the decision to let Garcia go would ‘not be easy’, they recognise the market opportunity which it could represent if Premier League sides firm their interest.

The three potential suitors in question view Garcia’s ‘potential’ and ‘room for growth’ as worthy of the price tag, though the player has only made 22 professional appearances and has just one La Liga start under his belt. Garcia is reported as a ‘primary target’ for both Wolves and Villa, in addition to the Black Cats, and a ‘race’ for his signature is expected to ensue.

Garcia could offer a new dimension in attack to both Wolves and Villa

Aston Villa are reported to view Garcia as an ‘ideal project to bolster their attack’ over the coming years. With Ollie Watkins nearing the wrong side of 30 and struggling to maintain his strong goalscoring record so far this season, Garcia could provide some much-needed competition and represent an overdue replacement for Jhon Durán, who departed for Al-Nassr in the last January transfer window for £64m and is now out on loan at Fenerbahce. Initial links between Garcia and Villa emerged last month, when it was revealed that the player is ‘keen’ to move clubs.

Meanwhile, Wolves are said to value Garcia’s intensity and work-rate, viewing him as fitting ‘perfectly’ into life in the Premier League. Should the Old Gold sign a forward player in the winter, they would need a new buy to adapt seamlessly into the pace of the division and hit the ground running in front of goal. No player has scored more than one goal for the club so far this season, meaning attacking signings in January are a priority.

It remains to be seen if either of Villa or Wolves can secure the signing of Garcia in the January window. While a player moving from Real Madrid to the West Midlands would be unorthodox, the 21-year-old could provide the goalscoring touch greatly desired by both clubs in their respective targets this campaign.