Leicester City 'enter race' for Championship star 'wanted' by Aston Villa and West Ham

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Coventry City star Callum O’Hare in the summer transfer window. O’Hare’s current deal is due to expire at the end of June and he has no intentions of renewing it and as such, he will be available on a free transfer.

However, Villa’s pursuit of the player has hit a complication. Leicester City, who recently gained promotion back to the Premier League, are also thought to be in the hunt for O’Hare’s signature [via Football Insider]. In March, the Foxes were charged with allegedly ­breaching the Premier League ‘s financial regulations and will likely be working within a tight budget - something O’Hare’s potential signing would fit into. Leicester are not the only other contenders in the race - West Ham United are also believed to be interested in snapping up O’Hare upon the conclusion of his deal with the Sky Blues. Back in January, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley were also linked with the 26-year-old.

So far this season, O’Hare has scored six goals and has notched up three assists over the course of 30 Championship games. He has played for Villa in the past, making four appearances for them, before being released back in 2020. As such, should he return to his old club, he may have a point to prove.

Can Aston Villa beat Leicester City and West Ham United to Callum O’Hare’s signature?

Both the Foxes and the Hammers are no slouches on the financial side of things - they will both be able to offer him a significant wage should he choose to sign for either of them over Villa.

Despite this, Villa may be able to offer O’Hare something that the other two clubs in the race cannot - Champions League football. Currently, they are seven points clear of the team in fifth, Tottenham Hotspur - and there are only three games left to play. Spurs have a game in hand over Villa, but their abysmal form of late indicates that they may struggle to take advantage of it.