Middlesbrough poised as Aston Villa plot swoop for two ‘electric’ transfer targets

Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing two Middlesbrough youngsters but face competition from a host of other Premier League sides.

Twins Bailey Palmer and Anton Palmer, both midfielders in Boro’s youth academy, have emerged as bright talents in England’s under-17 squad. Anton has played more often this season with two assists in 10 under-18 Premier League appearances, while Bailey has contributed two goals and one assist in five games in the same competition.

Neither brother has featured for the first team yet but it’ll only be a matter of time before opportunities open up as they’re both highly thought of at the Riverside Stadium. Anton is narrowly preferred in the England under-17 setup with four appearances so far, while Bailey has been in the squad but is yet to appear in a competitive match.

Michael Carrick has been tempted to hand out a debut as Bailey has already appeared on the first-team bench on three occasions – against West Bromwich Albion, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers. Anton is still waiting for that experience but is bound to join his brother in achieving such a feat before eventually making their debuts in senior football. They’re still just 16 years of age after all, so there’s plenty of time to make that a reality.

That is, unless, the Palmer brothers are swept up in the transfer market. TBR Football reports Villa are among many Premier League teams keeping tabs on the Palmer twins, keen to persuade them to leave Middlesbrough and join their prestigious academy – in a way following in the footsteps of Morgan Rogers.

Even if the midfield duo decide to depart Boro, Villa would still have to convince them they’re the right fit. TBR Football’s report also claims Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion hold a serious interest in both players, so the competition is fierce ahead of the summer.

Aston Villa already have strong Middlesbrough relations

There’s already a decent rapport between Villa and Middlesbrough as the two clubs have worked to complete several deals in the last few transfer windows. The most significant was definitely Rogers moving from Boro to Villa in January 2024 for £8 million plus £7 million in add-ons, but other transfers have been finalised in recent years.

Only a few weeks ago, Samuel Iling-Junior left Villa to join Boro on a straight loan until the end of the current season. The winger, signed from Juventus in the summer as part of the Douglas Luiz swap deal, has featured three times in the Championship so far.

Meanwhile, Cameron Archer spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign at the Riverside, scoring 11 goals and making six assists in 20 Championship matches. And then, stretching back a few more years, Villa signed Albert Adomah from Boro for £3 million in 2016.