Aston Villa are of course back in the national headline today, this time they want two players to replace Man City bound Jack Grealish.
The West Midlands outfit are said to be looking to bring in two more attack-minded players in the ongoing window to fill the void, according to The Athletic.
Manchester City have been long-term admirers of Grealish and have been in talks with Aston Villa over a move for him.
The Birmingham-born attacking midfielder joined his soon to be former club at the age of six and has captained them since March 2019 and signed an improved five-year contract last September.
But now after successful negotiations, the 25-year-old looks to be on course to joining the Premier League champions in a record breaking £100m deal, with him already due to have a medical in Manchester on Wednesday the 4th of August.
Villa hoped that he would stay and be part of an ambitious project of getting into Europe, but they also respected his desire to play Champions League football and wouldn’t block his path if a suitable proposal was put on the table.
Grealish will be a huge loss to the club considering he was a key part under Dean Smith, pulling the strings in attack and Villa had wanted to tie him down to a new deal.
However, it would seem on this occasion that Grealish has now chose not to take up his boyhood side’s offer and is now set to play under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium for the 2021/22 season.
Aston Villa have already confirmed the signing of exciting winger Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen, but are now have to plan in bringing two more attack-minded players this summer having lost their main talisman.
In addition to immediate player recruitment, funds raised from Grealish’s sale will be re-invested into the squad.
Who are Aston Villa said to be looking at?
Well they have already tried and seemingly failed in bringing in Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse with reports saying a £25million bid was rejected last week. The Saints are determined to hold onto Ward-Prowse, who last year signed a new five-year deal to commit his future at the club until 2025.
Dwight McNeil
Everton expect to face a real battle with Aston Villa for the signing of Burnley winger Dwight McNeil once Jack Grealish departs.
McNeil, 21, has been dubbed one of the most underrated wingers in the Premier League and recorded two goals and five assists for the Clarets last season. There are suggestions of a £25million asking price.
The Burnley boss knows one day McNeil will likely leave the club for one higher up the top flight food chain but there is no inclination from Turf Moor to cash in on him this summer.
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Mikkel Damsgaard
Damsgaard, 21, signed for Sampdoria from Danish club Nordsjaelland last summer and went on to enjoy a solid campaign, with 18 starts among 35 Serie A appearances as they finished ninth.
However it was at this summer’s Euros that he really grabbed everyone’s attention. The talented wide man found the net in Denmark’s 4-1 group victory over Russia and bagged the opener with a superb free-kick as the Danes lost out 2-1 to England in the semi-finals.
A bunch of Premier League clubs including Tottenham and Leeds also want him, so there will be a strong battle for that should it come to it.
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Todd Cantwell
Reports claim Aston Villa will need to fork out £40m if they want to sign midfielder Todd Cantwell from Norwich City this summer.
Both The Sun and Express are reporting that Cantwell will not leave the East Anglian outfit for less than £40m and Norwich boss Daniel Farke of course doesn’t want to lose the 23-year-old.
He is an vital part of the side having made 33 Championship appearances in 2020/21 and scored six goals to help the side gain promotion by winning the second-tier title.
And the assist of pre-season goes to… 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uM9A5L0hD8
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) August 3, 2021
Ismaila Sarr
According to Homme du Match, Villa are ready to pounce for Watford’s Sarr, 23, who scored five goals in his debut Premier League season and then 13 last term to help his side back up from the Championship.
He has already been linked with Liverpool, but Villa may be able to offer him more regular game-time, and French report claims they are ready to make an offer of €33m (£28m) imminently. It will give Watford something to look at, even though they have the Senegal international under contract until 2024.
The player is said to have a bright future ahead of him and this could be an exciting year for his development. However as it stand, he will begin it at Vicarage Road, it’s not to say there isn’t a chance he could still head to Villa Park instead.
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As Aston Villa want two players to replace Man City bound Jack Grealish, fans have got talking…
@JackReeveTNC: For any Aston Villa followers of mine, Todd Cantwell was absolutely horrendous last night. Misplaced passes, no movement, no tracking back. Avoid at all costs.
@3PMSaturday: Announce Cantwell @AVFCOfficial
@KAC443: Buendia, Cantwell, Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins will be fun to watch at Aston Villa
@Mattqu: Think we could be more ambitious.
@GW_94: Would take this all day
@clvrrrr: Villa are moving mad. Norwich should ask for 40m
@Reemzestilo: Cantwell-Buendia-Bailey is a better attacking trio than Grealish-Barkley-Traore
@pgr_analytics: Sad day for football if he does leave, leaving the boyhood club that’s on the brink of seriously challenging. For once Villa aren’t left just picking up the pieces however. Buendia & Bailey plus the possible signings of Cantwell/JWP would still see us as an exciting team #AVFC
@AVFCTranstweet: Todd Cantwell, Tuanzebe, Abraham and a move for JWP would be perfect. #AVFC
@sam_my_6: Fucking hurry up and sign him then cantwell > grealish
@HodgsonHoward: OK so Jack is going. I accepted it a while ago and I understand it. He’s a fan but he is also a pro. It’s a career. His career. I wish him well and thank him for some unbelievable memories in a #avfc shirt. Now we move on. Buendia, Bailey, Cantwell, Axel, Tammy can make us 💪🏻
@MollyBruton7: I was annoyed enough after we sold Buendia to Villa, if we were to let Cantwell go as well I would be gutted. Seems so weird to me. #ncfc
@GrealishAvfc: Asm or damsgaard pls
Aston Villa coming to Norwich for Cantwell after signing Buendia… pic.twitter.com/TquYQvfaLt
— CLUB (@clubgame_app) August 4, 2021
Waiting for him to do this when we shithouse a win at the emptyhad pic.twitter.com/UaRBHkP27f
— Josh (@josh_priv3) August 4, 2021
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