Aston Villa are now lining up a January move for a “sensational” £50m striker, with Unai Emery looking to bring in a long-term replacement for Ollie Watkins.
Villa eyeing new striker amid Watkins’ slow start
Watkins isn’t having the season he would’ve wanted ahead of the World Cup next summer, having scored just one goal in the Premier League thus far, and Donyell Malen has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting for Villa going forward as of late.
Indeed, Malen is in a rich vein of form at the moment, having scored a brace to secure a 2-1 victory against Young Boys in the Europa League, following on from an impressive cameo against Leeds United, assisting Morgan Rogers’ equalising goal.
However, given that Malen isn’t an out-and-out striker, Emery wants to bring in a more traditional centre-forward in the January transfer window, with one of the Premier League’s breakout stars recently being identified as a target.
That is according to a report from The Mirror, which states Aston Villa are now lining up a January move for Brentford striker Igor Thiago, although it could be a costly operation, with a £50m fee being touted.
Emery is a big fan of the striker, having been keen to bring in a new forward since last summer, while Villa may also need to refresh their forward line due to concerns over Watkins’ form.
Thiago could be “sensational” Watkins heir
It is perhaps a little early to lose faith in the England international, as he is still only 29, but it is important to plan for the future, and the Brentford star has emerged as one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League this season, scoring 11 goals in 13 outings.
Most recently, the Brazilian bagged a brace to ensure his side overcame Burnley in a 3-1 victory, and he is now behind only Manchester City star Erling Haaland in the Premier League’s goalscoring charts.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews has been left impressed by the 24-year-old’s performances too, saying: “He has been pretty good, hasn’t he? He is growing in stature and confidence and he has been pretty sensational this season,”
Thiago is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park, and having proven himself in the Premier League, Aston Villa should undoubtedly launch a January move.
Aston Villa plotting £18m bid for “tremendous” defender, Martinez is a big fan
The Villans are planning a move for a new centre-back, who is also being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
Emery has never really managed to replace Jhon Duran since the striker signed for Al-Nassr back in January, and with the Villans looking to compete in both the Premier League and Europe, it would certainly be beneficial to bring in another striker this winter.
