Exclusive: Club offer £7m for Aston Villa player they want to sign by Tuesday

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27 Sep 2019, 11:30 am

Al-Gharafa have told Aston Villa they are willing to pay £7million to sign Jonathan Kodjia by next Tuesday, Football Insider can reveal.

The Qatari club have turned their attention to the striker, 29, after failing to land Everton front man Cenk Tosun.

A Villa source has told Football Insider that Al-Gharafa have suggested they would offer £7million for Kodjia, who was signed from Bristol City for £15million in the summer of 2016.

This comes after Football Insider revealed that the Middle East outfit, who are managed by ex-Fulham and Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic, are working on a late-window Kodjia deal.

It would represent a significant loss for Villa, although the forward is out of contract at the end of the season.

He has played just 16 minutes this season but is currently out injured with a fractured cheekbone sustained in a training-ground collision with team-mate Marvelous Nakamba.

Kodjia is one of two alternative centre-forward options to Wesley Moraes, who has been the first choice since his summer arrival from Club Brugges.

Kodjia also played second fiddle to Tammy Abraham last season but his versatility is such that he can also operate wide of the main forward.

That was a position he frequently played in during Villa's promotion-winning campaign when he scored nine goals and provided four assists from 43 matches in all competitions.

Kodjia has a fine record for Villa, with his 98 appearances yielding 29 goals, and Dean Smith would not want to lose him without a replacement coming in.

In other Aston Villa news, it can be REVEALED that the club have set their sights on a £20million-plus January signing.

Aston Villa