Credit: Imago

Oliver Walton

Fri 17 April 2026 10:00, UK

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Aston Villa should be one of the clubs interested in signing Benjamin Nygren as he is touted to leave Celtic for a Premier League side this summer.

Nygren has been Celtic’s main goalscoring threat throughout this season after joining the club for just £2million from Nordsjaelland last summer.

He is a versatile midfielder who can also play on the right wing, with the Hoops still in the Premiership title race partly thanks to his fine performances and key goals.

The Swede has been linked away from Parkhead with the summer window approaching, and the Premier League seems his most likely destination if an exit is sealed.

Aston Villa’s transfer plans are set to revolve around bolstering their squad in preparation for the Champions League, and Nygren would be a shrewd addition to Unai Emery’s ranks.

Aston Villa should join Premier League race for Benjamin Nygren

Nygren is the Scottish Premiership’s leading scorer for non-penalty goals, and also has the most goal contributions in the Scottish top flight this season.

His knack for being in the right place at the right time has not gone unnoticed, with sources telling Football Insider that Premier League clubs are interested in Nygren, and he is open to a move south of the border.

Brighton and Bournemouth are two clubs believed to be interested in his services, but Villa should also join the race to sign him this summer, considering the numerous factors involved.

Villa could lose Morgan Rogers for a sizeable fee soon, and his creativity and presence would need to be replaced by an equally adaptable and talented player.

Ross Barkley’s future isn’t certain, while Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott each seem unlikely to be at the club in a few months’ time, so depth in attacking midfield and on the wings may be an issue.

Nygren has been an enigma at Celtic this season, with some fans questioning his impact when the going gets tough, but he should be able to thrive around better players at Villa Park.

He likes to crash into the box from deep, which has usually been John McGinn’s role under Emery, but the Scot’s influence has lessened in that regard this season, and so he may take on a deeper role as he enters the latter stages of his career.

Nygren is clearly set to be in demand this summer, especially if he impresses at the World Cup with Sweden, and Villa could clearly do a lot worse than snap him up ahead of the competition to bolster their ranks ahead of another potential Champions League campaign.

What has Nygren said about his career ambitions beyond Celtic?

Nygren was tentatively linked to Man United last month, but talk of such a move has faded as they look elsewhere in their quest to overhaul their midfield options.

The Swede was soon asked about a potential move away from Celtic, and he refused to rule it out while confessing his desire to play at the highest level.

He said: “It’s really just fun and a sign that you’ve done something good. I’m always humble, I’m always working hard to get better every day and I really enjoy Celtic.

“But like every other footballer, I have a dream to get as far as possible with my football and play in the biggest leagues.”

Nygren clearly wants to be testing himself at the highest level for the years to come, so a move to Villa, who could be in the UCL next season, would surely appeal to him after such a strong debut season at Celtic.