Sources: Aston Villa open preliminary talks to sign striker from Spain
Aston Villa have opened preliminary talks to sign a striker based in Spain, sources have told Football Insider.
The Midlands giants are working on a deal to recruit an A-list front man in the final weeks of the summer window.
Negotiations are underway on prising the forward from a La Liga club as Villa look to seal their latest big-money capture.
It comes after Football Insider revealed on Wednesday (10 August) that Villa are willing to let Ollie Watkins go before the 31 August cut-off.
It is believed manager Steven Gerrard has a tense relationship with Watkins and one well-placed source told us the pair “do not see eye to eye”.
Gerrard instead wants a new striker to lead the attack this season as he looks to continue his overhaul of a squad that disappointed last season.
Villa had initially set aside funds this summer to recruit an A-list striker who would be an upgrade on 2020 and 2021 captures Watkins and Danny Ings.
But the club have so far prioritised other areas of the team, with centre-back Diego Carlos, playmaker Philippe Coutinho, defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara, left-back Ludwig Augustinsson and back-up keeper Robin Olsen all arriving in the current window.
Intriguingly, Watkins was left out of the Villa XI for the opening-day defeat to Bournemouth after starting nearly all of the team’s Premier League matches last season.
Gerrard opted for a 4-3-3 formation, with Coutinho and Leon Bailey flanking Ings in the front three. Watkins did come on as a sub with 24 minutes remaining.
In other news, Whelan issues ‘shock’ claim as Tyrone Mings ‘thrown under the bus’ at Aston Villa.