Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have reportedly made Athletic Bilbao attacking sensation Oihan Sancet their top target for 2025.
Aston Villa have only gone from strength to strength since the arrival of Unai Emery at the club. The West Midlands outfit are now looking to cement themselves as one of the best teams in England and to ensure they can compete at the highest level, they are constantly on the lookout for players who can further bolster their ranks.
Oihan Sancet’s consistent performances for Athletic Club have put him on the radar of the Premier League club and according to a report from Football Insider, Aston Villa are all set to use their Spanish links to sign him in the upcoming transfer window. The Spanish attacking midfielder is their priority target for 2025.
Sancet has come up the ranks at Athletic Bilbao. He got promoted to their first team back in 2020 and has not looked back since. The 24-year-old has been a consistent performer for them. In the ongoing season, he has six goals in his 13 outings.
While he is a key figure in the Spanish club, his performances have put him on the radar of multiple top clubs from across Europe and Atheltic Club will find it difficult to keep hold of him for long. Aston Villa are one of the clubs that are interested in his services.
Aston Villa want to add Sancet to their squad
Aston Villa are looking to further strengthen their squad in the winter. They want to add more quality to their midfield, and Emery is believed to be a big admirer of Sancet who can feature as a number ten as well as a in deeper role when needed.
The Villans want to ensure they can secure a top-four finish and while they are still in the UEFA Champions League, they are looking to use it to lure the best players. Their manager Emery has great knowledge of those playing in Spain, and their sporting director Monchi is also well connected in that part of the world.
Both of them will be looking to make the most of their Spanish links to bring Sancet to England in January. But, it won’t be as straightforward as his contract with Athletic Club runs until the summer of 2032 and he is protected by a massive release clause worth £66 million.
Aston Villa will find it difficult to strike a deal for him in January unless they are ready to trigger the £66 million clause. The West Midlands outfit might have to wait until the summer to secure their priority target.