Sunderland marksman Wilson Isidor is quickly becoming a transfer priority for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery. The Midlands side are on a brilliant run of form, having won four straight matches in the Premier League, most recently beating Manchester City 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. This run has also seen them make it six games unbeaten to rectify their sluggish start to the top flight campaign.
Sitting in eighth position in the table, only four teams have conceded fewer goals than the Villans. However, their strike rate leaves a little to be desired, with just nine goals to their name. That tally is lower than any side in the top half of the table, with only the current bottom three teams scoring less so far this season.
As a result, adding goals to Emery's team is going to be a huge priority, with the signing of a proven goalscorer tipped to be a primary objective in the January transfer window.
Aston Villa Step Up Wilson Isidor Pursuit
Wilson Isidor
Wilson Isidor
Aston Villa are clearly intensifying their interest in Isidor, with Football Insider reporting that scouts were in attendance to watch the striker in action during Sunderland's 2-1 victory over Chelsea last weekend.
This is due to the Villans looking to sign a long-term successor to Ollie Watkins. The 29-year-old has scored just once this season, with Emery desperate to add more firepower to his misfiring squad.
In Isidor - a player described as 'unbelievable' by Granit Xhaka - Sunderland have a player who is a natural fit for the Premier League. The 25-year-old scored 12 goals in 43 games to help the Black Cats to promotion from the Championship after beating Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley.
A solid, but modest goalscoring outlay in the second tier, Isidor has proven himself in the top flight already by bagging four goals in just nine matches in the Premier League, indicating that his skill set is perhaps better suited to life in the fast lane.
Renowned for his pace, movement and sharp finishing, Isidor is cut from the same cloth as Watkins as an out-and-out number nine who plays on the shoulder of the last defender - something that would make him an ideal fit for Emery and Aston Villa.
However, with Sunderland performing so well this term and desperate to ensure that they consolidate their place in the Premier League, it feels unlikely that the Black Cats would cash in on the star for anything less than a meteoric offer.
Isidor also has more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, which allows him to pocket £25,000-per-week before bonuses. But it feels like a no-brainer for Emery to up the ante and make a move when the transfer window reopens in January as, in the early stages of the season, his form has shown that he would be an upgrade on Watkins.