Unai Emery should start Harvey Elliott against Fulham – it can help Aston Villa correct their attacking woes.placeholder image
Unai Emery should start Harvey Elliott against Fulham – it can help Aston Villa correct their attacking woes. | Getty Images
Aston Villa are among several Premier League clubs interested in signing this impressive midfielder
Ismael Saibari has emerged on the Villans’ radar as he continues to impress with his goalscoring contributions for PSV Eindhoven.
There is stiff competition to snag his signature though, with six Premier League clubs named as contenders from England alone. According to TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey, Villa are in the race for Saibari, along with rivals Brighton and Hove Albion, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United and West Ham.
Who is Aston Villa transfer target Ismael Saibari?
Saibari has emerged as a hot transfer target for multiple clubs ahead of the January window. The 24-year-old impressed last season with his end tally of 15 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.
He is already track on to better that amount, with ten goals on his chart so far this season, including eight in 11 Eredivisie appearances. Saibari recently scored a hat-trick against Feyenoord, earning PSV’s 3-2 win, followed by a brace against Fortuna Sittard last time out.
His high-scoring displays have made him a very attractive target for Premier League clubs, especially as England’s top flight continues to churn out surprise results in this unpredictable season.
It took Saibari five games into the league season to find his groove but with nine goalscoring contributions in his last six appearances, he is well and truly off the mark and enjoying his football.
Aston Villa keen on goalscoring midfielder Ismael Saibari
“Saibari is attracting a lot of attention and his treble last week was special,” transfer correspondent Bailey said. “He is one to keep an eye on for January, getting goals in January is something Premier League clubs especially are looking for and he could offer that.”
Saibari has spent his entire senior career in the Netherlands so far. He is under contract with PSV until 2029, so there is no rush for the club to consider selling right now, especially not halfway through the season either.
A transfer fee has not been mentioned but Transfermarkt currently value Saibari at €27 million (£24m). However, we can expect a higher figure should PSV name their price for the midfielder, given he has started every match for the Dutch side so far this season and continues to provide valuable and game-changing attacking contributions.
Saibari has been capped at senior level for the Moroccan international team 17 times and has scored five goals. He won the U23 Africa Cup of Nations in 2023, which was hosted on his home soil and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
PSV manager Peter Bosz said following Saibari’s hat-trick performance against Feyenoord: “Ismael is a special person and a special player. It's wonderful to work with him," Bosz said in his post-match press conference.
“He has always been in scoring positions, that's a great quality of his. Now he combines that with a high output.”
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