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A rumoured transfer target for Aston Villa tried some dark arts out on a former Birmingham man this weekend.
A player who has been heavily linked with a move to Aston Villa may have managed to endear himself to some fans before he’s even agreed to move to the club – after he tried his level best to get Birmingham City fan favourite Jude Bellingham sent off.
Juan Foyth, a former Tottenham Hotspur centre-half who was widely reported to have been the subject of interest from Villa, threw himself to the ground in theatrical fashion after being pushed gently on the back of the head during a match between Villarreal and Real Madrid.
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The ploy was ultimately unsuccessful, but Foyth also underlined his playing qualities during the game just a few days after discussing the chances that he might move to Villa Park in the Spanish media.
Foyth scores as Villa rumours continue to swirl
The 27-year-old Foyth opened the scoring against Real Madrid with a close-range finish from a set piece before he tried to trick the referee into thinking Birmingham academy product Bellingham had done more than pat him on the head, and was impressive throughout even though Villarreal eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat.
Foyth’s future has been the subject of considerable speculation in Spain with numerous reports suggesting that Unai Emery had wanted to sign a player he managed at Villarreal during the January transfer window. That deal never came to pass, with Villa paying £5m to loan Axel Disasi from Chelsea instead, but suggestions that the Argentina international could yet head to Villa Park continues to mount.
Asked about his future by the Spanish press, Foyth apparently claimed to be “flattered” by the reports linking him to Aston Villa but also insisted that he intends to remain at Villarreal – but did add that a final decision would be “down to the club”, according to an English-language report on his comments by Sport Witness, which also suggests that the Spanish media believe Emery hasn’t given up on bringing Foyth to the club.
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Foyth could be Aston Villa’s answer in the summer
Aston Villa are expected to be in the market for a central defender this summer after searching for one this winter – Disasi’s loan from Chelsea does not include an option to buy. Recent injuries to defenders such as Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres, who missed two months thanks to a broken metatarsal he suffered in January, had exposed a lack of depth at the back, and it’s an area that Emery is expected to address permanently after signing Disasi for the rest of the 2024/25 season.
Foyth, who signed for Villarreal from Spurs for a reported €15m (£12.6m) in 2021 following an initial loan spell, having made just 16 league appearances for the London outfit in three seasons. He has since carved out a reputation as one of Argentina’s most reliable defenders, but with his contract expiring in 2026 he may be available for a very reasonable fee this summer.
In other news, Villa have also been linked with a summer bid for Cardiff City wonderkid Troy Perrett.