Maxim De Cuyper
Maxim De Cuyper (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in Club Brugge defender Maxim De Cuyper - the man who scored against them in their recent last 16 meeting in the Champions League.
De Cuyper, 24, is a Brugge academy product who recently played his 100th game for the club, having only really broken into the first-team environment in the summer of 2023. Since, the left-back has been a regular in all competitions and is even away playing for Belgium in this international break.
De Cuyper played all three games against Villa this term, keeping a clean sheet in the Champions League group stage before scoring the equaliser for the hosts against Villa, who had opened the scoring through Leon Bailey, in the first leg of the last 16 tie in Belgium earlier this month.
Indeed De Cuyper has made 44 appearances for club and country this term, routinely completing 90 minutes more often than not, and has scored four times - he also bagged for the Red Devils in a 2-2 Nations League draw with Italy in October. He played in their defeat to Ukraine, alongside Youri Tielemans, on Thursday.
Reports in Belgium claim that Brugge are anticipating interest from the Premier League in De Cuyper this coming summer transfer window, specifically from Villa and Graham Potter's West Ham United.
Only this week the Lions were also linked with a move for Villarreal left-back Sergi Cardona, who only joined the La Liga outfit from Las Palmas last summer but who has made a big impression in the Spain's top tier since his arrival. Liverpool too have been linked.
The left-back department at Villa is set to come under Unai Emery's microscope in the summer; Lucas Digne will have only a year remaining on his contract beyond the current campaign, while the Lions will also have Alex Moreno returning from his loan spell with Nottingham Forest once the season ends.
As for De Cuyper, who is also wanted by Bournemouth who themselves are expecting interest in left-back Milos Kerkez in the forthcoming transfer window, he has previously committed his future to Brugge until the summer of 2028.
What is Villa's transfer priority in the summer? Tell us HERE