Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Aston Villa have been linked with a move to bring Victor Osimhen to the Premier League in the summer transfer window, after it was reported that he has no interest in switching to the Saudi Pro League and would rather test himself in the Premier League.
A number of top flight clubs have been alerted to the fact that the Nigerian international would prefer to try his hand in England; Manchester United, Newcastle United and Arsenal are all looking to beef up their respective strike-forces in the summer, but so too are Villa.
The Lions are having to lean on Ollie Watkins as the club's sole recognised senior centre forward for the remainder of the season having sold Jhon Duran to Saudi side Al-Nassr for a fee in excess of £60m in the January transfer window, and recruiting another striker once the season ends is high on Unai Emery's to-do list.
Osimhen, who is on loan at Galatasaray from Italian side Napoli, would appear to have no future with the Serie A club after they priced him out of a move to Al-Ahli last summer. He ended up moving to Turkey as the Super Lig transfer window ran later and other deadlines around Europe had passed.
It's considered that Osimhen's relationship with Napoli is 'totally broken' and a move this coming summer for the 26-year-old, who has 40 caps for his country and has previously played for Wolfsburg and Lille, is fully expected.
Benjamin Sesko
Slovenian hitman Sesko, like Osimhen, has also reportedly made it clear that he would like a crack at the Premier League - and the RB Leipzig forward has ruled out a move to German rivals Bayern Munich as he doesn't want to play as Harry Kane's understudy.
Sesko, 21, is considered to be one of the most potent forwards on the continent, although he didn't strike when Villa emerged victorious from their visit to the Bundesliga side during the Champions League group stages.
He does, though, have 22 goals for club and country this term, including a hat-trick against Kazakhstan in the Nations League back in September. With Arsenal desperate for a centre forward, Villa getting a deal done would be tricky and would likely require them to be able to offer Champions League football again.
Hugo Ekitike
Exciting French prospect Ekitike is also in Germany, with Eintracht Frankfurt. He made the switch from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2024, initially on a loan move, and after that was successful the German side signed him permanently last summer.
It's been a prosperous season for Ekitike, who also has 22 goals for club and country - 19 of those have come in a Frankfurt shirt, while he netted a hat-trick in a 5-3 friendly win for France under 21s against England this past international break.
Dutch great Wesley Sneijder said of Ekitike earlier this season: “I might say something really crazy, but I’ll say it anyway: I think he’s a mix between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. I really think so.
“He’s got the grace of Neymar but also the movement of Mbappe. To accelerate suddenly, that’s something Mbappe has and he’s only 22. There’s really a lot of potential in this boy.”
Roger Fernandes
Teenage winger Roger Fernandes has also been linked with a move to Villa in the summer. Roger, only 19, has played 44 times for Portuguese side Braga this season, including 14 matches throughout their Europa League campaign, and he has contributed 10 goals and assists.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig last summer described Roger as 'Braga's biggest jewel' and 'one of the most exciting U19s in Portugal'.
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