An offer could soon be sent for a £25m Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Everton transfer target.
Aston Villa are reportedly set to make a transfer offer for Strasbourg captain Habib Diarra when the summer window opens.
The Villans are eager to sign a new, versatile midfielder ahead of next season and Diarra, who has been one of Strasbourg’s best players throughout a superb campaign, has emerged as a major target. The 21-year-old, a Strasbourg youth academy product, scored four goals and made five assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances throughout the season just gone.
The Sun reports Villa have been keeping close tabs on Diarra and have decided they want to step up their interest with a formal bid. It’s claimed the Villans have checked in on the midfielder’s availability and are ready to table an offer of £25 million, £10 million more than Eintracht Frankfurt’s bid that was recently rejected.
Everton and Nottingham Forest are said to have been on scouting missions to watch Diarra recently but Villa are leading the race as their interest is stronger and more deep-rooted. Chelsea could have a say in the saga, however, as Strasbourg have the same owners as the Londoners, with BlueCo in charge.
Diarra, who turned 21 in January, is predominantly a central midfielder but can play a little bit further back as a six or a four. The Senegalese is also capable of playing as a number 10 if required, while a box-to-box number eight role couldn’t be ruled out as he possesses great energy and stamina.
Strasbourg’s captain since last August, Diarra has four senior Senegal appearances to his name after a change in international allegiance. The midfielder previously turned out for France at under-21, under-19, under-18 and under-16 level before committing himself to Senegal, the nation he was born in.
With Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans forming such a formidable partnership in the midfield double pivot at Villa Park and Amadou Onana stepping up as a terrific backup, Diarra would likely struggle for immediate game time. Unless, of course, Unai Emery were to opt to field Diarra as an attacking midfielder with Morgan Rogers out wide on the right. Tielemans could even play as the number 10 to fit in Diarra a little deeper.
If Habib Diarra joins, Aston Villa will sell a big-name midfielder this summer?
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the links to Diarra could indicate Tielemans or Kamara are in line to leave this summer. Villa are currently walking a tightrope with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and reportedly must make one significant sale, or let several fringe players for a decent cumulative fee.
Tielemans, likely to be named Villa’s player of the season following an extraordinarily consistent campaign, has been linked with a potential move to Saudi Arabia. Kamara, meanwhile, only has two years left on his current contract. Villa are in negotiations with the 25-year-old over a new deal but an agreement is yet to be reached. If talks fall through, Villa may have to cash in while they can.
Continue Reading