Aston Villa are the latest club to be credited with an interest in young Stoke City midfielder Sol Sidibe.
The link was reported by the Telegraph’s John Percy, who also revealed that other clubs have also inquired about the Potters starlet.
Despite having only turned 18 years old in February, the Paris-born England youth international has made multiple appearances for Stoke’s senior side over the past two seasons.
Villa’s interest this summer follows similar intrigue from clubs further up the pyramid this time 12 months ago.
Aston Villa the latest club to eye Stoke City teenager Sol Sidibe
Sol Sidibe for Stoke City
Percy revealed that the Premier League club view Sidibe as a major talent, and for that reason, he features prominently on their radar.
The midfielder appeared eight times in the Championship for Stoke this season, along with four Carabao Cup outings and an FA Cup meeting with Sunderland in January.
Sidibe's senior career so far, as per Transfermarkt
Competition
Championship
Carabao Cup
FA Cup
He has also racked up 11 caps for England Under-18s since last May, captaining the side in November when they faced Poland.
But it’s likely his emergence in Stoke’s first team at such a young age which has caught the eye of clubs like Villa, leading to natural speculation about what level he might reach later in his career.
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This is not the first time Sol Sidibe has attracted interest
General view of Bet365 Stadium
Sidibe, who joined the club as an under-eight, was handed his first senior start back in 2023 as a 16-year-old in a Carabao Cup game against West Bromwich Albion, which the Potters won 2-1.
Being fast-tracked to the first team in that way often does not go unnoticed around other clubs, and Sidibe’s case was no different.
By the end of the 2023/24 season, with a few more senior appearances under his belt, clubs as prestigious as Chelsea, AC Milan and Rangers were all reportedly tracking his progress.
It is therefore little surprise to see Villa weighing up whether to throw their hat in the ring, but Stoke have already moved quickly to secure their position.
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Smart Stoke contract work secured Sidibe’s future
Stoke City's bet365 Stadium
Immediately realising what a talent they had on their hands, Stoke moved to ensure they were not going to have Sidibe stolen on the cheap from a club higher up the food chain.
In July 2024, the midfielder still 17 at this point, Stoke tied him down to a three-year contract, protecting his value and giving the Potters a good deal of control while clubs like Villa come knocking.
Sidibe has strong connections with Stoke. Not only has he been in their academy throughout his childhood, but his father, Mamady, spent the majority of his career with the Potters, making 186 appearances over an eight-year association with the club.
Stoke could not be any better set up to maximise the benefit of having developed a talent like Sidibe in their academy.
The young starlet may well soon advance to a level of football Stoke can no longer offer, but should that moment come, they’re very well-placed to ensure they can get the most from the situation.