Adrien Truffert playing against Wolves in pre-season 2023
Adrien Truffert playing against Wolves in pre-season 2023
Aston Villa, it's been suggested, could rival Premier League counterparts Bournemouth for the services of Rennes captain Adrien Truffert, who is close to moving to the Vitality Stadium for a fee in the region of £20m.
It's been reported that Villa are considering a late move for Truffert, who is a left-back and who missed only one Ligue 1 game last season for Rennes, through suspension. The 23-year-old is highly rated and won an Olympic silver medal with France at the 2024 Games, playing regularly throughout the tournament.
Truffert has a single senior cap for France, which came in a Nations League game in 2022, and he has captained Rennes since the turn of the year. It's the profile of a player who has been accumulating interest from clubs in England, and the Cherries have earmarked him as a replacement for Milos Kerkez.
Left-back Kerkez is expected to make the move to champions Liverpool this summer, as they look to integrate a long-term successor for Andy Robertson into their squad, and Bournemouth - who have already lost Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid - have cash and are keen to reinvest in their squad.
Alan Nixon, on his Patreon, claims that Villa could move late themselves for Truffert, however; they have two left-backs on their books in the form of first-choice Lucas Digne, himself a French international, and Ian Maatsen, who finished his first campaign at the club strongly. Digne, though, has an uncertain future with a year left on his career.
"I'm happy at Aston Villa, but I only have one year left on my contract, so I don't know what will happen in my next chapter," he told Foot Mercato earlier this summer. "I'm not thinking about it, because I only have one goal: I just want to finish the season well, enjoy my football, always work hard and give the best of myself so that my team continues to be successful.
"Personally, I really enjoyed this season... and yes, I appreciate my statistics in defense and attack, because these two aspects are important for a left-back. I feel like I'm at my best as a footballer and with experience, you become a smarter player."
Villa also have Alex Moreno, also with a year left on his deal, returning from his loan spell with Nottingham Forest.
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