Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth could battle it out for AS Monaco goalkeeper Yanis Benchaouch in the summer.
That’s according to Africa Foot, who cover the latest on Aston Villa and Bournemouth plans for the 19-year-old.
The outlet first covers Bournemouth’s failed attempt to bring him to the Vitality Stadium in the winter market and then reports on Aston Villa.
Bournemouth’s January failure
Andoni Iraola has Djordje Petrovic, Christos Mandas and 37-year-old Fraser Forster at his disposal. Petrovic is on loan from Chelsea and is likely to return to Stamford Bridge after this season.
Forster was without a club for several months and joined the Cherries on a free transfer in January. Later that month, the Premier League side signed Mandas from Lazio on loan, reportedly with a conditional obligation to buy.
Bournemouth had also tried to sign Benchaouch in the last window. In fact, Africa Foot state Iraola’s side were in advanced talks with his agent, and the deal was ‘very close’.
However, the transfer didn’t go through because the stopper didn’t receive assurances from Bournemouth over playing time.
Aston Villa join Iraola’s side in battle
Despite the January disappointment, Bournemouth aren’t giving up and are ‘determined to make’ another approach in the summer. However, the Cherries aren’t alone as Aston Villa are in the race to sign him.
In October, Sport Witness covered claims of the Villans’ interest in the French-born Morocco U21 international. Africa Foot now add Unai Emery’s side have ‘expressed concrete interest’ in the goalkeeper.
Aston Villa seem to have been keeping tabs on him since Benchaouch’s performances at the 2025 U20 World Cup. Morocco lost the final to Argentina, and the stopper missed this clash due to an injury.
Benchaouch also represented Monaco U21 at the Premier League International Cup and featured against Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s.
He is yet to make his first team debut for the Ligue 1 side but has still managed to attract Aston Villa and Bournemouth’s interest. These two clubs are likely to battle it out for his signature in the next window.