Aston Villa are preparing to make an offer to sign Leeds United star Pascal Struijk this summer to strengthen their defence, according to Sports Boom.
The Villans are pushing to return to the Champions League next season and currently sit fourth in the Premier League, six points clear of a struggling Chelsea side with just seven games remaining in the campaign.
That has seen the club begin to start formulating plans for the new season, and central defence has emerged as a position that Unai Emery is keen to bolster with a busy European schedule to come once again.
Aston Villa Plot Struijk Bid
Pascal Struijk
Struijk, who has been described as one of Daniel Farke's most important players, has enjoyed a fantastic campaign so far for Leeds, starting 27 times in the top-flight to help the Whites move away from a relegation scrap.
But the Dutch defender's performances, which have seen him described as 'majestic', have seen him capture the attention of a number of clubs who are more established in the Premier League, and Aston Villa are understood to be ready to make a serious push to bring him to the Midlands.
The 26-year-old is under contract at Elland Road until 2027, and Unai Emery is understood to be a big fan of his ball-playing abilities from the back, while the fact he is left-footed is also seen as a positive with Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings' futures unclear.
Leeds are understood to be open to a sale for what they deem to be an 'astronomical' price, although they don't want to lose him, and value him at around £30m. Villa, however, are understood to be readying an offer worth around £20m, as they look to ensure they have the squad to cope with a busy schedule next season.
Struijk Ready to Step Up
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery looks on
Villa have made a habit of bringing players in at the perfect time of their career trajectory to improve them and step up a level in recent years, and a deal for Struijk would represent a similar type of move.
Defensively he is very assured. He is quick, great in the air and physically capable of battling against the better strikers around, while his on-the-ball attributes make him stand out in the bottom tier of the division. A move up the league, and playing at a higher level, would likely see him improve greatly too, which could make the transfer fee a bargain.
GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT to compare Struijk to Torres and Mings, and this was its response:
Pau Torres
Elite ball-playing CB; progressive passing suits Emery system
Composed, intelligent positioning
Weakness: aerial duels, physical battles
Tyrone Mings
Strong leader, organiser; aggressive defender
Better in duels/tackling %
Weakness: passing/ball progression, occasional errors
Pascal Struijk
Versatile, aerially strong, physically imposing
Solid all-rounder, can play multiple roles
Weakness: less elite on ball than Torres, lower ceiling than both
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Aston Villa are eyeing a deal to sign one of Europe's fastest defenders this summer, and he is keen on Champions League football.