Aston Villa reporter John Townley has name-checked Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as a player who Villa could sign for free this summer.
Have Villa been linked with Dembele and what’s Townley said?
Unai Emery is leading the club in a late push for European football on the pitch in the Premier League, while preparations for his first full season in charge appear to be underway in the background.
Reports have suggested that NSWE will back the Spaniard with a ‘huge’ summer budget which could see the club’s transfer record being smashed.
However, despite the finances available, Villa could also look at the free agent market. Dembele was linked with a move to the Midlands back in January and an approach was even made over a potential deal.
Emery is thought to be a ‘big fan’ of the 26-year-old, who has been described by journalist Bertrand Latour as a ‘scoring machine’, and with Dembele out of contract in the summer, speculation over a move to Villa Park has returned.
Townley shared a story for Birmingham Live in the last 48 hours, looking at ten free agents Villa could target this summer. One of those is Dembele, with the reporter saying that Villa did express an interest in the New Year and that the Frenchman is on the hunt for a new challenge.
Ideal competition for Watkins?
Emery has reportedly pulled the plug on signing a new marquee first-choice striker due to the impressive form of Ollie Watkins in 2023. However, another forward could still be of use in the Midlands, with Jhon Duran currently the only competition to Watkins at this moment in time.
Cameron Archer could well be knocking on the door next season after his successful loan spell with Middlesbrough which has seen him contribute to 15 Championship goals in 17 appearances, but signing someone like Dembele for free may prove to be a wise move.
The Lyon man netted a career-best 21 times in Ligue 1 last season and has scored 140 career goals for his current employers, Celtic and Fulham.
You’d like to think he still has plenty left to give at the highest level at the age of 26, so a move to the Premier League could well be of interest to Dembele after making just two appearances in the top flight before moving to Celtic, and who knows, Villa may be able to offer European football as well.