After qualifying for the Champions League last season, Aston Villa are in the market to bolster their side ready for the competition. With the transfer window now in full swing, the Villans have expressed an interest in a star who has already shone on the continent.
Emery eager for Champions League ready stars
The latest news out of Villa Park centres around the revelation that Jack Grealish could be returning to Villa this summer. Recent reports point towards Manchester City being willing to let the former Villa captain leave during this window as they look to recoup a fraction of the £100 million they spent on Grealish three years ago.
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He’s been one of the key cogs behind the recent success.
Reinforcements in defence are also high on Unai Emery’s wishlist as the club are reportedly linked with a move for Strahinja Pavlovic. The Serbian defender featured heavily for his nation at Euro 2024 and he could now be on his way to the West Midlands.
The higher ups at NSWE have clearly been paying close attention to this summer’s championships as Villa have now expressed an interest in another player who has impressed in Germany.
Villans interested in move for Turkish talent this summer
As reported by Sport Witness, the Turkish press are claiming that Aston Villa are showing an interest in Galatasaray attacker Baris Alper Yilmaz. The 24-year-old has been linked with a host of clubs across Europe in recent weeks with Emery’s men becoming the latest to express their interest in agreeing a deal.
The report claims that fellow Premier League side Manchester United are especially interested in signing the player, however the promise of Champions League football at Villa Park could be what tips the scales in the Villans’ favour.
Yilmaz is coming back off the back of an excellent showing at Euro 2024. The winger/striker played every minute of Turkey’s campaign as his nation went all the way to the quarter-finals, ultimately losing 2-1 late on against the Netherlands. Whilst the 24-year-old did not register a goal at the tournament, there is no doubt that he was a key part of his side’s success with his work rate up front.
Following Turkey’s exit from the competition, it appears that Galatasaray’s asking price for the winger has increased significantly. Sport Witness now claim that Yilmaz’s current club will not accept any offers in the region of £21 million and only bids of £25 million will be enough to force negotiations.
His domestic season in 2023/24 saw Yilmaz contribute 7 goals and 12 assists as Galatasaray won the Turkish Superlig title. The 24-year-old has long been tipped for a bright future with former Turkey international Selcuk Inan singing the praises of Yilmaz: “I think Baris Alper Yılmaz can play very comfortably for many teams in the Premier League at the moment. He’s a very special player.”
With Inan predicting a Premier League career in Yilmaz’s future, the winger could fulfill this prophecy by making the move to Villa Park this summer.
