Aston Villa have now submitted an offer for an “elusive” forward, with his current club open to a sale at the right price, according to a report.
Villa keen on new forward amid Man Utd's Watkins interest
Villa may have a battle on their hands trying to keep hold of Ollie Watkins this summer, given that the England international has attracted widespread interest from elsewhere, and Manchester United are becoming increasingly keen on a deal.
Ruben Amorim’s side have whittled their striker search down to just two targets, and Watkins is one of them, with the Red Devils of the belief they could be able to get a deal over the line for a relatively low sum.
Having also lost Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, there will be a serious need to bring in a new centre-forward if Watkins moves on this summer, and Unai Emery also remains keen on bringing in a new winger.
According to a report, Aston Villa have now submitted a €20m (£17m) offer for Galatasaray forward Baris Alper Yilmaz, and they have since been slowly increasing their proposal in increments of €1m to €2m.
However, Villa may have to increase their bid significantly if they are to tempt the Turkish club into a sale, as they are thought to be holding out for a fee of €40m (£35m).
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Should an offer in that region arrive, Galatasaray could be tempted to cash-in, but the Villans are not the only Premier League club in the race for his signature, with Nottingham Forest also named as potential suitors.
"Elusive" Yilmaz could be exciting signing for Villa
If Watkins departs, Emery may have to bring in multiple forwards to make up for the Englishman’s attacking contributions, and the Galatasaray star was regularly among the goals last season, picking up 12 goals and three assists in the Turkish Super Lig.
Not only is the 25-year-old a real threat going forward, but he is clearly a very well-rounded player, having performed well from a defensive point of view over the past year, while proving himself as an aerial threat.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
1.97 (90th percentile)
Clearances
1.04 (84th percentile)
Aerials won
2.89 (98th percentile)
Virgil Van Dijk has also made it clear how difficult he has found it to defend against the Turk in the past, saying: “Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive. It was difficult for every defender. He made it very hard for us.”
As a result, Yilmaz could be an exciting acquistion for Villa, but they may need to increase their offer significantly to tempt Galatasaray into a sale.