Barca to rival Arsenal for free-agent, Aston Villa goal ex-Chelsea star

Aston Villa are eyeing one other £100m-plus flop and his Actual Madrid team-mate, whereas Barcelona fancy a few Prem-based midfielders as free-agency looms…

VILLA EYE REAL, BARCA STARS
Unai Emery is off to a belting begin at Aston Villa, beating Manchester United final week earlier than coming from behind on Sunday to win at Brighton. Not surprisingly, consideration is already turning to his first signings as Villa boss.

Inevitably, Emery is being linked with quite a few Spanish-based gamers. There have been whispers final week that the former Villarreal boss was looking to raid his former club for central defender Pau Torres, whereas stories this morning recommend he’s casting his eye in direction of Barcelona and Actual Madrid.

El Nacional reckons Emery fancies two Actual stars who discover themselves out of the image on the Bernabeu. The primary is Eden Hazard. Apparently, the Villa boss believes he will help the Belgium star get well the ‘finest model’ of himself, which hasn’t been seen since he left Chelsea in 2019 for over £100million. Actual are keen to do enterprise for a knockdown price of £17million, or they might comply with a mortgage.

Nacho Fernandez can be even cheaper, with the 34-year-old’s contract as a result of finish subsequent summer time. Emery desires to signal the central defender to assist cowl for the absence of one other centre-back signed from Spain, Diego Carlos, who has been crocked because the first weeks of the season.

Villa are additionally among the many golf equipment monitoring Franck Kessie’s scenario. The Barcelona midfielder only moved to the Nou Camp as a free agent during the summer however already there may be speak of him being flipped by the Catalans to boost a couple of euros.

Sport says Villa are keen to pay simply over £12million for the Ivorian however Fulham have put aside £19million for the ex-AC Milan star.

BARCA RIVAL ARSENAL FOR TIELEMANS
Barca are eager to strengthen their midfield by signing Bernardo Silva from Manchester Metropolis. However they recognise such a deal can be tough to do in January. So they’ll settle for one of his City team-mates.

Metropolis have quite much less of a say over Ilkay Gundogan’s future because the Germany midfielder is approaching the tip of his contract subsequent yr. Gundogan is assumed to fancy a brand new problem and the prospect of becoming a member of Barcelona appeals to the 32-year-old.

However Mundo Deportivo says Barca are additionally contemplating a transfer for Youri Tielemans, who can also be heading in direction of free company. Tielemans has been in nice type of late, taking part in a serious position in Leicester’s revival. Ought to he have a good World Cup with Belgium, Barca gained’t be the one membership banging on the Foxes’ door within the new yr.

Learn extra: World Cup squads: Almost every final 26-man squad for Qatar here now