Aston Villa are on the prowl for a new forward this summer, with contact now made with one player.
Unai Emery is on the hunt for a figure to replenish the front line following the unexpected departure of Moussa Diaby.
The Frenchman left Aston Villa after only a year at the club, with his 19 goal contributions last season now needing to be replaced ahead of next term.
Some names have been uttered as possible candidates to usurp the 25-year-old, with an interesting development now emerging.
Aston Villa make contact with Liverpool and Chelsea target Maximilian Beier
Villa are interested in Joao Felix, whom Emery is speculated to see as a priority signing this summer although, he’s not the only player of his profile to be eyed.
This week, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reported that Villa have made contact with Hoffenheim over the possible signing of Maximilian Beier.
Plettenberg claimed that both Villa and Premier League rivals Chelsea have ‘submitted concrete offers’ to Beier, who has a release clause of just €30m (£25m) in place at Hoffenheim.
The Premier League duo aren’t the only clubs eyeing a swoop for the highly-rated 21-year-old, who will make a decision on his future in the next ‘14 days’.
Sport BILD have also recently reported Villa’s interest, throwing Liverpool into the fold of those who admire Beier.
Beier would be a smarter signing than Joao Felix
Based on the position that Beier plays, it would be fair to assume that Villa would sign either the German or Felix this summer.
Despite the glitz and glamour that comes with the prospect of signing a player of Felix’s calibre, Villa could find out that Beier would be the more worthwhile capture at this stage.
Last season, the Hoffenheim starlet made his breakthrough in the Bundesliga, entering the scoring charts loudly as he contributed to 19 goals in the German top flight.
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To put into perspective, Beier netted 16 goals himself last term in the Bundesliga, which is a higher total than Felix has scored over the past two league seasons combined (15).
Aside from the fact that the Portugal international would cost more in terms of a transfer fee, the Atletico Madrid outsider would also be a significant issue for Villa’s wage book.
Earning £235k-a-week, Villa could save on Felix’s concerning wage demands by hiring Beier instead, a player who would be cost-effective and is ironically the more in-form player.
Emery could solve Villa’s need to replenish the goal department this summer by signing the 21-year-old German, whose ceiling is astonishingly high, as reinforced by the many clubs tracking his movement.
