After failing in their first approach, Aston Villa have reportedly made a second attempt to convince one of their summer targets into a Premier League switch ahead of next season.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans have been one of the busiest sides in the transfer market so far this summer, especially in the Premier League. In total, they’ve welcomed five fresh faces with Amadou Onana reportedly on his way to make it a sixth. The Belgian’s arrrival, alongside Ian Maatsen’s, stands out amongst the crowd as the most impressive business that Villa have so far completed.
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He’s one for the future.
With so many incomings, however, departures always seemed likely as those in the Midlands have already seen with the exit of Douglas Luiz to Juventus and as they may see with Moussa Diaby. The former Bayer Leverkusen star has reportedly agreed personal terms with Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad and could now be on his way out of Villa Park just one year on from arriving.
The winger’s exit would undoubtedly deal Unai Emery a frustrating blow this summer, but Villa could at least make up for Diaby’s potential departure by reversing the trend of Saudi clubs signing European stars.
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have made a new approach to sign Saud Abdulhamid from Al-Hilal, having already made an initial approach at the start of the transfer window. The right-back reportedly believes that now is the best time to move into European football after impressing in Saudi as a standout defender. Despite approaching Abdulhamid’s representatives though, Villa are yet to open negotiations with Al-Hilal.
It could be quite the way to break the trend by luring a player who is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the Saudi Pro League to English football after the likes of Ruben Neves and now perhaps even Diaby chose to move in the opposite direction.
“Incredible” Abdulhamid has earned Aston Villa interest
A Saudi champion and one of the best defenders in the country, Abdulhamid has more than earned the interest of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, AS Roma and others in a busy race for his signature. Villa, of course, after their new approach, will be hoping to take the lead in that race, but it remains to be seen whether they can reach an agreement on both personal terms and on a fee with Al-Hilal.
The 24-year-old ended last season with four goals and nine assists – eclipsing Matty Cash’s five goals and three assists in the process – and could now make his biggest move yet to Villa Park. Dubbed “incredible” by Arab News, Abdulhamid could be a shrewd coup by those in the Midlands this summer.
Strength in depth could be key for Villa if they want to repeat last season’s success in the Premier League whilst causing even greater upsets in the Champions League, and adding Abdulhamid to compete with Cash would bring exactly that.
