Aston Villa are leading the race to sign a new attacking superstar from overseas, and a fresh report has shared details of where the two parties currently stand in negotiations.
What's the latest transfer news at Aston Villa?
Unai Emery had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in a total of five fresh faces, with Moussa Diaby joining permanently from Bayer Leverkusen, Pau Torres from Villarreal, Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet both signing on loan and Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City.
In terms of outgoings, Cameron Archer, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Marvelous Nakamba, Keinan Davis, Ashley Young, Wesley, Philippe Coutinho, Morgan Sanson and Viljami Sinisalo all sealed exits on either a temporary or permanent basis, leaving room for the boss to bolster his ranks in January.
One of the players to have been linked with a move a number of times in the past is Sporting CP’s Pedro Goncalves, with the left-winger having previously been the subject of enquiries from the side in the Midlands.
Whilst reports suggested that the top-flight side walked away from a deal for the 25-year-old due to the €80m (£68m) release clause included in his contract, Correio Da Manha have since claimed that the club remain interested in a future swoop for the Portuguese sensation, with further details on the board’s pursuit having now emerged.
Are Aston Villa signing Pedro Goncalves?
According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are “particularly” the club in pole position to sign Goncalves, despite him receiving other “approaches” from the Premier League.
NSWE, Monchi and Emery are in “ongoing” contact regarding a deal for the attacker.
Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also “attentive” to his situation, though having seen a bid turned down over the summer, the Villa Park outfit appear to be taking a second bite of the cherry.
How many goals has Pedro Goncalves scored?
During his time at Sporting CP, Goncalves has racked up a remarkable 93 contributions (59 goals and 34 assists) in 133 appearances for Ruben Amorim’s side, so should he put pen to paper at Aston Villa in the near future, it would be a massive coup for Emery.
The Jorge Pires client has continued his impressive form this season having so far whipped a total of 24 crosses into the opposition’s box which is more than any of his fellow teammates, alongside having 12 shots himself which is the second-highest tally at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, via FBRef.
The Vidago native, who has been nicknamed the “New Bruno Fernandes” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also flexible in where he plays having been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including three roles in the final third and three in the midfield, so his versatility would be another fantastic attribute for the boss to have at his disposal.
Finally, Goncalves knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won four trophies with his current club, not to mention the individual recognition he’s received on the international stage having been named Portugal’s Player of the Season in 2021.
