Aston Villa aren’t giving up their pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson, as Unai Emery bids to bolster his side ahead of the 2023/34 campaign.
Following his arrival in October, the Spaniard has transformed the outlook at Villa Park, taking the Midlands club to the next level alongside president of football operations, Monchi.
The former Sevilla business marvel could be on course to complete another coup in securing the signing of Johnson.
Who wants to buy Brennan Johnson?
The 22-year-old frontman has been rumoured to have been of interest to a number of Premier League clubs, with Villa and Brentford credited most recently, via the Daily Mail.
This week, an update from the Telegraph mentioned Forest’s ongoing battle regarding the Welshman’s future, who is ‘likely’ to be sold if a club can offer a fee in the region of £50m.
Whilst the Reds are reluctant to allow their star player to depart, the potential sale of the forward would relieve the financial pressures lingering over the City Ground at present.
How good is Brennan Johnson?
Following a season-long loan at Lincoln City in League One, the versatile forward has become at the forefront of everything threatening in the final third for Forest.
That year, the Nottingham-born gem scored 10 goals and registered 12 assists for the Imps, adding to his Football League tally the year after on his return to his birthplace.
During the 2021/22 Championship, the tenacious Wales international scored 16 goals along with nine assists to fire the Reds to promotion to the Premier League, where he has continued to rise in the top-flight.
Last season, the 22-year-old netted eight goals and provided three assists in his debut in the first division, attracting interest from elsewhere in the league this transfer window.
For Villa, the youngster could provide Emery’s side with an updated version of a former hero in the Midlands, with the Forest man posing similarities to academy graduate Jack Grealish.
The treble-winner, like Johnson, is deployable across the front line behind the striker, with the versatility to play on the flank as well as in central attacking midfield.
Having once been lauded as a “real handful” by scout Antonio Mango, the Welshman could replicate the threat of the treble winner at Villa Park.
As per analyst VisualGame on Twitter, the 22-year-old gem ranked higher than the 27-year-old in terms of take-ons completed at the beginning of last season, showcasing the way that he could give the Midlands a refreshed aura of their former star.
Identifiable as two strong carriers of the ball, Grealish averaged 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League last season, with Johnson following behind with 1.01 successful take-ons per 90 at Forest, via FBref.
The City Ground sensation averaged a higher percentage of shots on target per 90 compared to the Englishman, averaging 46.2% shots on target to the former Villa man’s 36.6% per 90, highlighting the level of threat he could provide in the Midlands.
If equipped in a much stronger side, the Welsh sensation could elevate his game in a way similar to Grealish, given Villa’s rise up the table and change in direction with reference to the Reds pottering on the relegation line.