Aston Villa are thought to be best placed to sign a 20-year-old attacker ahead of Liverpool, according to a new report.
Aston Villa signings so far
NSWE and Monchi have been one of the busiest clubs during the summer transfer window, with the club adding to Unai Emery’s squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign which includes Champions League football at Villa Park.
Left-back Ian Maatsen has been the most expensive signing so far, joining in a £35m deal from Chelsea. Meanwhile, youngster Lewis Dobbin has joined from Everton and Ross Barkley has returned on a permanent deal from Luton Town.
Winger Samuel Iling-Junior and midfielder Enzo Barrenechea have also arrived in the Midlands in the deal that took Douglas Luiz to Juventus. So, even though the club have brought in five new players, it looks as if more could be on their way to Villa Park, with the club looking to sign “players who they can improve and potentially sell-on”.
That’s according to Villa reporter John Townley, who recently said: “Villa’s long-term strategy, or a huge part of it, is to sign players who they can improve and potentially sell-on when the time is right. That, of course, will always allow them to stay one step ahead when it comes to PSR issues. Succession planning is also believed to be a crucial part of the club’s recruitment strategy.”
Fitting into that criteria appears to be a £40m+ Bundesliga gem who Villa are reportedly in pole position to sign.
Aston Villa leading race to sign Brajan Gruda
According to reports from German outlet Bild, relayed by The Boot Room, Aston Villa are thought to be in pole position to sign Brajan Gruda from Bundesliga side Mainz.
It is reported that Villa are leading the likes of interested sides Liverpool, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig in the race for Gruda, who has an asking price of £43m.
Gruda is primarily a right-winger but can also turn out as an attacking midfielder or centre-forward if required. After joining Mainz as a teenager, Gruda has progressed through the academy and enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2023/24.
The 20-year-old made 29 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring four times and providing three assists, resulting in his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing from €500,000 12 months ago to a career-high €20m today.
He came in for praise over the last few months of the previous campaign, with Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig calling him “superb” and analyst Ben Mattinson saying he has a “monstrous left foot” and could go on to play for a German giant.
It looks as if Villa could be the club to benefit from that left foot in the long run, making a big-money deal one to watch.