It has now been revealed that Aston Villa has made an initial offer in an attempt to finalise their first summer acquisition.
Villa wants to close out strong.
With two victories in a row and a shootout victory in Europe, Villa has moved up to the top of the UEFA Conference League and is now guaranteed a spot in the Champions League under Unai Emery for the following season.
They advanced to the Conference League semifinals, where they will take on Olympiacos, after defeating both Lille and Premier League leaders Arsenal on penalties.
If they get past the Greeks, they will play either Club Brugge or Fiorentina, the winners from the previous season, in the final. Villa will probably be the favourites in either match.
They now sit six points clear of Tottenham in fifth place, even though the Lilywhites still have two games remaining. But before the season ends, Ange Postecoglou’s team plays every game against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool, therefore at least one of those games will probably result in a loss.
Along with home matches against a strengthening Chelsea and a title-chasing Liverpool, Villa also has some difficult fixtures, including a trip to the AMEX and a resurgent Crystal Palace. But, they will feel more assured that they can cross the line if they have points on the board.
It has already been revealed that Villa has already submitted their first offer and is organising their team for the next campaign.
Villa wants to replace Zaniolo with an attacker.
Villa has targeted a fresh option in Nicolo Zaniolo’s position, possibly realising that his mixed loan spell at Villa Park is unlikely to be extended this summer.
This manifests as Barış Alper Yılmaz, another Galatasaray man. Villa’s interest in the Turkish midfielder was previously mentioned as being “keen,” but that has since been expanded upon. Hurriyet, a Turkish publication, reports [via Sport Witness] that Villa has made an offer for the winger, who has six goals and nine assists in 50 appearances this year.
But their offer was not accepted. Galatasaray, whose contract with the winger expires in 2027, is requesting 25 million euros (£21.5 million) in order to allow him to depart this summer. In the meanwhile, Villa has simply indicated that they are willing to pay 17 million euros (£14.6 million) to get him to Villa Park; however, it is also stated that talks are still ongoing on a final price.
It is stated that the cost could increase even more if Yılmaz performs well for Turkey in the European Championships this summer, as his country is in a favourable group that includes the Czech Republic, Georgia, and Portugal.
Villa are eager to close the transaction as soon as possible, and this may be the reason.
