The summer window may be gone, but Aston Villa’s interest in Sporting star Pedro Gonçalves continues, according to claims from Portugal.
Newspaper O Jogo today features a story saying that the end of the transfer window was not enough to stop the interest from Premier League sides, who continue with their ‘approaches’.
Aston Villa are said to be the club who ‘particularly’ lead that race. They already made an offer during the market, and even though that didn’t convince Sporting, they continue their pursuit.
Enquiries and contacts are said to be ‘ongoing’. Gonçalves, who recently signed a contract extension, is happy with the the Lions. That’s why they believe his €80m release clause is good enough to protect him.
What Aston Villa should also be concerned about is the competition to bring him to the Premier League. O Jogo explain that the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also ‘attentive’ to the player, as they know him well.
Back in July, it had been claimed that Unai Emery’s side were ‘ready’ to present a €45m for the signing. That was nowhere close to being enough, and they shall now watch Gonçalves for another season to see if he’s worth an even bigger investment.
