Since Unai Emery took over at Aston Villa, there is no denying that results have improved, with the club now a good 11 points clear of the ongoing relegation battle between 12th and 20th in the Premier League.
The team are unbeaten in their last four games, and that’s why it wouldn’t be surprising to see the club’s owners heavily back the Spaniard in the transfer market this summer.
One of the areas that will need improving is in the striker position, as the reliance on Ollie Watkins can only go so far, which is where an old Aston Villa favourite comes in, according to Corriere dello Sport.
That’s Tammy Abraham, who is currently owned by AS Roma, but whose season has led to some doubts over his long term future in Italy’s capital.
The 25-year-old has found the back of the net just seven times in 38 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A side, but has also helped out with six assists, which does go a long way.
Still, there’s been a lot of talk about a sale potentially taking place in the summer, as Roma need to raise a decent amount of capital (around €50-55m) to ‘ease the financial losses’.
Their most sellable asset, even with the mediocre form on display, remains the England international, who is a player wanted by Emery.
Corriere point out it was the Spanish manager who ‘signalled’ him to those in charge, aware the player ‘would gladly return to the Premier League next season’.
Down Abraham’s end, he has not ‘asked to be sold’, remaining professional, but he is ‘tempted by the idea of consecrating himself in his country after being rejected by Gareth Southgate for the World Cup’.
It’s explained that Aston Villa have ‘done some enquiries’, and it’s added in the headline they are currently in ‘pole position’ for his signing.
Regarding Abraham’s value, he is ‘worth more or less the same’ than the €40m Roma spent on him in the first place, but that could increase if he manages to find the back of the net more often in the final weeks of the season.
The Italian club, meanwhile, ‘wait’ and are ‘enquiring about possible substitutes’ themselves, with Spezia’s Mbala Nzola on their list of replacements should they manage to move the Englishman back to his native country.
