Atletico Madrid have reportedly shown an interest in signing Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash as a long-term replacement for Kieran Trippier.
According to Sky Sports, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing right-back Matty Cash from Aston Villa. The Spanish giants have already contacted the representatives of the Aston Villa defender over a potential permanent move this summer, with the manager Diego Simeone keen on finding a long-term replacement for Kieran Trippier, who joined Newcastle United earlier this month.
Trippier was a huge success at Atletico Madrid in his two and a half years; the Englishman helped them beat Barcelona and Real Madrid to the league title last season. The 31-year-old’s departure has left a massive void in the club’s right-back department, with Marcos Llorente and Sime Vrsaljko forced to fill in the right-back slot.
They have been linked with a host of players for the right-back position, including Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Arsenal’s Cedric Soares. However, they ended up signing 32-year-old midfielder Daniel Wass from Valencia to play on the right side of the defence.
Given his age, Wass is clearly not a long-term solution. As per the Sun, the Spanish giants have identified Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash as one of their top targets and are ready to break the bank to put forward a tempting fee in the region of £30-£40 million in the summer window.
Cash came through the youth ranks at Nottingham Forest before breaking into their first-team setup in 2016. He went on to make 141 appearances for the Championship outfit while bagging an impressive 13 goals and 15 assists along the way. Premier League club Aston Villa swooped in for the talented defender in 2020.
Since then, the 24-year-old has established himself as a mainstay in the starting XI at Villa Park, starting all of his 28 appearances for the Midlands outfit last season while featuring 23 times so far this term. He has been a solid operator down the right flank and is a major part of Steven Gerrard’s plans for the foreseeable future.
Similar to Trippier, Cash is versatile and could comfortably slot in either as a full-back or right wing-back. Cash has impressed with his ability to drive forward to provide consistent attacking threat as well as being tenacious defensively, suiting Simeone’s system.
Aston Villa have been extremely active in bringing in new players during the January transfer window and recently bolstered their defensive options with the capture of Calum Chambers from Arsenal. However, the Midlands club appears to be at risk of losing one of their key players as they brace themselves for a late bid from Atletico Madrid for their prized right-back Matty Cash.
The 24-year-old is under contract at Villa Park until 2025, and Gerrard presumably would want to keep him at the club at least until then. With little time left in the winter window, it is hard to see Villa selling the only natural right-back option at the club without finding a suitable replacement first. However, a potential summer move to European giants Atletico Madrid could be tempting for the player.
