Aston Villa are reportedly weighing up the prospect of signing 25-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, Yves Bissouma has emerged on the radar of Aston Villa over a possible move in the January transfer window. The Villans aim to take advantage of the fact that the 25-year-old midfielder has only 18 months left on his contract with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Yves Bissouma has established himself as one of the most consistent midfielders in the Premier League since joining Brighton & Hove Albion from LOSC Lille in July 2018. The Malian international has been highly impressive in the last three and a half years as a solid all-round midfielder who can break up play and initiate moves equally adeptly.
The 25-year-old has made 111 appearances to date for the Seagulls, with his performance capturing the attention of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. And with his Brighton contract expiring in 18 months, Bissouma’s suitors, including Aston Villa, are sensing the opportunity to snap him up at a cut-price fee this year.
The Villans have made their first signing under Steven Gerrard by bringing in Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on a loan deal. But that is not where Aston Villa will be stopping in the January transfer window, as a central midfielder is high on their wishlist.
The Midlands outfit are also keen on signing out-of-favour Everton defender Lucas Digne. As for the pursuit of a midfielder, Bissouma is a viable January target for Aston Villa as Marvelous Nakamba is recovering from a long-term knee injury, while Douglas Luiz is in a similar situation as Bissouma.
The Brazilian midfielder is in the final 18 months of his contract and has been heavily linked with several European bigwigs, including Arsenal. Luiz’s departure will leave Aston Villa needing a top-notch replacement, bringing Bissouma into the picture.
But even though his contract will run out in 18 months, Brighton might look to stave off approaches for Bissouma as they have European aspirations of their own. The report does not mention whether Aston Villa will firm up their interest anytime soon, but signing a central midfielder has to be a priority for Gerrard.