Rodrigo Bentancur is the latest Juventus midfielder to be linked with a move to the Premier League, with Aston Villa reportedly holding talks over a move.
According to Sky Sports, Aston Villa are in talks with Juventus over a move for defensive midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. The Premier League club is keen to sign a player of the Uruguayan’s profile, and he is the third midfielder from the Serie A outfit to be linked with a January move to England.
This season, Rodrigo Bentancur has been a consistent performer and one of Massimiliano Allegri’s trusted lieutenants. However, his 25 appearances across all competition include only 12 starts, which has apparently become the sticking point for the Uruguayan international, who might be looking to secure a regular spot at a new club.
Bentancur is the third Juventus midfielder linked with a Premier League switch this month if widespread reports are accurate. Arthur Melo is reportedly closing in on joining Arsenal, while Aaron Ramsey is one of the prime candidate to leave the Serie A club and return to England.
In Bentancur’s case, Aston Villa are mentioned to be in talks with Juventus over a move. The Italian giants have reportedly placed a £16 million price tag on the defensive midfielder, which will please the Midlands club if they are serious about signing the Uruguayan international.
The Villans have been busy in the ongoing transfer window, having adhered to Steven Gerrard’s request to strengthen the squad appropriately. Aston Villa have already signed Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona and brought in Lucas Digne from Everton. But the Midlands outfit is also focused on signing a midfielder.
A defensive midfielder is the player profile that Gerrard wants to compete with current first-choice Douglas Luiz. Aston Villa wanted to bring in Yves Bissouma, although his staggering price tag might have put them off the pursuit. Villa are now on the trails of Bentancur, with talks already underway with Juventus, according to Sky Sports.
The Serie A heavyweights value the 24-year-old at £16 million, which is strange considering he still has over two years left on his current deal. Interestingly, Allegri recently suggested Ramsey could leave while indicating the rest of the squad will remain intact until the end of the season.
However, Aston Villa will hope to make a decent offer for Bentancur in the coming days to bring the Uruguayan international to the Premier League. They might yet be able to convince Juventus to sell the midfielder, which may end up scuppering Arsenal’s move for Arthur.