Aston Villa are reportedly ready to sacrifice Danny Ings in the deal to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma.
A recent report from Daily Mirror has offered an update on Aston Villa’s transfer policy. It appears Steven Gerrard is eyeing a massive overhaul ahead of the new season, with Yves Bissouma emerging as one of his top targets for the summer.
Brighton & Hove Albion are expected to demand a fortune for the services of the midfielder. But Aston Villa are open to adding Danny Ings to the operation in an attempt to lower the price tag. Brighton are not averse to selling Bissouma, so a potential player plus cash deal could be on the horizon in the summer.
Ings has been a part of Aston Villa since last summer. He was brought in from Southampton in order to solve the club’s scoring woes upfront. However, the former Liverpool star has struggled to make the desired impact, scoring only five goals in 24 league appearances.
The 29-year-old’s lack of productivity upfront has forced Steven Gerrard to rely heavily on the services of January signing Philippe Coutinho, who could leave Villa Park in the summer after the end of his loan deal. While the Villans will try to sign him permanently, they are expected to face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
Nevertheless, Aston Villa believe they have a strong chance of landing Bissouma if they offer Brighton the opportunity to sign Ings. The combative midfielder, after all, has emerged as one of Gerrard’s top targets as he looks to find a replacement for Douglas Luiz next season.
The Brazilian has been linked with a move away from Villa Park for quite some now, with Arsenal among the clubs reportedly eyeing a summer swoop.
The addition of Bissouma, to that end, could add some much-needed quality to the Aston Villa midfield. The Malian international can potentially create a strong partnership alongside John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey, thus adding a whole new dimension to the team’s second line of press.
However, it will be interesting to see whether Brighton are open to signing Ings as part of the deal to sell Bissouma. With too much reliance on Neal Maupay, the Seagulls certainly need a new forward, but whether or not Ings fits the bill remains to be seen.