Steven Gerrard wants to bring 20-year-old French left-back Quentin Merlin as competition for Lucas Digne as Aston Villa continue their recruitment drive.
According to the Sunday Mirror, as relayed by HITC, Quentin Merlin is a target for Steven Gerrard, as the Aston Villa boss eyes more players to strengthen the squad ahead of next season. The manager wants the 20-year-old Nantes left-back to compete with Lucas Digne, as Matt Targett is likely to depart permanently in the summer.
When he arrived just before the winter window, Steven Gerrard took a firm approach when sketching out his plans for the squad in January. The Aston Villa manager saw the left-back slot as one where upgrades were needed and sent Matt Targett on loan to Newcastle United, before replacing him with Lucas Digne, who arrived from Everton.
Gerrard also recruited former teammate Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona, with Aston Villa having signed the Brazilian permanently for a reasonable fee since. So there is certainly a serious level of ambition on show in how Aston Villa are going about their recruitment drive.
Aston Villa have since recruited two more players in critical areas of the pitch. Boubacar Kamara arrived on a free transfer from Marseille, while they paid a hefty fee to sign Diego Carlos from Sevilla, which strengthens two key positions in Gerrard’s squad.
The manager is ready to go back to France and recruit a promising left-back, as Aston Villa look to bring in Quentin Merlin from Nantes. Gerrard wants the 20-year-old as competition for Lucas Digne, as he does not want to leave gaping holes if one player is absent for a considerable period.
Their other option is to keep Matt Targett on board, although the left-back is expected to join Newcastle United permanently. That leaves Digne alone in an important position, although the arrival of Berlin could elevate the quality of the area.
Nantes are expected to demand a significant sum for Merlin. They have been aware of Villa’s interest, who have looked at the left-back while on scouting missions to watch Kamara last season. In any case, Merlin has a contract until 2026, which allows the French side to demand a big fee for their youngster.
Although he would not be an automatic starter at Aston Villa, Merlin could be tempted over a move. Digne holds the starting berth, and the two Frenchmen will have to push to get the best out of each other. Although Villa could be ready to invest in the 20-year-old as a long-term option, how much Nantes would demand remains a question.
