Aston Villa have reportedly agreed on a deal worth £25 million plus add-ons with Watford to sign Senegalese speedster Ismaila Sarr this summer.
According to Sky Sports, Watford and Aston Villa have reached a full agreement for the transfer of Ismaila Sarr. The 24-year-old attacker is set to move to Villa Park in a deal worth £25 million plus add-ons.
Leeds United and Crystal Palace have also expressed interest in the Senegalese winger. But Aston Villa seem to have stolen the march on their top-flight competitors and seem to have wrapped a deal up quickly and efficiently, having already agreed a deal with the Hornets for his purchase.
The 24-year-old had two years remaining on his contract with Watford, and the EFL Championship club had decided to cash in on him following their relegation from the Premier League. Personal terms with the player have still to be finalised for the move to be completed.
Sarr joined Watford from Rennes in 2019 and has established himself as one of the most talented attackers in English football. He has netted 25 goals and provided a 19 assists in 95 outings for the Hertfordshire outfit. He played a key role in the Hornets’ promotion back to the Premier League in the 2020/21 season and was named their Player of the Season for his displays in the second tier.
Watford have accepted Aston Villa bid for Ismaila Sarr: €25m plus €3m add-ons. Full agreement now in place between clubs. ? #AVFC
Personal terms not agreed yet, as Aston Villa are pushing on player side. pic.twitter.com/FcDZC35B1U
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 20, 2022
Last season, Sarr made an excellent start to the campaign by putting in a few eye-catching displays for the Hornets but struggled with injuries and was not productive enough in the final third. The 24-year-old registered five goals and two assists in 22 Premier League outings, and he was unable to prevent Watford from being relegated to the Championship.
The Senegalese attacker has made three appearances for Watford so far this season, registering a goal and an assist. But Sarr was absent from their squad for their Championship clash with Preston North End on Saturday.
Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has a variety of wide options at his disposal. However, Leon Bailey has failed to set the world alight since his blockbuster move to Villa Park last summer, while Bertrand Traore is set for a loan exit, going by the recent reports in The Athletic.
Sarr can play anywhere across the frontline and should add a lot of excitement to Villa Park if Aston Villa can get a deal over the line for him. The 24-year-old Senegalese sensation is blessed with terrific pace to cause a lot of problems for his markers out on the flanks and will provide loads of progression, directness, and firepower to the Aston Villa attack.
In all, the 24-year-old looks like a smart acquisition for the Villans, who have lost two of their three opening Premier League fixtures and were dire offensively in their recent 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. As alluded earlier, Aston Villa are pushing hard on the personal terms, which will determine whether the player will accept the move or not.
