Aston Villa have agreed on personal terms with 19-year-old midfield prodigy Rico Richards, who will leave West Bromwich Albion as a free agent.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are inching closer to securing Rico Richards on a free transfer. The 19-year-old midfield prodigy has agreed on personal terms with Unai Emery’s side, as he will leave West Brom when his contract ends on June 30.
Aston Villa are trying to work out deals, most of it under the radar. After Unai Emery guided them to a seventh-placed finish last season, the Midlands club will aim to break into the Premier League’s top six while competing in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Villa would need a squad capable of sustaining a concerted challenge throughout the season for those purposes. Their European adventure will bring an air of change to Villa Park. But Emery would need a bigger squad to carry out the operation.
For starters, Emery remains focused on bringing first-team stars. Pau Torres gets closer to signing for Villa in a big deal from Villarreal. They are also looking at other targets but have signed key midfield target Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City.
Though they are flush with cash, there are indications that Villa can only spend a little in this window. They have concerns with FFP and could look at bargain transfers to add quality to their squad in this market.
For instance, they have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in their sights, with the soon-to-be free agent keen on the move. In another similar move, Villa are eager to tie up a Bosman move for West Brom’s 19-year-old midfield prodigy Rico Richards.
Villa have inched closer to signing Richards in the last weeks. They have agreed on personal terms with the 19-year-old midfielder to join on a free transfer. The attacking midfielder’s contract with West Brom expires on June 30. And there’s no desire to extend his stay at the Hawthorns.
For his age, Richards has not played much for the West Brom senior side. He has only featured once for the first team, a 10-minute cameo in the cameo off the bench against Hull City in March. At Villa, there is a desire to sign him and promise good exposure in multiple competitions.
Having a continental coach with a brilliant track record with youngsters also helped Richards decide. Emery’s work with young talents at Arsenal and Villarreal has been praised exceptionally, which could encourage many stars to play under his tutelage.
With Richards, Emery might look to develop a player capable of becoming a firm first choice for future teams. The 19-year-old has the flair of scoring goals and providing assists, as seen during his displays for West Brom’s U21 and U18 teams.
