Aston Villa will compete with Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in the race to sign 21-year-old Barcelona forward Ez Abde.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Ez Abde is the subject of interest from Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga club will compete with Aston Villa in the race to sign the 21-year-old Barcelona forward. And they are ready to fork out €20 million to secure the services of the young winger.
Abde Ezzalzouli, better known as Ez Abde, has made significant progress since joining Barcelona from Hercules in August 2021. The Moroccan international was an important player for Hercules in Segunda Division B. But the opportunity to join Barcelona would have been too appealing to turn down.
The 21-year-old officially joined Barcelona to represent the club’s reserve side. But he featured in a few matches in his debut season, making his first-team bow in October 2021. The youngster has one goal in 14 appearances thus far for Barcelona. But he spent the 2022/23 season on loan at CA Osasuna.
The former Hercules forward gradually grew in stature at Osasuna and was a pivotal figure for them by the end of the 2022/23 season. But Abde has been a backup player for Barcelona in the early stages of the 2023/24 campaign. And he has managed only 67 minutes of game time thus far this term. The youngster’s situation has not gone unnoticed, with Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa interested.
Recent reports have claimed that the Barcelona winger is a priority target for Bayer Leverkusen. And the Bundesliga giants are ready to shell out €20 million to prise him away from the Catalan club this summer. With Xabi Alonso not having many wingers in his squad, Abde has emerged as a viable target.
As for Aston Villa, recent reports have linked Leon Bailey with a summer departure. But that might not be the case anymore, with the Jamaican international beginning the season strongly. However, with Emiliano Buendia sustaining a long-term injury, Villa will have to beef up the offensive unit. Several attackers, including Federico Chiesa, have emerged on their radar, with Abde also a viable target.
It will be interesting to see if Bayer Leverkusen will succeed with the impending bid worth €20 million for the Barcelona winger. And the response from Aston Villa and other suitors will be crucial amid uncertainties surrounding the 21-year-old Moroccan international.
