Aston Villa have reportedly been handed a boost in the pursuit of Moroccan hitman Youssef En-Nesyri as Sevilla look to offload him on deadline day.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Aston Villa and Unai Emery appear to be interested in a last-minute move for Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri. The Moroccan striker is made available for a winter transfer away from Sevilla at the request of manager Quique Sanchez Flores, who doesn’t see him fitting into his tactical plans.
Youssef En-Nesyri at Sevilla: The Story So Far
En-Nesyri has been one of Sevilla’s bright sparks in an otherwise disappointing season. The Moroccan international has scored a total of eight goals and provided two assists in all competitions for a side that currently sits 16th in the league, just a point above the relegation zone.
It is fair to say that En-Nesyri has blown hot and cold for the Sevillistas since his 2019 move from Leganes. Two seasons have seen him firing 24 and 18 goals, respectively. In his other two full seasons, the 26-year-old has netted just six and five.
Many will remember him as a mainstay for the Morocco side that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, starting all seven games and scoring the decisive goal against Portugal in the quarter-final.
Although he has continued scoring goals at a decent rate this season, reports in Spain now claim a parting of ways is finally on the cards after over four years in Andalusia, despite the fact that Sevilla are scrambled in a relegation battle.
Set for a Move?
As such, the Sevilla striker has been on and off linked with the Premier League for several seasons now. But a new name has been tipped to make a move for the big Moroccan, with Aston Villa expressing late interest as they continue to display their ambition and flex their muscles in the transfer market.
Aston Villa have lacked depth across their attack this season, and while deadline-day recruit Morgan Rogers’s versatility would help in that aspect, the Lions could certainly benefit from having another striking option.
The Villans continue to rely heavily on Ollie Watkins to lead the line, with Jhon Duran in reserve. However, the Colombian has fallen out of favour under Unai Emery at Villa Park and is expected to be out of action for some time due to a serious injury that scuppered a potential Chelsea move.
With all that in mind, it is understandable why Emery wants to land another striker, especially one with some decent experience and an aerial threat like En-Nesyri, who will add a different dimension to their attack.
