Aston Villa will reportedly compete with West Ham United for 24-year-old Brazilian defender Vitao in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Diario de Sevilla, as relayed by Sport Witness, Vitao is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Villans are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, the Hammers have presented their offer to sign the 24-year-old Internacional defender.
Who is Vitao?
Vitor Eduardo da Silva Matos, better known as Vitao, is one of the best defenders in his homeland. A native of Jacarezinho, he graduated from the youth division at Palmeiras before breaking into the first-team squad several years ago. However, he had to bide his time and eventually rise in prominence by joining Shakhtar Donetsk.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old returned to his homeland by joining Internacional on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk in April 2022. Since then, the 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength, establishing himself as a pivotal figure for the club. The player has been a regular for Internacional this season, amassing nearly 2,000 minutes of game time in 22 outings across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Vitao’s progress at Internacional has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. A move to the Premier League might be on the cards, with Aston Villa and West Ham United vying for his signature heading into the summer transfer window.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Aston Villa’s interest in Vitao is understandable. The Villans are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window due to their impending participation in the UEFA Champions League next season. So, several candidates have emerged on Aston Villa’s radar, with the 24-year-old Brazilian a viable target.
As for West Ham, they were once close to signing Fabricio Bruno from Flamengo. However, the 28-year-old has blocked his move to the London Stadium, forcing the Hammers to look elsewhere for a central defensive reinforcement. Bruno’s compatriot has now emerged as a target for West Ham.
The Hammers have already made an offer to sign the 24-year-old Brazilian defender. It will be interesting to see if West Ham’s opening bid does the trick. However, Aston Villa’s presence in the equation can complicate matters for the East London club.
