Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing 24-year-old Saudi Arabian full-back Saud Abdulhamid from Al-Hilal this summer.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Aston Villa will face competition from Nottingham Forest for Saud Abdulhamid. The defender has a contract with the Saudi Arabian club until 2025, and this summer could be their final opportunity to cash in on the player. They will not want to lose him as a free agent next year.
Aston Villa have already contacted his representatives, and it will be interesting to see if they follow that up with an official proposal for Al-Hilal. They are yet to open talks with the Saudi Arabian club for the defender.
The 24-year-old full-back will add defensive cover and creativity from the wide areas, thus explaining the interest. The opportunity to move to the Premier League will be quite exciting for him, and he will be tempted to move to Aston Villa this summer.
The West Midlands club have secured Champions League qualification for next season, and they will be an attractive destination for most players. Aston Villa will need to improve their squad adequately during the summer transfer window. They will have to deal with Premier League and UEFA Champions League football next season, and they need a deeper squad with more quality.
Saud Abdulhamid would be a useful option
Abdulhamid could be available for a reasonable price this summer because of his contract situation, and Aston Villa should do everything in their power to get the deal done. Unai Emery has put together a talented squad at the West Midlands club, and Aston Villa will be looking to add to that before the new season begins.
Improving defensively should be one of their priorities. They looked vulnerable at the back last season and they cannot afford to compete in the UEFA Champions league with a fragile defence.
Meanwhile, Abdulhamid will hope to prove himself in the Premier League and hit the ground running with Aston Villa if the transfer goes through. The 24-year-old certainly has the physicality and technical attributes for English football, and it remains to be seen whether he can establish himself as a key player for the West Midlands club.
