Aston Villa and Besiktas are reportedly negotiating an exchange deal involving Ernest Muci and Lucas Digne, with the Turkish demanding cash instead of a swap arrangement.
According to a report by Turkish outlet Aslinda, Ernest Muci is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The West Midlands outfit recently attempted to sign the Besiktas attacker in a swap deal involving Lucas Digne, with the Black-Whites keen on landing the Frenchman. However, Besiktas will only sanction an exchange if they receive cash in addition.
Who is Ernest Muci?
Ernest Muci has made considerable progress since joining Besiktas from Legia Warszawa earlier this year. A native of Tirane, he spent his formative years in Albania, starting his youth career at FK Dinamo Tirane before graduating from the youth division at KF Tirana.
Muci rose in prominence during his stints with KF Tirana and Legia Warszawa and has been solid thus far for Besiktas. The 23-year-old has turned out 17 times for the Turkish giants while chipping in with four goals. Meanwhile, he is a regular for Albania, making 12 appearances for his national side.
Ernest Muci’s exploits for his club and country have not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. Aston Villa will reportedly look to land the Albanian international before the summer transfer window shuts down.
Aston Villa interested in Muci
Aston Villa’s interest in Ernest Muci is understandable. The Villans have been keen on signing an attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window after parting ways with Nicolo Zaniolo. With a move for Joao Felix hitting a stumbling block after Chelsea’s emergence in the race to secure his services, Aston Villa must identify alternatives to the Portuguese international.
Muci has thus emerged as a viable target for Aston Villa, with the West Midlands outfit. The Villans approached Besiktas with an offer for a swap deal involving Lucas Digne, a target for Besiktas. However, the Black-Whites have rebuffed the proposal as they want to receive some cash in a part-exchange deal.
With Aston Villa open to parting ways with Digne, executing a part-exchange deal involving the Frenchman and Muci might be a sensible decision. It will be interesting to see if a move for the Albanian international sees the light of day at Villa Park.
