Espanyol will demand around €15 million to part ways with 21-year-old Moroccan youth international Omar El Hilali, a target for Aston Villa and Manchester City.
According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, Aston Villa and Manchester City are interested in signing Omar El Hilali from La Liga club RCD Espanyol next year. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old full-back will not cost a bomb as he has a release clause of €15 million in his contract, and the Catalan outfit will point to it to part ways with the youngster.
The rise of Omar El Hilali
Omar El Hilali has established himself as one of the best young prospects in La Liga this season. Born in Spain, the highly-rated full-back spent his formative years in his nation of birth and graduated from the youth division at RCD Espanyol.
The 21-year-old broke into the first-team squad at the Catalan club a few years ago and has become a mainstay at the back at the RCDE Stadium. El Hilali has turned out 63 times thus far for Espanyol while chipping in with four assists.
Meanwhile, El Hilali’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. The Moroccan youth international might soon arrive in the Premier League, with Aston Villa and Manchester City among his prospective suitors. However, he is also open to remaining at RCD Espanyol for the long haul.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Aston Villa’s interest in Omar El Hilali is understandable. The Villans are scouring the market for a right-back ahead of the two transfer windows next year, with Unai Emery keen on finding an alternative to Matty Cash. So, the RCD Espanyol full-back has emerged as a viable target for Aston Villa.
As for Manchester City, Kyle Walker faces an uncertain future at the Etihad amid his links with Saudi Pro League clubs. So, the Moroccan youth international is an option worth considering for Manchester City. Meanwhile, El Hilali will not cost a bomb, and Espanyol will demand around €15 million to part ways with him.
The 21-year-old full-back has a release clause in his contract worth €15 million. So, Espanyol will not sell El Hilali for less than the valuation of the clause, and it will be interesting to see if Aston Villa and Manchester City launch the offensive to sign him next year.
