Aston Villa Eyeing High-Scoring £25m Forward with 15 Goals in 24/25 Campaign

Despite having Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran in their ranks, Aston Villa are reportedly considering a move for a £25m striker who has outscored both of Unai Emery’s current options so far this season.

Currently sitting seventh in the Premier League, Aston Villa’s season has yet to reach the heights of their previous campaign. However, they have enjoyed some success in their first-ever Champions League appearance, including victories against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, as well as a hard-fought draw with Italian giants Juventus.

In the Premier League, there is room for improvement following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest in their most recent outing. Such a result, coming just days after a Champions League victory, suggests that Villa may need to strengthen their squad depth in the upcoming transfer window. This could lead to the arrival of another talented forward.

According to reports, Aston Villa are now showing interest in Manfred Ugalde from Spartak Moscow. The impressive 22-year-old reportedly has a release clause of just £25m and has caught the attention of several top clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest alongside Villa.

Ugalde’s performances this season have been nothing short of remarkable. The Spartak Moscow star has netted an incredible 15 goals in 18 Russian Premier League appearances so far, a record that few in Europe can match.

While Villa already boast strong striking options in Watkins and Duran, a team aiming for a top-four finish can arguably never have too many goalscorers. Ugalde’s arrival could provide Emery with an enviable selection dilemma and potentially give Villa one of the most potent attacking lineups in the Premier League.

Praised for his goalscoring exploits at both FC Twente and now Spartak Moscow, analyst Ben Mattinson described Ugalde as “relentless” earlier this year – a trait the forward has continued to demonstrate.

Though Villa may have other positions to strengthen, the opportunity to add another clinical finisher to their ranks could prove too tempting to ignore as they look to compete on multiple fronts.