Aston Villa still want Luis Suarez as one of three more summer signings – The Athletic
Steven Gerrard is still targeting three more Aston Villa signings this summer despite adding a trio already, according to The Athletic.
The club has moved fast since the end of the season to sign Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer and then add Sevilla defender Diego Carlos for £26million.
Those moves came after the loan deal that brought Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona in January was made permanent prior to the end of the season for £17million.
However the Villans boss is till hoping to add a striker, a midfielder and a left-sided defender before the start of the 2022-23 season.
Former Liverpool teammate of Gerrard, Luis Suarez, remains under consideration for the former of those positions, and is available on a free after leaving Atletico Madrid.
The Athletic says that the Uruguayan has other options as well which is currently weighing up, while the decision from the club’s end hinges on which players might leave the club.
Aiming high
The Lions aren’t doing anything by half this summer and the deals that have already been done are an impressive haul.
The level of targets that they are going after still could make it an historic window for a club that was still in the second tier until three seasons ago.
Suarez is 35 now so will not be a long term option, and it might be a risky move to jettison either of Ollie Watkins or Danny Ings to bring him in.
Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore are likely to be more at risk, and in terms of experience and finishing ability they don’t come much higher than Suarez.
The manager is apparently in search of high quality players who are “experienced winners”, and after a bumper period in La Liga with Barcelona and Atletico the former Anfield striker certainly fits that description.
The report says that the wage bill is being stretched to accommodate these high profile signings so that the club becomes a more attractive destination to clubs in Europe.
That is clearly a bonus right now, but it also represents a risk as the subsequent success needs to match the outlay, while profit and sustainability considerations will also come into play.
In other Aston Villa news, the club are also expected to make Robin Olsen’s loan move permanent according to Fabrizio Romano.