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Aston Villa could push Premier League top-six with Tammy Abraham and Ollie Watkins partnership - Sky Sports journalist
Unai Emery’s need for attacking reinforcements this summer has been well documented, with an eye-catching reunion with Tammy Abraham possibly the key piece of the puzzle at Aston Villa.
The Villans signed Colombian teenager Jhon Duran in the January transfer window as a long-term prospect at Villa Park but otherwise remained reluctant to sign any more attacking personnel.
Earlier this month (2 March), iNews reported that Aston Villa and Everton were interested in signing Roma forward Abraham this summer after having approaches turned down in the winter window.
The Italian side have slapped a hefty £67m price tag on the former Villa loanee – a figure that is the value of Chelsea’s buy-back clause for the striker.
Abraham, who scored 26 goals in 40 appearances during his profitable loan spell at the club, has been working under the careful eye of Jose Mourinho at Roma over the past 18 months, where it is thought he has developed his all-round game significantly.
The potential of a marquee signing in Abraham’s ilk will leave chins wagging among the Villa fanbase, who had to sit patiently in January and watch other Premier League rivals go out and sign their number-one targets.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Sky Sports and The Athletic’s Dan Bardell admitted that a front two of Watkins and Abraham would be a tasty prospect under Emery, whose side have nonetheless scored in all 14 games since his arrival.
“I would take him back in a heartbeat,” he said. “He’s a clinical finisher. Watkins’ finishing has been amazing in the last month or so, but Abraham, I would describe as a clinical finisher.
“Emery talks a lot about keeping Watkins in the penalty area and that’s where he has been getting the majority of his goals, but that is Abraham’s game.
“I think Watkins is a very capable player and has more to his game than just staying centrally in the penalty area. If you look at Leon Bailey, who is playing up top, you know that second forward is expected to drift wide, so I think Watkins could do that.
“I also think him and Abraham would be a really tasty strike partnership, with Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer there as well, suddenly you’re looking at a side full of goals.
“I think Abraham would come back as well. If we had him and Watkins, there would be a great chance we could push for top-six or top-eight next season.”
Although Aston Villa currently sit a mere four points from Liverpool in sixth place in the Premier League, the club’s lack of scoring options remains a problem.
Away from Watkins, only four players have scored more than one goal for the club this season. Emi Buendia has netted five goals, Leon Bailey four times, and midfield duo Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey three times apiece.
Villa are crying out for an alternative attacking option next season, and Abraham ticks all the right boxes.
In other Aston Villa news, the club should cash in on an academy loanee as European interest emerges this week.