Aston Villa face competition for Pedro Goncalves signing as Premier League interest emerges
Aston Villa are not the only Premier League side interested in Sporting CP forward Pedro Goncalves as West Ham United continue to monitor developments, according to O Jogo.
The Portuguese news outlet reported on Saturday [9 November] via its website, that West Ham scouts were also in attendance, alongside Villa, keeping tabs on the forward in Sporting’s 4-1 win against Manchester City.
Goncalves has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League and with Aston Villa now ready to pursue a transfer in January [A Bola], the race for his signature is underway.
Aston Villa must move fast to secure Pedro Goncalves signing
The 26-year-old has established himself as a standout star in the Primeira Liga under new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim and looks destined to follow his former mentor to England.
However, while the Villans have been monitoring the forward in Portugal, his stellar form has attracted further Premier League interest – Monchi will have to move fast to land his man.
Goncalves will undoubtedly see his stock soar after his stellar performance against the reigning Premier League holders in the Champions League, assisting Maximiliano Araujo on the way to one of the shock results of the campaign.
He has consistently surpassed 20 goal contributions for Sporting throughout his four-year tenure and is well on track to match this feat for a fifth successive term with five goals and six assists in 11 outings across all competitions.
While the Portuguese side is willing to sanction a sale for a fee lower than his £66m release clause, the mounting interest in East London poses a fresh hurdle to overcome should Villa push for a January transfer.
Unai Emery’s side is by far the more attractive footballing project of the two sides, with Champions League football to match, however, the allure of the capital city can never be overlooked when recruiting overseas talent.
Therefore, Aston Villa should not waste time with negotiations and activate the release clause to blow West Ham out of the water – David Sullivan’s pockets will be near empty after an extensive squad overhaul this summer.
In other Aston Villa news, Arsenal have revealed their stance on Jhon Duran ahead of a potential Villa exit.
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