Aston Villa’s Ibrahim Sangare decision is obvious amid £43m links – here’s why
Aston Villa reportedly have eyes on Nottingham Forest’s midfield star Ibrahim Sangare.
That’s according to a report from CaughtOffside, who claim that Man United are preparing a major summer transfer swoop for Sangare.
It’s also claimed that Aston Villa and West Ham are also tracking his situation at Forest, whilst Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also been credited with an interest in the past.
The report suggests any deal for the 28-year-old could be worth up to £43million, with Sangare enjoying his best season in a Forest shirt this term since signing from PSV in the summer of 2023.
Aston Villa have cheaper alternative to Ibrahim Sangare
Unai Emery will be far from happy with what he’s been seeing from his Villa side in recent weeks, as their top four hopes are now in serious danger after no Premier League wins in their last three games.
As such, the Spaniard is sure to be looking for a host of new arrivals at Villa Park this summer, but financial issues and PSR constraints will continue to make spending difficult for the West Midlands outfit.
Therefore, bargain deals and shrewd transfer business is the order of the day for Villa, and Sangare, whilst proving himself to be a quality player in the Premier League, wouldn’t be a cheap signature to acquire.
Douglas Luiz, on the other hand, could end up costing Villa half of what they may have to pay for Sangare, and he’s once again showing that he’s a classy operator in the top flight this term too.
Villa are known to have an option to purchase Luiz permanently from Juventus this summer, which is reported to be around £21.7m.
Not only is he younger than Sangare, but he knows Aston Villa inside out, and has slotted straight back into Emery’s side like he’d never left at all.
Luiz has also produced at Premier League level over the course of a number of seasons now, whereas Sangare’s current two goals and two assists in 21 games this term is his best return since moving to the league in 2023.
April clash could make up Villa’s minds regarding Sangare or Luiz
With this in mind, Aston Villa’s trip to Nottingham Forest on 11 April in the Premier League looks set to have a fascinating Luiz/Sangare subplot to it.
Should both players be fit and in their respective sides’ starting XI’s, then it should give Emery and Villa Park chiefs an ideal opportunity to see how the Forest man compares to their number 21.
If Sangare runs the show and wins the battle in central midfield against Luiz, then they may well have to seriously consider whether he might be the better option after all.
However, should Luiz get the better of Sangare, then that would likely reaffirm to them that signing him permanently is the smarter thing to do, thus possibly ruling out a summer move for the Forest star in the process.
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