According to reports in Spain as cited by Birmingham Live, Aston Villa could hijack a move for Valencia’s target Rafael Leao. The Lille striker is also linked with a move to Everton. Leao is considered as one of the most promising young talents to come out of Portugal in the last few years. Many have even dubbed him as the Portuguese Mbappe.
The forward scored eight goals in Ligue 1 last season. Lille signed him from Sporting CP in the summer of 2018, and after just one season, he is now being linked with a move away from the club. Lille had a fantastic season in Ligue 1 as they finished second in the last campaign.
The Portuguese u-21 international was signed by the French club on a free transfer last summer, so they stand a chance to make a massive profit on the 20-year-old. The reported fee to sign Leao away is said to be €30m. Aston Villa have already shown their ambition in the transfer market as they broke their record by signing Wesley Moraes. They will again have to break their transfer record if they match Lille’s valuation for the player.
Does Villa need someone like Leao?
When a talent like Leao is available in the market, then most of the clubs around with money in their pocket would want to get a deal done for him. Dean Smith might be keen to add one more standout forward after the signing of Moraes. However, someone like Jonathan Kodjia would feel hard done by if another new striker comes in the summer.
However, the advantage of signing Leao is that he can play on the left flank as well and maybe Smith can even try playing Moraes and Leao together up front, with Leao being in a secondary striker role.
What will Leao bring to the table at Villa Park?
Leao will be classified as a work in progress as he is yet to reach his true potential. The Portuguese has impressive pace and dribbling skills. However, what makes him really stand out is his strength on the ball. The 20-year-old could be a tough guy to get off the ball when running at full tilt, and he would draw a lot of fouls.
He can improve on his decision making and picking the right ball in the final third. That thing usually comes with more experience and game time. Leao has the potential to produce a moment of magic now and then, but he needs to be moulded and used carefully at this stage. We think that he could be an impact player who would take on defenders. When on a song, he can be a game changer for Smith.
