According to the latest reports from TalkSport, Aston Villa are in the race to sign Maritimo’s midfield ace Josip Vukovic. The Croatian is said to be keen on a move to England as he has reportedly rejected moves to Benfica, Lille and an unnamed Russian club. Along with the Villans, Leeds United and Southampton are also said to be interested in Vukovic.
The 27-year-old is being valued at £1.5m, so he isn’t going to cost a bomb for any club looking to sign him. The midfielder drew interest from Chelsea a few months ago, and the likes of Watford, Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers scouted him for a while.
Aston Villa have completed a whole host of signings in this window, and it seems like Dean Smith is still keen to add more options. Vukovic is a defensive midfield by trade. The Villans recently completed the signing of Douglas Luiz from Manchester City who is seen as a defensive midfield option for the next season.
The club lost Mile Jedinak and Glen Whelan this summer as their contracts had expired. Smith looked keen to bring in Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips as well, but the Yorkshire outfit played hardball by demanding £30m for him. It seems like the boss is still keen on adding another option for that role despite the signing of Luiz.
What can Vukovic bring to the table?
The Croatian is a typical midfield disruptor. Vukovic is reliable and robust, and he would be tough to outmuscle, given his strength and physicality. He is known for making well-timed tackles and interceptions. However, the midfielder is more than a disruptor as he has impressive on the ball qualities as well. The 27-year-old can form a good base of attack, and he can dictate play from deep areas.
Should Villa go for him?
For the quoted price, he looks like a bargain to us. However, it would be tough to say how he would go about his business in the Premier League as he is yet to be tested at a high level. So far Vukovic has played his football in Croatia, Bosnia, Ukraine and Portugal.
Therefore the Premier League could be a real step up for him, and it would be interesting to see whether he would be able to adapt to the new league. In terms of ability, he can thrive in the Premier League, and he is definitely worth considering as a back option to someone like Luiz.
