According to the reports from Turkish media outlet Aksam, Aston Villa are set to bid for Galatasaray’s star forward Mbaye Diagne. The report mentions that the newly-promoted Premier League club are set to offer £11m for the striker. The striker had joined Galatasaray in January after his impressive form for Kasimpasa caught their eye.
The 27-year-old forward scored 31 goals and provided with four assists in all competitions while playing for both Kasimpasa and Galatasaray. The 6ft3 striker is also a nine times Senegal international and was a part of the squad which reached the Africa Cup of Nations final recently.
With just a few hours remaining in the transfer window, Villa would need to move in quick if they want to wrap this deal. Smith has also indicated recently that even after spending close to £120m, the club is still looking to do some last-minute business in the window. He said, (Birmingham Mail), ”We’re still looking, we’re always open.”
”We’ve got some players we like, but everything has to line up I think for that to happen. There are still some areas where you feel we can strengthen, but there’s a competitive edge around training at the moment because there’s competition for places in all positions.”
Does Villa need someone like Diagne?
The club spent big money on Wesley Moraes earlier who is likely going to be the first choice striker for the next season. However, the drop in quality after that is a bit staggering as Smith has Jonathan Kodjia, Scott Hogan and Keinan Davis as potential replacements for Moraes. The latter two are unlikely to get much game time, and the club might feel that they are not of Premier League quality.
Therefore Smith might think that he only has Moraes and Kodjia as the two plausible options, so he probably wants to add one more quality forward into the squad by bringing in Diagne.
What is Diagne known for?
The striker has been scoring goals for fun in Turkish top division as he has 42 goals to his name in 46 Super Lig appearances. At one point, he averaged more than a goal per game for Kasimpasa. The striker is a targetman as he is strong and robust and can hold up play well.
However, he can score all kinds of goals, and he is not just a mere poacher. The Premier League would be a step up for him, but Diagne has the raw ingredients to thrive at this level.
