According to a recent report by Birmingham Live, Premier League strugglers Aston Villa are being linked with a flurry of striking options, owing largely to the injury picked up by their big-money summer signing Wesley. The Brazilian became the Villans’ record signing when they acquired him in the summer, but the news of an injury that is set to keep him out for the rest of the campaign is sure to have come as a gutting blow to Dean Smith and the rest of the squad.
The report suggests that the Villans have been on the lookout for proven attacking talents, who can lead the line while also consistently getting the goals for his side. It has been suggested that the likes of Christian Benteke, Krzysztof Piatek, Fernando Llorente, Glen Murray, Eddie Nketiah and Islam Slimani have all been linked with a move to Villa Park during the January transfer window.
What Kind Of Striker Do Aston Villa Really Need?
Villa’s acquisition of Wesley should be considered as the standard for any further transfers, and that means that they could be on the search for a proper target man. Kienan Davis and Jonathan Kodjia have been their back-up options, and neither has been able to step up to the plate because of injuries and contract situation respectively.
Finding a big and physical striker who can lead the line, and in turn, create spaces for the likes of Jack Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi to run into will be the ideal striker for Dean Smith’s men. Easier said than done, but let’s give this a shot.
Let’s assess the three players that Aston Villa should prioritise:
Islam Slimani
The former Newcastle United man had a largely unsuccessful stint in the Premier League but is still on loan at Monaco from Leicester City. This means that the Villans could talk directly with the Foxes about a potential move.
The Algerian veteran is a proven entity in the European game, and he has always boasted a decent goalscoring rate as well. He first rose to fame after scoring 57 goals in a little over 100 fixtures for Sporting CP in the Liga NOS and is undoubtedly capable of replicating that form once again in the Premier League.
Krzysztof Piatek
The Polish attacker is guaranteed to be Dean Smith’s ideal option from the aforementioned list, but this one does seem like a long shot. The AC Milan striker had been linked with moves to some of the biggest teams in the continent after the season he had last year.
This time around though, the goals seem to have dried up, and the number of potential suitors has begun to dwindle as well. The 24-year-old has been on Spurs’ radar for the longest time now, and if the Villans can get this deal done from under their noses, it would be a massive coup indeed.
Christian Benteke
The Belgian striker has a legacy of bad seasons in the Premier League but could find his ideal home in the form of Villa Park. The Villans have usually relied on big strikers to get their goals, and signing a player of Benteke’s attacking pedigree would surely be a step in the right direction. Barring his occasional blips, the Belgian international is a proven Premier League star and could be an excellent short-term option for Dean Smith to consider.
