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Aston Villa must hijack reported race for El-Mhanni - opinion
COMMENT
Aston Villa fans need all the good news they can get this summer and if the club were to successfully hijack the reported race for Newcastle United winger Yasin Ben El-Mhanni it would be cause for celebration.
As it stands, according to the Birmingham Mail, the club’s perilous financial situation is allowing the Villans to line deals up but not be able to seal them until chairman Tony Xia finds someone to invest in the club.
The newspaper state that technical director Steve Round is still searching for players to sign in this window in order to be ready for when the club’s financial problems are solved.
On his search for new recruits the technical director must have a look at El-Mhanni as he would be the ideal player to recruit this summer.
The 22-year-old right-winger would be an exciting talent who would get supporters up off their seat given his blistering pace and ability to baffle opponents with his tricky feet.
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El-Mhanni would improve the Villans’ current attacking threat while also being a young pair of legs that would add energy to an ageing squad.
Also as the winger is set to depart St James Park when his contract ends later this month then he wouldn’t be a costly signing which will make him a player who could be realistically recruited ahead of the new season.
The Daily Mail previously reported that Watford, Wolves, Leeds United and Sporting Lisbon were all keeping tabs on El-Mhanni but there’s nothing to suggest that the Villans couldn’t convince him that his immediate future is at Villa Park.
While Steve Bruce can’t offer the promising talent Premier League football like Wolves and Watford he will be able to assure him of more first-team opportunities at the Villans than he would receive at those other two clubs.
El-Mhanni has been starved of high-level senior football in his career as he only managed to make two appearances for the Magpies and he will just be eager to find a club that will provide him regular opportunities.
Therefore the Villans should hijack the reported race for his signature as he would be a fantastic bargain signing to make this summer.
In other Aston Villa news, PL giants offer Aston Villa lifeline in £30m deal for 22-year-old star – report.