Aston Villa step up striker hunt after agreeing £25million sale
Villa are continuing to explore a move for Tammy Abraham after agreeing to sell Donyell Malen to Roma in a deal worth £25million.
Malen was due to arrive in Italy on Wednesday night ahead of completing his move, a year to the day since joining Villa from Borussia Dortmund.
The 26-year-old will initially join the Serie A club on loan until the end of the season for a £2m fee, with a £25m obligation to buy at the end of the season.
Malen scored 10 goals in 46 appearances for Villa and was one of only three players to feature in every match this season.
But the Netherlands international started only 14 times for Unai Emery’s team, with the Villa boss happy to let him leave in order to seek more playing time.
Villa will now look to bring in an attacking replacement, with Abraham near the top of their list.
The 28-year-old remains a cult hero at Villa Park thanks to the part he played in winning promotion from the Championship while on loan from Chelsea in 2019 and has long been admired by Emery.
Abraham is thought to be open to the move yet his current situation, on loan at Besiktas from Roma, means negotiations may not be straightforward.
Other targets are also being assessed, with reports in Italy claiming Villa have shown an interest in former Everton striker Moise Kean, who is now at Fiorentina.
Villa, who missed out on signing Conor Gallagher earlier this week, may also target another midfielder before the deadline.
The club’s tight position with regard to Uefa’s financial rules means loan recruits remain the most likely.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.