Aston Villa are interested in the services of Brentford centre-forward Neal Maupay, it has been claimed by The Sun.
Tammy Abraham, who is on loan from Chelsea, is set to join Wolves and the Villans are considering Maupay as the alternative up front.
Neal Maupay: Player Profile
Maupay came through the youth ranks of French outfit Nice and after representing their senior side, he was signed by Saint-Etienne.
He couldn’t make the Saint-Etienne first team on a regular basis and eventually moved to England in the summer of 2017 to ply his trade for Brentford.
In 24 Championship appearances for Brentford so far this campaign, he has managed to plunder 15 goals and register six assists.
The 22-year-old has represented France’s youth sides and his consistent performances for Brentford have earned him rave reviews.
Aston Villa’s situation and why they need Maupay
Aston Villa are currently tenth in the Championship table and have picked up 38 points from 26 games so far this season.
The Villans have been largely inconsistent, although they have improved to a considerable extent after the appointment of Dean Smith. Five points separate them from the nearest play-off spot.
The race for promotion is heating up and the Lions do need attacking reinforcements if Abraham eventually leaves the Villa Park.
While Scott Hogan, Keinan Davis and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy have been on the fringes, Jonathan Kodjia is the only other recognised striker and therefore, signing a new forward is imperative.
Maupay’s pace and acceleration mean he can be a good player on the break or make those runs in behind the defence. The Frenchman is clever with his movement and is a clinical poacher inside the box.
The 22-year old not only scores goals but also creates ample amount of goal-scoring chances for his teammates. His dribbling skills are exemplary and he has the know-how to take on defenders and beat them with his neat footwork.
The second half of the season will be key for Villa and if they can keep up their improved form under Smith, they are likely to make it to the playoff spots.
Villa need to back Smith a new forward though as Abraham’s departure is likely to be felt in the squad