Aston Villa triumphed in the Championship play-offs after defeating Derby County in the final, will play in the Premier League next season.
To succeed and survive in the Premier League, all clubs need a top centre-forward who can score 15+ goals and stave off relegation.
Villa have been linked to a player who could do exactly the same. The English side are reportedly interested in signing Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gómez, according to reports from Spain (via Birmingham Mail).
Ney Castillo, the chairman of Gomez’s first club Defensor Sporting, recently revealed that Villa are one of the clubs that are interested in signing Gomez.
Maxi Gomez – Profile
Gomez has impressed in the two seasons that he has played in La Liga with Celta, scoring 30 goals over the course of both seasons.
Celta are reportedly holding out for an offer of around £35 million for the striker, whose contract with the Spanish club expires in 2022.
Before moving to Spain, Gomez played for Defensor Sporting in Uruguay where his impressive performances led to Celta signing him for around €4.3 million in 2017.
The Uruguay international made his debut for the national team in 2017 and has gone on to make 12 appearances, scoring 2 goals. Many pundits believe that Gomez will be the eventual successor to Luis Suarez in the Uruguayan national team.
A top option but a tad too expensive
Signing a young player like Gomez, who is highly-rated and has the potential to be a superstar, could be a great coup for the Villains.
Gomez is a player who is deadly in the air, scoring several headed goals, thanks to his good leap and 6’1″ frame. The striker is good at holding the ball and creating a yard of space, and is strong with both feet.
The 22-year-old is a good finisher and comes alive inside the penalty box, while he also fends off opposition defenders with ease using his physicality.
While Gomez is a fantastic prospect, spending £35 million on one player, that too a player with no prior Premier League experience, for a side just promoted from the Championship might be a huge gamble.
Villa should pursue the transfer if Celta can reduce their transfer demands to around the £20 million mark and invest in other areas of the pitch.
