Aston Villa, who were promoted to the 2019-20 Premier League season after winning the Championship play-offs, look set to battle another promoted team, Norwich City, for Daniel Opare.
The Ghanaian full-back currently plays for Royal Antwerp in Belgium, but is set to leave the club for as little as £500,000 as Opare has just one year remaining on his current contract, as per the Sun.
The 28-year-old is a right-back who has vast experience, playing for several clubs all across Europe, and was also a part of Real Madrid’s Castilla team between 2008 and 2010.
Daniel Opare – Factfile
Opare has played for Standard Liège, FC Augsburg, and more recently for Antwerp, while also having loan spells with Besiktas and Lens.
The 28-year old was also briefly part of Porto. The Ghanaian’s current deal at the Belgian club expires in 2020 with the club having the option to extend the contract by a year.
Opare has represented the national team on 18 occasions since making his debut back in 2007, and was also a part of the 2014 World Cup squad, playing the first match of the tournament.
What will Opare offer Aston Villa?
Opare is a right-footed right-back who likes to surge forward, using his pace and dribbling skills to good effect on the right flank. A player with incredible stamina and drive, Opare moves up and down the right flank with efficiency, never one to not give it his all on the pitch.
The Ghanaian puts in crosses into the box at every opportunity, but his consistency in his crossing has to improve in the Premier League.
Despite standing at just 5’8″, Opare is a player who can challenge with taller players when the ball is in the air, and has even played occasionally at centre-back. Apart from playing as a right-back Opare can also play as left full-back.
With Alan Hutton set to leave the club on a free transfer, Aston Villa need another right-back to compete with the club’s first-choice right-back Ahmed El Mohamady.
Opare could be the player who might offer stern competition to El Mohamady if he does sign for the club before the 2019-20 Premier League season.