Aston Villa are preparing for life after Youri Tielemans. Manchester United are closing in on the Belgian midfielder after activating the £35 million release clause in his contract.
It leaves Unai Emery facing the task of replacing one of his most influential players from the club’s recent rise. The expected departure comes during a summer of major change at Villa Park.
Villa have already moved quickly to secure Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi after hijacking Newcastle United’s deal for the Switzerland international.
Meanwhile, Amadou Onana a suffered long-term injury at the World Cup. And that has further increased the need for reinforcements in midfield.
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have now accelerated their interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall as one of the leading candidates to replace Tielemans.
The 20-year-old is understood to be keen on leaving north London this summer. His opportunities at Spurs could become increasingly limited following the club’s heavy spending and squad rebuild.
Now, there has been no formal contact between Villa and Tottenham so far. However Tielemans’ move to Old Trafford will likely speed up discussions over a potential transfer.
However, Emery is also looking for a more defensive profile to complement the attacking qualities of Manzambi.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is another player Villa’s recruitment department admire. However, they have not made an approach for the England international.
Tielemans leaves behind a major void in Villa’s midfield after becoming one of the side’s most important figures under Emery.
The Belgian played a crucial role in Villa’s fourth-place Premier League finish and Europa League triumph.
So, replacing Tielemans has become one of the club’s biggest priorities before their return to Champions League football next season.
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