After reaching an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans, Aston Villa have been linked to another Premier League ace as the transfer window officially opens.
Unai Emery is expected to be joined by Sevilla sporting director Monchi according to reports, with a busy summer proposed at Villa Park.
What’s the latest on Brennan Johnson to Aston Villa?
As reported by the Daily Mail, Aston Villa have been mentioned as one of the clubs interested in Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson.
In a separate report, the same outlet also claimed that Forest will require a price of £40m to allow their star to leave this summer.
What could Brennan Johnson offer Aston Villa?
Once hailed as “fantastic” by manager Steve Cooper, Forest will not want to see their midfielder depart this summer considering the influence he’s had on the club’s rise to the Premier League.
The 22-year-old scored 18 goals in Forest’s promotion season in the Championship, including two goals in the playoffs to write himself into the club’s folklore for this spell in the English top-flight.
Deployed primarily as an attacking midfielder, the Welshman is versatile in his positioning in attack and with lightning-quick pace he could fit comfortably in Emery’s free-flowing system in the middle of the park.
Named as the “fastest player in the Premier League” by journalist Sheldon Miller, the Spaniard could have a gem in his arsenal if Villa can strike a deal to sign the budding talent.
Emery has his own midfield mastery in Emi Buendia and soon-to-arrive Tielemans, however, the young Welshman could find himself higher in the pecking order than the Argentinian if he arrives at Villa Park.
Despite lighting up the Championship, the former Norwich City dynamo is yet to show his magic in the Midlands to full effect, which could see him fall out of favour with new recruits set to arrive this summer.
Johnson could capitalise on Buendia’s struggle to emulate his Championship form, with statistics highlighting that the Welshman has performed better than the Villa man this season.
Having appeared in all of Forest’s league games this term, the 22-year-old scored eight goals and registered three assists, making a considerably higher contribution than the 26-year-old who scored five and assisted two in claret and blue.
With Villa soaring to a seventh-place finish, the side was ticking under Emery, however, Johnson still proved to be more effective than Buendia in a less superior relegation-medaling Forest side.
The 22-year-old averaged 2.70 progressive carries per 90 to the Argentine’s 2.24, showing his desire to push the ball upfield and his direct style of play, which would be perfect in the Spaniard’s system.
Understandably Forest are reluctant to let their “unbelievable” homegrown talent depart – as dubbed by Wales manager Rob Page – but for the right price, there remains a possibility that Johnson could relocate in the Midlands this summer.