Aston Villa have their eyes firmly set on qualifying for the Champions League, but in the background, Unai Emery is planning for next season.
Aston Villa are in control of their destiny in the top-four race as Unai Emery’s men hold a seven-point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur.
Villa can confirm their place in the Champions League for next season if Spurs drop points against Burnley on Saturday, with the Villans hosting Liverpool on Monday night football.
Emery’s side have been hit with a catalogue of injuries this term, including the long-term absentees of Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings.
With the Midlands giants looking to continue their ascent up the European ladder, significant investment will be needed in the transfer window.
Several rumours have circulated Villa Park ahead of a busy summer, with Villa leading the race to sign Crystal Palace star Michael Olise, though the Frenchman isn’t the only player with a Palace connection the club are looking to capture.
Aston Villa want to sign former Crystal Palace winger Wilfred Zaha
According to the Turkish outlet Takvim, Aston Villa have joined fellow Premier League side West Ham in the race to sign Wilfred Zaha.
The 31-year-old currently plays for Galatasaray, where he’s supplied 15 goal contributions in 39 appearances, but the Ivorian reportedly wants to return to England after falling out with head coach Okan Buruk.
Zaha is most known for dazzling defences during his time in the top flight with Crystal Palace, departing South London last year after scoring 68 goals in the competition, including 29 assists.
Villa have been linked with a move for the Ivorian on numerous occasions, partly due to the fact Emery wanted to sign Zaha when he was manager of Arsenal however, they famously signed Nicolas Pepe for £72 million instead.
Unai Emery wanted Wilfred Zaha at Arsenal
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2020, the Spaniard said: “I had a meeting with Zaha, the Palace player. He was the player I wanted because I could see that he won so many games on his own.
“I saw 20 Zaha games, some incredible performances and I told them that this is the player that I want for this team.
“When I spoke to Zaha. I had been with him personally. And he wanted to come.
“But the club decided that Pepe was younger, he was one for the future. I said: ‘yes, but we need to win now and this lad [Zaha] wins games’. He did it to us!”
Should Aston Villa sign Wilfred Zaha?
Everyone who has watched Premier League football across the past decade knows that Zaha can win games single-handedly.
How he penetrated defences with his explosive acceleration and opened his box of tricks was mesmerising to watch at times.
Although he’s now 31-years-old, Villa require players who are capable of performing on the European stage, with Zaha featuring six times in the Champions League this term.
And while his contract isn’t up till 2026, the skilful forward is a weapon that Emery dreams of managing – and that dream could come true as he seeks a return to English shores.
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