Aston Villa prepare to make bid for new Rashford to sign for £0

Aston Villa will go into the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night slightly bruised by Fulham’s ordeal in the Premier League.

The Cottage’s only had one shot on target all game, with Unai Emery’s side well off the standards that saw them score eight goals at home at Villa Park versus Sunderland and Bologna, overcoming a disappointing 1-0 defeat.

Thankfully, the Villans will soon arrive in Nottingham for the first leg, as they take on fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest at the City Ground with a chance of making it to the coveted Europa League final.

They sit comfortably in fifth place in the league table, and there is no doubt that Villa fans are already turning their attention to the summer in terms of a move to the West Midlands.

Aston Villa joins lineup on free transfer

Brighton & Hove Albion currently sit sixth in the table with 50 points, so barring a dramatic collapse, Emery’s side should qualify for the Champions League by the end of the season. Of course, there is also the route of winning the Europa League final.

But winning a spot around this special table doesn’t seem to be enough to keep Morgan Rogers at Villa Park. The West Midlands giants have a huge list of midfield targets involved.

Curtis Jones is said to be being looked at by Villa, with the born-and-bred Scouser considering a move away from Liverpool, while a free transfer for Harry Wilson, who scored in Fulham’s 1-0 win at Craven Cottage, is being discussed on a free transfer.

In addition to Wilson potentially joining on a free transfer, new reports from Germany suggest that the Europa League semi-finalists could once again sign Borussia Dortmund attacker Julian Brandt on a free transfer at the end of the season, with Brandt confirmed to be leaving Dortmund when his contract expires.

Emery is said to have praised the German’s versatile nature in the forward position, and with Newcastle United also interested, Villa are seen to have the upper hand in any race going forward. Both Premier League sides are said to be preparing “aggressive” bids for the player.

How Brunt can become Rashford 2.0

The Spaniard could be looking to land the next Marcus Rashford by making a shrewd move on Brunt. There are similarities, too, as the Bremen-born playmaker was once a remarkable youngster, much like Barcelona’s current attacker.

Rashford joined Emery’s ranks last season on a short-term loan deal from Manchester United and quickly attracted attention at Villa Park with the 28-year-old forward in desperate need of a confidence boost, and he got just that after opening Villa’s account in the Premier League with a breakaway strike.

He never looked back from that point on, racking up three more goals and six assists in just 17 games. If there is another surprise move, Brunt’s arrival will be expected to immediately ignite Villa’s first-team ranks.

In the past, it would have been seen as absurd to sign Brunt’s players at Villa Park in the same way as Rashford. This is because when he was manager of Liverpool in 2017, Jurgen Klopp, who is said to be a big fan, was trying to push through a contract with the German player in an effort to acquire Mohamed Salah.

His time in the Premier League spotlight may finally have arrived. His 303-game stay at Dortmund is coming to an end and the 29-year-old playmaker will soon forget his long association with the black-and-yellow finish in hopes of success in England.

Rashford himself needed a reprieve at Villa when his playing days at Old Trafford disintegrated, but the 48-time Germany international is second only to his 57 goals and 69 assists at Signal Iduna Park, 14 of which have come this season, and it’s clear he’s not a struggling professional. It’s no wonder that European soccer expert Zac Lowy has described him as “one of Europe’s most exciting talents”.

He should therefore be able to excel in the Champions League, scoring nine goals in total, just like the Manchester-born player, and if he can get there, he could also help Villa’s chances of success in Europe’s elite competition.

He also has the ability to play on the wing or in midfield, like Rashford, and has all the ingredients to be a fantastic free transfer signing. “Easy” Midfielder – A potential fan favorite from the start, as once labeled by scout Antonio Mango.