Aston Villa have managed to move ahead of both Arsenal and Manchester City for one of their transfer targets, it has been reported, after Unai Emery and NSWE opted to match the £25m asking price for an exciting young defender.
Villa planning for Champions League despite recent stumble
Aston Villa have enjoyed a fantastic campaign to date, and it will be considered a success no matter what happens in the final days of the season. However, Emery's side are just beginning to tail off in the Premier League, and face their toughest games to date in the coming weeks as they take on high-flying Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Conference League.
With just one win in their last five Premier League games, the Midlands outfit have dropped below Tottenham and into fifth, while Ange Postecoglou's side have a game in hand to stretch that gap further in the final run in.
Fortunately, Champions League football is all but secured for next season, with Manchester United a massive 11 points behind Villa. Even with a game in hand, the gap looks too big to bridge for a side in similarly ropey form, and fifth spot should get the job done with England set to win the UEFA coefficient race.
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With seven players currently out injured, it is clear that Emery's squad will need bolstering for the new season, especially should they wish to perform in the newly-structured Champions League alongside the Premier League, which will see players forced to play even more games than this time around.
Emery and Villa already appear to be planning for that eventuality and will be keen to do their business early. To that end, they may have just landed their first deal.
Kadioglu Villa bound after fee agreed this week
That comes in the shape of rampaging full-back Ferdi Kadioglu, who Villa are now reportedly in the driving seat for and have even agreed a deal to take him to the Midlands. The Fenerbahçe star was subject to interest from both Arsenal and Manchester City in recent transfer windows, but ultimately has stayed in Turkey.
Now, that seems set to change. As per a report from Turkish outlet Aksam, Kadioglu has already "said goodbye" to Fenerbahce ahead of move to Aston Villa, which has come about largely because Unai Emery's "insistence" to sign the player.
Kadioglu in 23/24 Super Lig
Apps
30
Goals
1
Assists
3
Tackles won (per 90)
1.37
Shots on target (per 90)
0.80
Crosses (per 90)
2.13
Yellow Cards
3
They add that the transfer is "expected to become official in the summer", with Villa having agreed to pay the 30m euros "requested by Fenerbahce", a sum which makes Kadioglu the joint-record sale in Super Lig history (alongside Sacha Boey's move to Bayern Munich in January).
Dubbed a "future superstar" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kadioglu has already gone about realising that potential. The 24-year-old can play on either side of defence and has missed just two minutes of action for Fenerbahce this season when fit, helping them challenge for the title in Turkey.
Currently earning £48,000 per week, he is likely set for a sizeable increase to that if and when he makes the move to the Midlands this summer, and could well see a change of position from his usual left-back berth under Emery, with Alex Moreno already a strong option on that side.