Setting their sights on weakening their top four rivals ahead of next season, Aston Villa are now reportedly seriously interested in signing an attacking star who has already scored at Villa Park before.
Aston Villa still reeling from UCL disappointment
11 days on from their defeat against Manchester United which cost them Champions League qualification, Aston Villa will still be collecting themselves and wondering what might have been. Their first reaction, of course, was anger directed at PGMOL and referee Thomas Bramall. Those in the Midlands took aim at the decision to use the 35-year-old in such an important game after Morgan Rodgers’ effort was controversially ruled out.
The Villans released a statement on the matter not long after their fate was confirmed at Old Trafford, which read in part: “Aston Villa can confirm the club has written to the PGMOL to raise concerns over the selection process of match officials following today’s game with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
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“With such high stakes surrounding today’s fixture, the club believe a more experienced referee should have been appointed. Of the 10 referees to officiate across the Premier League today, Mr. Bramall was the second least experienced.
“The decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, which would have given the club a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the match, was a major contributing factor to the club not qualifying for the Champions League.”
11 days on, that anger may have turned into major disappointment, but Villa must simply move on and turn their focus towards the transfer market. Already, their sporting director, Monchi, has reportedly set his sights on the likes of Lucas Chevalier and even a Premier League rival in a bid to improve Unai Emery’s side and weaken another.
Aston Villa seriously interested in Jackson
According to Simon Phillips, Aston Villa are now seriously interested in signing Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea this summer and face competition from the likes of Atletico Madrid in pursuit of the forward’s signature.
Having lost Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, the Villans have been without a natural backup for Ollie Watkins for the last six months but could finally solve that problem when the summer arrives. Villa Park have already had a glimpse of Jackson’s goalscoring prowess too, given that he scored at Villa Park in Chelsea’s 3-1 FA Cup win in the 2023/24 campaign.
The Senegal international has shown signs of his quality since then in the 2024/25 season, in which he scored 13 goals in all competitions and earned impressive praise from Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
The Italian told reporters in November: “He is doing very well with us. Since we started, he has been open minded in what we ask him, and sometimes we require different things from him.
“He’s has an open mind and wants to learn and he’s doing very well, not just in goals and assists, but also the way he works off the ball. The way he presses, he is always aggressive and we are very happy.”
