"Fantastic" £25m star now gives approval to join Aston Villa this month

A “fantastic” £25m star has now given his approval over a move to Aston Villa this month and an official offer is expected soon, according to a report.

Villa keen on signing a new defender

Unai Emery is looking to make some changes to his defence this month, with Diego Carlos now expected to leave, having been deemed surplus to requirements, and the Brazilian is now in talks over a move to Fenerbahce.

Yasin Ozcan is expected to complete a move to Villa Park very soon, but the Turkish defender is only 18-years-old, so Emery is likely to want a more experienced player to be brought in as an immediate replacement for Carlos.

One player who is very high up the Villans’ shortlist is Sevilla’s Loic Bade, with talks recently being opened over a January move, and there has now been a promising update on their pursuit of the defender.

Related

Bigger coup than Malen: Aston Villa remain in the race for £21m “monster”

Aston Villa could soon pick up this in-demand attacker after finally snapping up Donyell Malen.

According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Bade has now given his approval over a move to Villa Park this month, as he is keen on moving to the Premier League, although he will not pressure his current employers into making a sale.

Sevilla are now waiting for Villa to make an offer for the centre-back, which will need to be in the region of €25m – €30m (£21m – £25m) to tempt the La Liga side. However, Monchi is tasked with getting Carlos off the books before making a formal bid for the Sevilla star, which could prove to be a little bit complicated.

The 31-year-old is keen on a return to Spain, but former club Sevilla are deterred by an asking price of €12m (£10m), and would only be willing to take him on loan, meaning a move to Turkey could be a more likely scenario.

Bade could be a real upgrade on Carlos

Carlos has failed to impress in the Premier League, with Steve McManaman blasting the centre-back for “awful” defending against Liverpool earlier this season, so it is no wonder Emery is looking for replacements.

Bade has proven he could be up to the task, having been lauded for his “fantastic” ability in possession of the ball by members of the media, while also receiving praise for his pace.

One of the Frenchman’s finest qualities is his tackling, ranking in the 96th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, while Carlos places in just the 13th percentile on the same metric.

The former Rennes man is also seven years Carlos’ junior at 24, meaning he could be a regular starter for Emery’s side for years to come. Given that a move for Bade will not be possible until the 31-year-old is sold, Villa’s priority now needs to be agreeing a suitable deal with an interested club, but it is promising news that the Sevilla man has now approved the transfer.