Aston Villa are reportedly close to the signing of Galatasaray attacker Nicolo Zaniolo in a loan-to-buy deal that could cost a huge £23.2m – and Villa landing the Italian who was linked with Leeds, might help us sign Cameron Archer.
Zaniolo is a name that will be familiar to Leeds fans, after the Whites submitted an offer for the Italy star in January, while he was still at Roma. A move failed on deadline day. Instead, he moved to Turkey from Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
But after just six months with Galatasaray, Unai Emery is closing in on a move. Fabrizio Romano reports that Villa will sign him on a loan-to-buy deal, a package that in total is worth £23.2m. It bolsters Villa’s already impressive attack.
Meanwhile, Archer was an unused sub on Saturday evening as Newcastle smashed Villa on Tyneside, winning 5-1. So, if Archer is already struggling to get off the bench, signing Zaniolo will only hamper his chances of game time.
Ben Jacobs, a transfer expert for CBS, told Give Me Sport this week that Villa have put Archer up for sale and both Leeds and Middlesbrough are interested. It is unclear how much Villa would want for the England Under-21 striker.
Aston Villa signing Nicolo Zaniolo may help Leeds sign Cameron Archer
Villa were obviously planning to sell Archer but given he was on the bench against Newcastle, he was still a part of Emery’s side. To sell him, Villa needed to replace him. That looks as though it is about to happen, in signing Zaniolo.
Archer would be a wonderful addition. In his two half-season loan spells at Preston and Middlesbrough, he has 18 goals in in 40 games in the second tier of English football. He is just what Leeds need, but clubs will be interested.
But it is without doubt that as Villa close in on the addition of Zaniolo, Archer will now be allowed to leave Villa and Leeds have got to move quickly to bring him in. It might be that he even has Premier League clubs after him.
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