Aston Villa: £52k-a-week striker now unlikely to move to Villa Park | OneFootball

Aston Villa are unlikely to lure Moussa Dembele to Villa Park ahead of the transfer deadline as the Lyon man ‘wants to be playing European club competition football’, journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.

Having already completed the £13.3million capture of Alex Moreno and sealed Jhon Duran’s £18million arrival, Villans head coach Unai Emery has until 11pm tonight to welcome further fresh faces to the Midlands.

Aston Villa transfer news – Moussa Dembele

According to 90min, Villa have opened talks with Dembele’s representatives over a potential move ahead of the January window slamming shut.

The report suggests the Frenchman could sign a pre-contract agreement with the Premier League side after entering the final six months of his £52,000-per-week deal at Lyon, but a mid-season switch has also been explored.

Villa are not Dembele’s only admirers as Southampton had a £3million bid accepted by his Ligue 1 employers leading into deadline day.

Everton, fresh from appointing Sean Dyche as their new manager yesterday, have also turned their attentions towards the striker after missing out on alternative targets.

Meanwhile, Jones has told GiveMeSport that Villa could be tempted to enter the race for Leeds United winger Jack Harrison ahead of the 11pm cut-off.

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What has Dean Jones said about Dembele?

Jones understands that Dembele will not be joining Southampton despite the south coast club having a cut-price fee agreed.

The transfer insider is aware that Villa are also unlikely to seal a deal as they cannot meet the 26-year-old’s aspirations.

Jones told GiveMeSport: “Moussa Dembele continues to be a name that is linked with them.

“Checking out his situation yesterday, he was linked with Southampton. I was told there was pretty much no chance of that one happening and that he would prefer to wait until the summer to make a transfer.

“We know that Moussa Dembele wants to be playing European club competition football, but Aston Villa can’t offer that right now.”

Would Dembele be a good signing for Villa?

Dembele has found the back of the net 139 times over the course of his senior club career, according to Transfermarkt, so there is no doubt that he is prolific.

Although the former Fulham frontman has struggled to rediscover his best form during the current campaign, having only got his name on the scoresheet twice, he has been restricted to just six Ligue 1 starts.

Villa have been left short of attacking options after Danny Ings completed a £15million switch to West Ham United earlier this month, but it could be argued that Dembele would be an upgrade.

That is because FBref statistics show he averages more shots per 90 minutes and has a better pass completion ratio this term.