Aston Villa want Borussia Dortmund striker Maximilian Beier | OneFootball

Aston Villa have opened talks with the representatives of Borussia Dortmund striker Maximilian Beier over a summer deal, according to Sky Germany journalist Patrick Berger.

Villa want to strengthen their squad depth in attack and manager Unai Emery is looking to bring the 22-year-old to Villa Park.

The Midlands club are preparing an opening bid worth around £30 million for Beier, and Dortmund are aware of the situation.

The Germany international has turned down a move to Brentford and it is unknown whether joining the Villans appeals to him.

Villa also need to sell key players first before they can buy as they need to remain compliant with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules after UEFA fined them earlier this summer for breaching their financial rules.

They have sold Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United for around £40m, but they have not been able to balance the books, which could make doing a deal for Beier tricky.

Ollie Watkins has been linked with an exit, and they could be open to selling the England international striker if a right bid arrives in the coming days.

The Dortmund star could be a decent addition to their attack after he weighed in with 16 goals and three assists in 33 Bundesliga games while with TSG Hoffenheim in 2023-24.

He ended last term with ten goals and six assists in 46 games, and whether Villa are ready to take a punt on him remains to be seen.

Emery needs at least two top strikers to challenge effectively across all competitions, and he may need to play both together if another arrives to keep them happy.

Beier will not be open to moving to Villa Park if he is not given assurances of regular playing opportunities, and Emery could also struggle to hold on to Watkins for much longer if he keeps spending time on the bench.