Aston Villa have launched a bid to sign Mansfield Town winger CJ Hamilton as they look to beat West Brom to his signature, according to Football Insider.
The reliable site claim Dean Smith’s side sent scouts to watch Hamilton in League Two action against Crawley Town on Tuesday night as they prepare to make a formal move for him.
Football Insider report Hamilton “is regarded as one of the most exciting attackers in the Football League” and has already been the subject of approaches from West Brom and Preston North End.
Good move for Villa?
Hamilton has rebuilt his career at Mansfield since signing on a free transfer from Sheffield United in the summer of 2016. The attacker, who can play anywhere across the front line, has had the best season of his career, scoring seven goals and supplying seven assists from 31 matches in all competitions. He has been integral to Mansfield’s promotion bid, with his pace and skill on the flanks proving a huge thorn in opposition defences. Is he ready to make the step up to the Championship? The jury is out on that one, although Leeds United’s Kemar Roofe is proof of how attacking players can thrive in the second tier after leapfrogging two divisions.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10
Likely to happen?
There is significant competition for Hamilton’s signature, and West Brom have the benefit of being a well-run club with the Premier League parachute payments assisting their January efforts. Villa are an attractive proposition for any League Two player and much depends on how persuasive they are to the 23-year-old.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10