Aston Villa and Rangers are interested in 26-year-old midfielder Josip Vukovic, according to Calciomercato.
The report claims that Lazio are also plotting a move for the Maritimo player who is currently plying his trade in Ligo Nos.
Vukovic is under contract with Maritimo until 2021 but the report claims that he would be available for as little as £770-£860k.
Good move for Aston Villa?
We’ve heard good things about Vukovic, a two-footed defensive minded midfielder at Maritimo. He played for the Croatia Under-19s but never progressed to the senior side and has been a bit of a journeyman since, making the most appearances (29) for Croatian side NK Dugopolje. However, it was reported earlier in the year that Chelsea, Wolves and Leicester were all monitoring the player, and Lazio are now interested. That’s a good calibre of club and if the valuation in Calciomercato is accurate, Vukovic could turn out to be a bargain. However, he hasn’t played at the highest level and would be a gamble in the Premier League. In the Championship, though, he could thrive.
This is Futbol rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
He’s only been with Maritimo for one season and is under contract until 2021. However, Maritimo are struggling and could be tempted to cash in on a player who joined them on a free if the price is right. It doesn’t sound like Aston Villa will have a clear road through to Vukovic though and the Calciomercato report suggests that Lazio could be ready to move first. Villa might well need to reinforce in the middle this summer though, with Glenn Whelan’s contract set to expire and interest expected from the Premier League for Jack Grealish.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10