OPINION
Aston Villa fans should be alarmed with the suggestion that Tammy Abraham could join Wolves during the summer transfer window from former Leeds United striker and pundit Noel Whelan.
Abraham has been one of Aston Villa’s most consistent performers this season, as Dean Smith’s side secured a fifth place finish in the Championship, before going onto reach the Championship play-off final after beating West Bromwich Albion in the semi-finals.
The Chelsea loanee has scored 26 goals for Aston Villa in the Championship this season, making him Smith’s sides top goal scorer this term, and Villa are thought to be keen on making the striker’s move a permanent one this summer if they earn promotion, with Abraham potentially available for £25million, according to The Telegraph.
However, Wolves were linked with a move for Abraham in the January transfer window, according to BBC Sport, and Whelan has suggested that the 21-year-old could be heading to the Premier League club this summer.
“Tammy Abraham may be going to Wolves as well, and he is an outstanding young striker,” Whelan told the Football Insider.
If that deal happens it would be very disappointing for Villa supporters, with Abraham emerging as a crucial player for Smith’s side throughout the season, the 21-year-old was even one of the few players who performed consistently well during an indifferent opening few months of the campaign which saw Steve Bruce lose his job at Villa Park.
Smith will been keen to keep Abraham next season, especially if his side earn promotion in the Championship play-off final, with the 21-year-old offering a dangerous threat in the penalty area averaging 2.9 shots per 90 minutes this season, 2.1 of which came from inside the box [whoscored.com].
However, it is not just Abraham’s goals coring instincts that would be missed if Villa can not secure a permanent move for the striker, they would also miss his technical ability which allows him to link up with his team-mates, with the 21-year-old making 0.8 key passes and winning 3 successful aerial duels per match this campaign [whoscored.com].
That would make the Englishman a very difficult player to replace irrespective of what league Smith’s side are playing in next season, and his loss would be felt even greater if he was to do as Whelan suggests and move to Aston Villa’s local rivals in Wolves.