Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Charlton Athletic midfielder Joe Aribo, according to The Sun.
The national newspaper claim that the Villans have jumped to the front of the queue when it comes to signing the 22-year-old whose contract is set to expire in the summer.
The Sun report that the Addicks are unlikely to hold onto Aribo even if they win promotion to the Championship and that the likes of Rangers, Celtic and Manchester City have all been linked to the central midfielder recently.
Good move for Villa?
Yes. Aribo looks to be a player with a bright future as he has wowed for Charlton this season.
The 22-year-old has scored 10 goals and assisted five in his 38 appearances and he has played a major role in helping Lee Bowyer’s side reach the play-off finals.
Also when you consider that Aribo will be cheap to sign, given that he is due to be out of contract shortly, then the Villans could grab themselves a bargain.
This is especially the case when you consider that he is only 22-years-old and is destined to get better with the right coaching.
Aribo is the type of player who Aston Villa should snap up regardless of whether they end up in the Premier League or Championship due to his potential.
This Is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
Yes.
The Sun have claimed the Villans are leading the race for a reason and this isn’t the first time Dean Smith’s side have been linked to the 22-year-old.
Football League World previously reported that the Villans were keen on Aribo and that they were planning on sending scouts to watch him play Sunderland on Sunday.
So if you take both reports into account, if the midfielder impresses on Sunday then he could soon be rocking up at Villa Park as Smith’s team are clearly keen.
This Is Futbol rating: 7/10