Heart of the Holte presenter Dan Morgan has admitted he is excited by the recent reports linking Aston Villa with a move for 18-year-old Metz prodigy Pape Sarr.
The Senegalese youngster, who primarily operates at the base of Metz’s midfield, has been linked with a switch to the Premier League as Villa seek summer reinforcements.
Morgan, who admitted he didn’t know too much about the midfielder until recently, believes Sarr can help take Dean Smith’s side to the next level as they look to improve on last season’s 11th-place finish.
Speaking on the Heart of the Holte podcast, Morgan had this to say on the potential arrival of Sarr:
“Pape Matar Sarr – this one’s exciting.
“This guy’s only 18 years old, he’s played 22 games in Ligue 1 this season for Metz. And he really does look like the kind of signing that can potentially elevate Villa to the next level.
“I don’t think you can argue that you need more backup there, because Douglas [Luiz], I think he has kind of proven he isn’t going to be a 6, he isn’t going to be that kind of midfielder that protects the back four anymore, because I don’t think we can rely on him just yet to do that consistently.”
TIF Thoughts on Pape Sarr’s potential move to Aston Villa…
Sarr enjoyed somewhat of a breakthrough season in France last season, after signing with Metz last September. Being able to rack up 1,593 minutes in the top flight of French football at his age is a clear testament to his ability.
Primarily playing as a defensive midfielder, but also playing in central areas further up the field, Sarr could provide depth and competition to the likes of Douglas Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba.
It would also seem that Sarr has an eye for a goal as he was able to contribute to four goals last season as Metz finished their league season in 10th place.
So you can see where Morgan is coming from, though amid the reported competition for his services, perhaps Villa shouldn’t be getting their hopes up too much at this stage.