Aston Villa want James Tarkowski and are ready to blow Premier League rivals Everton out the water while making a £120,000-a-week offer for the Burnley defender, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The twice capped England international came to the conclusion some time ago that he would not be extending his contract at Turf Moor. In fact, he confirmed as much all the way back in November 2020, via The Telegraph.
And after Burnley were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday – Michael Jackson’s side succumbing to the drop on a Thriller final day – Tarkowski is not going to be changing his mind any time soon.
The former Brentford stopper wants to force his way back into Gareth Southgate’s plans ahead of the Qatar World Cup, and joining an ambitious Aston Villa outfit would do his chances no harm at all.
Jack Grealish, Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins have all been handed England call-ups during their time in claret-and-blue after all, while Southgate is also a firm admirer of Ezri Konsa.
Aston Villa battling Everton for Burnley ace James Tarkowski
According to The Mail, an Everton side who survived by the skin of their teeth are willing to hand Tarkowski a £90,000-a-week contract at Goodison Park. But Aston Villa, backed by ambitious, billionaire owners, are set to put a further £30,000 on the table. Such an offer would double the wages Tarkowski earns at Turf Moor.
Should he arrive, Tarkowski would be Villa’s third signing of the summer already. And the second free-agent following ex-Marseille enforcer Boubacar Kamara. Philippe Coutinho has also joined for a cut-price £17 million after a rather hit-and-miss loan spell from Barcelona.
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What’s more, Tarkowski would also become the club’s joint-second highest earner, on just £5,000-a-week less than Coutinho.
Two-footed and a brilliant reader of the game, Tarkowski is one of the finest, natural defenders in the Premier League.
Alongside Kamara, who looks an immediate upgrade on Aston Villa’s other options in the number six position, Tarkowski would help solidify an error-prone backline that conceded more goals than relegated Burnley in 2021/22.
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