Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa has emerged as a January target for Championship promotion pushers Aston Villa.
What type of striker do Aston Villa need in January? A highly-rated youngster with a point to prove in senior football, a la Swansea City’s Under-23 hotshot Oli McBurnie?
Or an experienced Championship goalscorer who has a track record in the second tier? Well, it appears that Steve Bruce is edging towards the latter.
The Birmingham Mail claim that the Aston Villa boss is eying a January move for Bournemouth’s Lewis Grabban, who has 11 goals in 17 games on loan at Sunderland this season. Meanwhile, Burnley’s injury-hit forgotten man Nahki Wells and Leicester City outcast Leonardo Ulloa are also on the manager’s shortlist.
And, of the three, it appears that Ulloa would be the most popular addition among the Aston Villa fanbase. The powerful Argentine targetman has barely featured for Leicester in 2017 and has played just one minute of Premier League football all season.
After failing to secure an escape from the King Power in the last two transfer windows, Ulloa is surely likely to try and force an exit once again in the New Year.
And while an Aston Villa side restricted by Financial Fair Play couldn’t afford to sign the 31-year-old permanently, a short-term loan deal could be an inspired move.
Ulloa scored 23 goals in 50 Championship games across two seasons at Brighton. And in the injury-enforced absence of Jonathan Kodjia, could he score the goals to fire Villa back to the Premier League?
The supporters seem to think so.
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