Aston Villa are reportedly looking to beat Leeds United to the signing of Hearts teenager James Wilson despite rumours suggesting that the Whites had won the race for the striker.
According to the Daily Mail, Unai Emery’s side are looking to pip their Yorkshire rivals to the 16-year-old’s signature, with the news coming as a potential blow for Leeds, who the Daily Record report were closing in on signing Wilson in a £120,000 deal.
Named as the Hearts Academy Player of the Season, Wilson is regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Scotland, with Premier League clubs now turning to their northern neighbours for some of the best youngsters coming through amid tighter rules on signing prospects from the continent.
And Wilson appears to be the next Scottish wonderkid who will be making their way down south, though the question now remains whether the striker will choose to sign for Emery’s high-flying Villa or Leeds, who could find themselves back in the Championship next season.
Indeed, with Manchester United and Rangers also eyeing Wilson, the race to land the teenage forward is beginning to hot up, though with this latest update, it appears that Villa are firmly in the driving seat to beat the likes of Leeds to the youngster before the summer window opens.
Moreover, with Villa one of the best clubs in England for emerging young players to develop their talents, Wilson could be convinced to join the Villa Park side, especially with Emery a keen advocate of promoting youth players, with the Spaniard handing Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe their debuts at Arsenal.
James Wilson will have to choose wisely between Villa and Leeds
Premier League interest at such a young age is a testament to Wilson’s quality and potential, yet for the Scottish prospect, the decision to sign for either Leeds or Villa will be a tough one to make based on how good both teams are at handing opportunities to talents from the academy.
Whilst Emery’s track record is incredible, Leeds could also be appealing based on their potential Championship status as well as their willingness to hand opportunities to players who are clearly good enough for the senior squad, something that Wilson could easily reach in the coming years.
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