Report: Aston Villa’s pursuit of Leicester City’s Leonardo Ulloa could drag on

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Leicester City will only let Leonardo Ulloa join Championship giants Aston Villa if Islam Slimani doesn’t join Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

Will Leonardo Ulloa be an Aston Villa player this month? Manager Steve Bruce might have hoped to find out by now but, with just one week to go until the end of the transfer window, his top target is still stuck at Leicester City.

The Birmingham Mail reported back in December that Bruce was hoping to bring the out-of-favour Argentine to Villa Park in January. But Financial Fair Play restrictions mean Villa only have a chance of signing Ulloa if Leicester agree to let him leave on loan.

And while the striker has played just 19 minutes of Premier League football in 2017/18, there is a chance that he could be forced to stay at the King Power until the end of the season.

Because the Birmingham Mail reports that Islam Slimani is also being targeted this month and Leicester do not want to lose two strikers in the same transfer window.

Newcastle United are very interested in signing the Algerian international striker but, per the Northern Echo, are being a little put off by Leicester’s £20 million price-tag.

As such, with Newcastle dragging their feet somewhat, Villa cannot get a deal for Ulloa done until it is confirmed that Slimani will be staying with the 2016 Premier League champions.

It is understood that Aston Villa expect a deal for Ulloa to go right down to the wire.

And, if the former Brighton striker is blocked from moving to the Midlands, the report adds that Villa will then turn their attention to Burnley’s £5m forgotten man Nahki Wells.