Championship giants Aston Villa have made a shock move to sign Strasbourg’s Stephane Bahoken on loan for the rest of the season.
It seemed like Aston Villa were going to put all of their efforts into signing Leonardo Ulloa from Leicester City this month.
The Telegraph stated that the Argentine was Steve Bruce’s top target, yet a deal was easier said than done with Financial Fair Play restrictions meaning Villa could only sign the striker if Leicester were willing to let him leave on loan.
So far, however, it is uncertain whether the 31-year-old will be allowed to leave. So it makes sense that Aston Villa have a few alternative targets up their sleeve.
And one of those appears to be Strasbourg’s Stephane Bahoken. Who, you ask?
Well, Bahoken has been on quite the journey with Strasbourg since joining one of France’s most vociferously supported clubs in 2014. The Alsace-based side were in the third tier at the time but now, just three-and-a-half years on, are a top tier club.
And Bahoken heralded their return to Ligue 1 by netting a stunning winner in December’s 2-1 home win against none other than Paris Saint-Germain, bringing a stunning end to Les Parisiens’ unbeaten domestic record in 2017/18.
In total, that superb near post finish against the champions-elect was only the 25-year-old’s third Ligue 1 goal of the season. But it must be pointed out that they have come in just six starts, a record that perhaps explains Villa’s sudden, and unexpected, interest.
But according to Sport.Sfr, Villa are only interested in signing Bahoken on loan until the end of the season. And, considering that he has just six months left on his Strasbourg contract, you wonder how on earth this move would benefit the Ligue 1 side, who are set to lose the striker on a free anyway.
Although if somehow Villa are able to strike a deal, there is the prospect of signing Bahoken on a permanent basis if he continues that impressive goals-to-starts ratio in England.
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