Aston Villa reportedly target Abel Hernandez despite Tony Xia’s 2017 pledge

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Aston Villa failed to sign Hull City’s Abel Hernandez for £20m in 2016 but are targeting the Championship striker once again.

Not for the first time, Aston Villa are interested in signing Hull City striker Abel Hernandez.

The Mirror (2^nd May, page 50) reports that Steve Bruce is hoping for a reunion with his former Tigers frontman this summer with the Uruguayan international’s contract at the KCOM Stadium set to come to an end.

But will Bruce face a challenge convincing Aston Villa owner Tony Xia to bring Hernandez to the Midlands?

After all, Xia did say after a move for Hernandez fell through two years ago that he would never again attempt to bring the former Palermo striker to Villa Park.

As reported by Sky Sports in late August 2016, Aston Villa bid a Championship record £20 million to sign Hernandez – only for the deal to fall through at the eleventh hour.

The Birmingham Mail claim that Villa thought they had sealed the transfer but Hernandez and his agent eventually scuppered the move due to their excessive demands.

And Xia was clearly rather miffed, because, writing on his official Twitter account, he stated unequivocally that Hernandez to Villa was a closed chapter.

So it will be interesting to see whether he is willing to back Bruce’s pursuit of a striker who has been prolific in an injury-hit Championship campaign, scoring eight goals in eight starts for Hull.

But with Hernandez set to be a free-agent, at least he’d be available for £20 million cheaper.