West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur like Harvey Barnes but Aston Villa are reportedly the ‘likeliest destination’ for the Leicester City winger.
If you can’t beat them, sign them.
Now, that is unlikely to be the logic Aston Villa are using as they consider a summer bid for the relegation-threatened Leicester speedster. But Harvey Barnes’ outstanding track record against the Midland giants is merely another reason to get him decked out in claret-and-blue ahead of next season.
The former West Brom loanee has five goals in 11 games vs Aston Villa. One of those came back in April; Barnes brilliantly controlling a long ball, breezing past Ashley Young and slotting home.
Aston Villa favourites to sign Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes
It is that searing pace and eye for goal that will have caught the eye of Unai Emery; the Villa boss making a new winger one of his leading targets this summer. Villa are reportedly eyeing a host of players Emery knows well from La Liga; Ferran Torres, Marco Asensio, Samuel Chukwueze, Luiz Henrique and Nico Williams.
But Barnes boasts a proven track record in the Premier League, will count towards their ‘homegrown’ quota, and could also be available on reduced terms with Leicester now just 90 minutes away from relegation.
Tottenham are also keen on Barnes, as well as Leicester team-mate James Maddison. West Ham too.
The Independent, however, say that Aston Villa are currently the ‘likeliest destination’. In addition to their deep pockets and lofty ambitions, Villa could also offer European football. Not to mention a sense of familiarity for a player who currently lives around an hour down the road.
Barnes, meanwhile, would become the latest in a long line of players who joined Aston Villa having previously donned the navy-and-white stripes of local rivals West Brom.
“Barnes is probably one of the biggest talents,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp once said of the jet-heeled 25-year-old.
“I’m not sure if he is respected or appreciated as much as he should be. He is an unbelievable player to be honest, a proper Leicester product.”
The Daily Mail believe that £50 million could be enough for Leicester to sell. That figure may still drop further, however, as relegation looms.
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