Aston Villa have been linked with Eredivisie top scorer Bas Dost this summer. A good move or a bad one?
Aston Villa are looking to Holland in pursuit of bargains this summer, having recently acquired free agent Brett Holman from AZ Alkmaar.
The latest player to be linked with a move to Villa Park is 22-year-old Heerenveen striker Bas Dost.
He has bagged 23 goals already this season for his club, including all five in a 5-0 win for the club back in December.
So far so good. He sounds like just the sort of player Aston Villa should be after, with a £7 million price pretty reasonable in today’s market.
Should they go for it?
His comparison with Peter Crouch will however make fans draw breath and pause for thought.
Crouch himself was once a performer at Villa Park, but was unsuccessful in his exploits, bagging just six goals in more than 30 games.
Bas Dost’s 6ft 5 frame is indeed similar to their former striker, but as our video shows, he scores more goals with his feet than his head.
His record of 23 goals and top scorer in the Eredivisie is certainly impressive, but goalscoring records in Holland can be deceptive.
Look at Mateja Kezman, who failed to convince in the Premier League, or Heerenveen’s last great striking export to these shores, Alfonso Alves.
Then there are questions over the aims and record of manager Alex McLeish.
The last striker of a similar stature he signed was Nikola Zigic. The Serbian was signed for Birmingham City and scored just five goals in the Premier League, before the club got relegated.
The Scotsman’s style of football has been described as dour in many quarters, and the arrival of ‘the Dutch Peter Crouch’ is hardly one to get the pulses racing.
Under McLeish would Dost become just a lone target man in a 4-5-1 formation, and if so what of Darren Bent, is it conceivable he could be sold to raise funds?
All these are questions fans should be pondering, Dost is a promising prospect for sure, and it is good that Villa have early ambition to make improvements in the transfer market, but the player and McLeish’s style of football may not be the best fit for Villa.
Here is a clip of Bas Dost in action
Should Villa sign him or do you have reservations?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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