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Report: Aston Villa consider signing Norway-based duo Flamur Kastrati and Ifeanyi Matthew

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Cardiff City at Villa Park on November 26, 2016 in Bi...
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Aston Villa could look to Scandinavia to enhance their squad in January with Sandefjord striker Kastrati and Lillestrom prodigy Matthew under consideration.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Cardiff City at Villa Park on November 26, 2016 in Birmingham, England.

Aston Villa are after a striker in January and some of the names linked with a move to the Midlands will be very familiar to supporters.

According to the Birmingham Mail, Leonardo Ulloa, Nahki Wells and Danny Ings, who have all thrived in the Championship in years gone by, are on Steve Bruce’s radar.

Though it goes without saying that Flamur Kastrati is not exactly a household name – at least not in this part of the world. But according to Telegrafi.com, the Kosovan striker is another centre-forward on Villa’s radar.

Flamer Kastrati of Sandefjord Fotball during Photocall on March 15, 2017 in Sandefjord, Norway.

And though he hasn’t fired Burnley to promotion and can’t boast a one-in-two record from his time at Brighton, Kastrati’s form this season suggests that he is a little better than Norwegian outfit Sandefjord.

The journeyman striker has found a home in Norway’s first division and has ten goals in 25 games this season. In contrast, Keinan Davis, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Scott Hogan have scored four times between them for Villa in the entirety of 2017.

Kastrati, however, is not the only Norway-based talent Villa are considering. The Birmingham Mail points out that Lillestrom’s ever-present Ifeanyi Matthew is another rather left-wing target.

General view inside the stadium priro to the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park on May 7, 2017 in Birmingham, England.

A 20-year-old central midfielder, the Nigerian has enjoyed a superb breakthrough campaign, scoring three times and set up a further three in 30 league starts. Matthew is renowned for his defensive work rate, dynamic running and power-packed shots – a real aggressive, box-to-box midfielder.

Financial Fair Play restrictions mean Villa won’t be able to splash much cash in January but the hope is that Kastrati and Matthew could be available on the cheap.