Aston Villa have reportedly made a bid for Jordan Rhodes.
According to the Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa have made a bid to sign Middlesbrough striker Jordan Rhodes on a permanent basis.
Villa have made just one signing so far this month, as goalkeeper Sam Johnstone joined the club on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce’s men are struggling for goals with Jonathan Kodjia at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, whilst Rudy Gestede was sold to Middlesbrough earlier this month.
A new striker has to be on Bruce’s list of priorities, and it seems that Villa are willing to splash the cash on a proven Championship striker, with the Birmingham Mail reporting that Villa have made a bid for Middlesbrough’s Jordan Rhodes.
Middlesbrough’s Jordan Rhodes celebrates scoring
Rhodes, 26, earned a move to Boro last January after smashing 85 goals in 169 games for Blackburn Rovers, and he scored six times in 18 appearances to help Middlesbrough win promotion to the Premier League.
This term, the Scotland international has played just six times, starting only twice having fallen down Aitor Karanka’s pecking order – and with Gestede signed and Patrick Bamford on his way back to Boro, Rhodes appears to be surplus to requirements.
Villa are now ‘in pole position’ to land Rhodes having made a bid for him, with Bruce looking at a permanent move despite originally planning a loan deal, and whilst it’s unclear just how much they have offered, Middlesbrough are allegedly hoping to recoup the £10million they spent on him a year ago.
Villa will now be confident of striking a deal, and finally giving Bruce the striker he has wanted for some time, having failed with moves to land Rhodes in 2013 and 2014 during his time as Hull manager.
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