Mariano Izco could be making a last-minute move to Villa Park if Italian reports are to be believed.
Aston Villa are making a last-minute bid for Chievo midfielder Mariano Izco, according to TMW.
TMW first reported Villa’s interest in the Argentine last week, with agent Daniel Piriano telling the Italian outlet: “It’s nice, after a career with so many efforts that the interest of a club like Aston Villa comes for Mariano, it’s the right reward after so many years of playing.
“The problem is the timing, we will see…”
Now Villa are said to be stepping up their attempts to bring the Serie A veteran to the West Midlands, with manager Paul Lambert still looking to strengthen his squad following the weekend’s 5-0 thumping at Arsenal.
Aged 31, Izco has spent the past nine seasons in the Italian top-tier after joining Catania from Club Atletico Tigre in August 2006, going on to make 235 total appearances for the Sicilian outfit.
Recording seven goals and 16 assists during his time at the Stadio Angelo Massimo, the club captain moved on to Chievo last summer for €3 million following his former side’s relegation to Serie B, and has since established himself as one of the team’s most consistent performers.
An all-round central midfielder, who boasts an Italian passport, he would prove a useful addition to Villa’s still-thin squad ahead of a potential relegation battle, although a place in the starting line-up is far from guaranteed with the likes of Fabian Delph and Carlos Sanchez around.
Furthermore, with a contract running until 2017, and Chievo fighting to avoid the drop this season, it remains to be seen how tough it will prove to make a deal happen.
Whether Izco will be following Carles Gil and Scott Sinclair as the club’s third signing this month is far from clear at this point, therefore, but it’s fair to suggest that fans would be far from content without further additions made to the squad.
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