Aston Villa have reportedly seen off competition from West Ham United to close in on a deal for Southampton left-back Matt Targett.
According to a report from The Telegraph, West Ham are one of the teams set to miss out on Southampton left-back Matt Targett as he closes in on a £17 million move to Aston Villa this summer.
Despite struggling to push ahead of Ryan Bertrand in the pecking order at St Mary’s, Targett’s future on the south coast has been a talking point for much of the window, with Villa seemingly set to win the race for his signature.
The Telegraph reports that Dean Smith’s men will pay an initial £14 million for the full-back, but that fee could subsequently rise by £3 million. It appears to be a price that many Saints fans are very happy with.
But the Villans were not the only Premier League side interested in Targett, with The Telegraph adding that both Newcastle United and West Ham wanted the 23-year-old.
Unlike Newcastle – who definitely need another option in his position – the Hammers’ interest in Targett is a little surprising. The youngster has potential, but he plays in a position that Manuel Pellegrini is surely unlikely to deem to be a priority during this window with Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku available to him.
And Irons fans may not be too disappointed to see Targett looking set to head elsewhere. Villa appear to be taking a risk paying that amount for a player who has only made 43 top flight appearances during his career, and it would be little surprise if West Ham were more than happy to back away once they learned of the figures being discussed.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
