- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Aston Villa are poised to secure a double deal ahead of the transfer deadline with Lino Sousa and Peter Gauci heading to Villa Park.
HITC Football sources confirm that Aston Villa have agreed deals to sign full-back Lino Sousa and goalkeeper Peter Gauci ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline.
19-year-old Sousa arrives on a permanent deal from Arsenal, having previously spent time in the Midlands with West Brom, but now he has agreed a deal with Villa.
HITC understands that Villa are ready to loan him out for the rest of the season and Championship side Plymouth Argyle have held talks with Villa.
Australian goalkeeper Gauci, 23, arrives from Adelaide United and is set to be part of Villa’s first-team set-up.
Gauci is currently with Australia at the Asian Cup, where he is serving as backup to former Brighton and Hove Albion stopper Mathew Ryan.
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Who are Aston Villa targets Lino Sousa and Joe Gauci?
Sousa hails from Lisbon but moved to the West Midlands at the age of eight as his family settled in Wolverhampton.
The left back joined West Bromwich Albion’s youth ranks and showed enough potential to spark a 2022 move to Arsenal.
Sousa has been around the first-team picture at Arsenal but is now heading back to the Midlands with Villa.
Sousa will become the latest former West Brom talent to join Villa with Middlesbrough talent Morgan Rogers also set to sign according to HITC Football sources.
Gauci is a huge presence at nearly 6ft 5in tall and he has been on quite the journey in football.
The 23-year-old has bounced around clubs in the Australian game, joining Central Coast Mariners after impressing for semi-pro side West Torrens Birkalla.
Gauci spent time in the Central Coast Mariners Academy before heading to Adelaide City and Melbourne City before joining Adelaide United in 2020.
Now the first-choice goalkeeper for Adelaide United, Gauci has been impressing in the A-League.
Villa have now spotted Gauci’s talent and are adding him as further competition for Emiliano Martinez between the sticks in Unai Emery’s side.
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