Aston Villa want Huddersfield’s Joe Lolley as a replacement for Jack Grealish but with Ross McCormack expected to leave, they should target a striker.
With Jack Grealish expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future after suffering a bleed on the kidney during a 0-0 pre-season draw with Watford, manager Steve Bruce wants to bolster his options in attacking midfield.
Joe Lolley of Huddersfield celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Rotherham United.
Lolley is a boyhood Villa fan and it is believed that would be enough to convince the winger to make a switch to Bruce’s side, after being deemed surplus to requirements by the Terriers following their promotion to the Premier League.
However, despite the absence of Grealish it is still perhaps upfront where the Villans should be concentrating their efforts in the transfer market.
Scott Hogan led the line in the Birmingham team’s opening 1-1 draw to Hull City in the Championship and while they also have Jonathan Kodjia as an option, the expected departure of Ross McCormack – with the Northern Echo reporting Sunderland are keen on a loan move – leaves Bruce light in the forwards department.
Out wide, Gabby Agbonlahor and new signing Ahmed Elmohamady started against Hull, while Andre Green came off the bench and Leandro Bacuna and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Josh Onomah can also operate there.
Yet with McCormack seemingly on his way out of Villa Park, Bruce could be left with just Hogan and Kodjia as strikers and more depth will be needed if he wants to make a serious push for promotion this season.
Ross McCormack of Aston Villa.
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