Villa enter picture for Burnley man but outrageous price tag an issue
Reports claim Aston Villa are among a group of Premier League clubs keen to sign Burnley striker Chris Wood during the summer transfer window.
Dean Smith is known to be in the market for a new forward as he looks to build on Villa’s 11th-placed finish. Ollie Watkins topped the club’s goalscoring charts, with 14 strikes in the league. Anwar El Ghazi also reached double figures but there is a sense that the West Midlanders need reinforcements up front.
Football Insider are reporting that the Villa Park outfit have eyes on the Clarets giant striker. Wood has proved to be a reliable player for Sean Dyche since signing from Leeds United in the summer of 2017.
The New Zealand international has netted 50 times, with 46 of those coming in the league. He has never failed to register double figures for a campaign but is more than a goalscorer.
His 6 ft 3 in frame makes him an ideal target man who can cause mayhem in opposition boxes. His Turf Moor displays have reportedly led three top-12 clubs to show a interest in acquiring his services in the off-season.
The other interested parties are not named but Newcastle United finished 12th and may be among the trio. One stumbling block to any potential deal is Burnley’s valuation of the player.
It is not known if the Lancashire outfit will let him go but they will demand a sizeable fee.
Wood bidding war could help Burnley cause
It is thought that Burnley will want in excess of £30m for the much-travelled striker. And there has even been talk that the figure could reach £40m if other clubs enter the picture.
Wood is vastly experienced in English football, having played for many clubs. While on the books at West Brom, he was loaned to Barnsley, Brighton, Birmingham City, Bristol City and Millwall.
A spell at Leicester City followed, with an eight-game temporary stint at Ipswich Town thrown in before he arrived at Leeds in 2015. It waw at Elland Road that he started to blossom, with 30 goals in all competitions during 2016-2017.
That prompted Dyche to make his move and he has proved his worth in the top flight. It remains to be seen if he does move on to Villa after Tammy Abraham was linked.
However reports earlier this week suggested Smith was having second thoughts about the Chelsea outcast.
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