Aston Villa are stepping up their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the summer transfer window and have once again been linked with Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.
The club is reportedly exploring options to bolster its forward line and increase competition for places, especially following recent changes to Unai Emery’s attacking options. Villa began the current campaign with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran vying for the lone striker role, with Watkins largely preferred. Duran, however, contributed well from the bench before securing a January move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
In response, Villa signed Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United, but injuries have plagued his spell, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that he’ll remain beyond this season. This has prompted the club to widen their search for a new striker, with Aghehowa emerging as a serious candidate.
According to The Sun, Villa scouts were in attendance over the weekend to watch Aghehowa in action. The 21-year-old forward celebrated his birthday by scoring twice in Porto’s 3-1 victory over Moreirense, further highlighting his form this season. Aghehowa has now netted 24 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions.
The Spanish international, who secured Olympic gold with Spain last year, only joined Porto last summer after stints with Granada and Atletico Madrid. He had previously come close to signing for Chelsea, who agreed a £34 million fee with Atletico, but the transfer fell through.
Reflecting on the failed Chelsea move, Aghehowa told Spanish outlet RTVE:
“We had a really bad time because in the end, everyone knows that I was close to signing. But if it didn’t happen, it was for a reason—because God didn’t want it. I’m very grateful to Porto for giving me the opportunity when things looked at their worst, and I’m very happy with where I am now.”
Porto reportedly value Aghehowa at €50 million (approximately £41 million). Spanish publication AS reports that Villa see him as an ideal fit for their squad—young, powerful, and capable of challenging Watkins for the lead role up front.
