Aston Villa are reportedly leading the race to sign Marseille midfielder Quinten Timber this summer, with the Dutch international believed to be eager to move to the Premier League.
Villa remain firmly focused on securing Champions League football for next season, either by winning the Europa League or by finishing inside the Premier Leagueโs top five.
Qualification for Europeโs top competition would significantly improve the clubโs financial position under Premier League sustainability rules and strengthen their ability to recruit new players during the summer transfer window.
One area Aston Villa are expected to target is midfield, and Timber has now emerged as a leading option.
Villa Leading Pursuit of Quinten Timber
According to reports from Sports Boom, Aston Villa are currently in pole position to sign the Marseille midfielder ahead of other interested clubs.
The 24-year-old, who is the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, is said to view England as an attractive destination and is open to making the move to the Premier League.
Marseille are reportedly prepared to sell Timber this summer as part of a wider restructuring at the club following financial difficulties and their failure to qualify for next seasonโs Champions League.
As a result, the French club are expected to demand around โฌ30 million (ยฃ26m) for the midfielder.
Timber Compared With Tielemans
Although Timber has not enjoyed his strongest campaign statistically, Aston Villa reportedly still believe he possesses significant long-term potential.
The Dutch midfielder has shown qualities that could complement players such as Youri Tielemans in Unai Emeryโs midfield system.
League Statistics 2025/26
| Statistic | Quinten Timber | Youri Tielemans |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes Played | 1,111 | 1,845 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 |
| Pass Success | 86% | 84.7% |
| Duels Won | 69 | 127 |
| Recoveries | 45 | 93 |
With Douglas Luiz unlikely to return to Villa permanently this summer, Timber is viewed as a player capable of strengthening the midfield while also offering room for development.
The midfielder has previously been described as โtechnically excellentโ by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and a move to England could also set up the possibility of facing his brother Jurrien in the Premier League next season.
Emery Focused on Europa League Final
Before Aston Villa fully turn their attention to transfer business, the clubโs immediate focus remains on Wednesdayโs Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul.
The match gives Unai Emery the chance to win another European trophy, having built a reputation as one of the competitionโs most successful managers.
Speaking ahead of the final, Emery highlighted the importance of the occasion for both the club and its supporters.
โWhen I arrived here, I shared that my dream and goal was for us to play in Europe and to be able to qualify again โ and weโre achieving that,โ Emery said.
โWe know that by continuing to compete and succeed, weโll be able to connect with our fans.โ
The Villa manager also spoke about the significance of the club returning to a major European final decades after their historic European Cup success.
โHaving won the European Cup 40 years ago, our fans are once more getting to experience a Europa League final,โ he added.
โSo that excitement and motivation in Istanbul is going to be special. Weโre working hard so our fans can enjoy it and hopefully we can bring them some joy.โ
While Champions League qualification remains important financially, Villaโs immediate focus will be firmly on the opportunity to make history on the European stage.
