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Aston Villa have reportedly identified Sporting Lisbon playmaker Pedro Goncalves as one of their priority transfer targets.
Unai Emery is preparing for his first summer window at Villa Park having sparked a major upturn in fortunes which concluded in a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League.
As a result, Villa have earned a return to the continental scene with a spot in the Europa Conference League playoff round, the hope being that they can have a deep run in the competition.
While Villa’s current squad have proven capable of doing so, Emery and the club’s ambitious owners will inevitably make a number of additions during the coming months.
A new right-back will be at the top of Emery’s priorities, a result of Ashley Young departing on a free transfer, but it appears that the West Midlands outfit also want to make at least one statement signing.
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According to A Bola, Villa are prepared to push as hard as possible to secure a deal for Goncalves.
The 24-year-old is no stranger to central England having spent part of his youth days at Wolverhampton Wanderers, his solitary senior outing coming in an EFL Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday at the start of 2018-19.
Since his departure, however, Goncalves has been a revelation, initially at Famalicao before he progressed to Sporting where he has arguably become their star man.
As many as 58 goals and 34 assists have been contributed during 129 appearances, performances which have led to four caps being earned with Portugal.
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Fifteen strikes and 12 assist came for Ruben Amorim‘s team in Primeira Liga in the most recent campaign, yet his most notable effort came in the Europa League last 16 as he scored a wonder goal against Arsenal in a tie which they eventually won on penalties.
The report claims that Sporting are currently insisting on recouping the player’s release clause – said to be €80m (£68.91m) – if they are to agree to a sale this summer.
With the player having a contract until 2026 and Sporting already in line to raise big money through the sale of Manuel Ugarte, they are in no desperate need to sell another of their stars.
Although Tottenham Hotspur were credited with an interest in April, their lack of European football for 2023-24 effectively rules them out of making an approach for a player of Goncalves’s valuation.
