Emery plots £40m raid on Leeds United for Aston Villa target but Premier League rivals are ‘keen’

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are reportedly ‘interested’ in signing Tyler Adams from Leeds United but they face competition from their Premier League rivals.

Leeds paid around £20m to sign Adams from RB Leipzig and he was one of their stronger performers during the 2022/23 campaign.

The USA international was sorely missed during the run-in as Leeds United suffered relegated on the final day of the season.

Adams has been linked with several Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle of late amid claims that he is valued at £40m.

Aston Villa have already signed Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City but The Athletic are reporting that they have been ‘tracking’ Adams for ‘some time’.

The centre-midfielder is ‘high on Villa’s list’ of potential targets but ‘a number of other Premier League rivals are also known to be keen’ to sign him.

Emery ‘believes Aston Villa’s midfield needs strengthening’ and this is even though John McGinn has penned a new contract which runs until 2027.

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Speaking on this extension, the Scotland international admitted that he is “delighted to get it sorted”.

“I’m delighted to get it sorted, this is home for me now,” McGinn said in an interview for Villa’s official website. I’m really excited to be a part of what should be a really exciting journey.”

He added: “If you’d have told me eight years ago that I would be a Premier League player and playing every week I would have laughed at you. The progression and the journey has been mental. It hasn’t properly sunk in. I’m loving every single minute.

“If you’d have told me when I was young I’d be playing in the Premier League against the best players in the world for a club like Aston Villa – I have to pinch myself. I don’t take it for granted and try to be the best I can be every day.”

“There have been plenty of ups and downs, but I’ve loved every minute of it, and we’ve been pretty successful. The first season couldn’t have gone any better and we managed to get promoted. We found the Premier League challenging.

“We’ve had some great moments. This season epitomised what everyone wants to achieve and showed the potential and ambition everyone has. We’re really starting to achieve that with the manager and staff in place. It’s exciting for the fans and exciting to be a player here.”

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