Aston Villa could reportedly be set to pip fellow Premier League side Leeds United to the signing of exciting Hearts youngster James Wilson.
Could Villa spend big this summer?
Unai Emery's side are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, having picked up five victories in a row in the league to take them into sixth place in the table. There is a feel good factor at the club, with the manager doing a superb job since replacing Steven Gerrard back in October.
This summer, the hope is that Villa are able to go to another level, with NSWE potentially providing Emery with plenty of funds to spend on new signings to make his squad even more formidable. On current form, and with some key additions made at the end of the season, a European push could be expected again in 2023/24.
While experienced heads will need to come in during the summer window, it is also important that the Villans also plan for the long-term future, rather than focusing solely on the here-and-now. A new update suggests that that is the case, with a move for a highly-rated young player looking on the cards.
Is this the Emery effect?
According to Football Insider, Villa "are working on hijacking Leeds United’s deal for Hearts sensation James Wilson", with the Whites "leading the chase" up until this point. The Scotland Under-16s captain is a big attacking prospect north of the border, having already scored once in three caps for his country.
The report claims that the Scot is "understood to have visited Villa over the weekend for talks and to view the club’s facilities and their Bodymoor Heath training headquarters", and while Hearts have offered him a new three-year deal, his heart could be set on a move to the Premier League.
This could be a great coup by Villa if they managed to swoop in under Leeds' noses and snap up Wilson, given his reputation as a huge future prospect. It could even be that Emery's brilliance as manager has made the club a more appealing proposition than the Whites, who in comparison, remain threatened by relegation back to the Championship currently.
If Wilson does end up picking Villa, it will be a further sign that things are heading in the right direction and that the club is capable of luring some of the best talent in Britain to Villa Park.
