Lethal £50m star who’s top scorer in his league has agreed to join Aston Villa in the summer, Agreement in place

Aston Villa are now interested in signing a “lethal” striker who’s the top scorer in his league this season, according to a report.

Villa searching for a striker

Jhon Duran’s £65m move to Al-Nassr late in the January transfer window leaves Villa a little light on out-and-out strikers, although the signing of Marcus Rashford on loan was a savvy bit of business to replace the 21-year-old.

However, there is no guarantee that Rashford stays beyond the end of the season, and there have been widespread recent reports that the forward is still eyeing a move to Barcelona in the summer.

As such, Unai Emery may be tasked with bringing in a new striker at the end of the campaign, and the manager has a number of options in mind, having taken a particular liking to players in Italy’s Serie A.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Villans are eyeing a move for Fiorentina striker Moise Kean, who has been prolific in front of goal this season – and he is not the only Serie A sensation they are considering.

According to a report from CaughtOffside, Aston Villa are interested in signing Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui in the summer, but it may be difficult to win the race for the forward, as there is widespread interest from a number of top clubs.

Atalanta's Mateo Retegui celebrates with the match ball

Within the Premier League, potential suitors include Arsenal and Manchester United, while the likes of Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are said to be interested from across Europe.

It is stated that Atalanta would be likely to ask for around €60m (£50m) for the Italian, which seems like a relatively reasonable asking price, given that he has been in outstanding form this season.

Retegui’s rise to the top

It has been a steady rise for the Argentina-born forward, who proved himself in the country of his birth during spells with CA Talleres and Tigre before making the move to Europe ahead of the 2023/24 season.

The Italy international had a solid, if not spectacular, first season in Serie A, scoring seven goals, but he has been unstoppable for Atalanta this term, netting 20 times in the league, the highest tally of any player.

The prolific striker has also bagged three goals in the Champions League, and has impressed the manager of his national side, with Luciano Spalletti saying: “Inside the box, he is lethal. And now he has learned how to connect with the team better. He’s going to become a top player.”

Retegui is showing signs he’s destined for the top, so it is promising news that Villa are in the race for his signature, but it could prove to be very difficult to get a deal done if they miss out on Champions League football next season.

Having started to prove himself in Europe’s elite competition, it is unlikely the 25-year-old would be willing to join a club who aren’t involved, so Villa will need a strong end to the campaign if they are to attract him.