Aston Villa Opinion: Neal Maupay would be an excellent signing for the Lions
According to the Mirror, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town are interested in signing Brentford forward Neal Maupay in the summer, with the Bees’ star showcasing his prolific nature in front of goal in the Championship this season.
The 22-year-old Frenchman has contributed with 23 goals and 7 assists from 40 appearances in the Championship this term and has been pivotal to Brentford’s success. However, with the Bees unlikely to finish in the promotion playoff places, they might find it difficult to keep hold of their star striker.
Maupay, who made his move to Griffin Park from French side St. Etienne for a fee of £1.6 million in the summer of 2017, has been a real revelation in the Championship and reports claim that Dean Smith is keen to reunite with the promising youngster at Villa Park, having previously worked with the Frenchman at Brentford.
The 22-year-old has established himself as a bona-fide goalscorer in the second-tier at Brentford and a move to either of the aforementioned clubs would be an ideal step in his career.
While Villa and Middlesbrough are fighting for the playoffs this season, Huddersfield will also be expected to challenge for promotion next season, having already been relegated from the Premier League.
Maupay has all the parts to make the step up to the Premier League in the coming days and would undoubtedly be a good signing for any promotion-chasing club.
To put things into perspective, Aston Villa would bag a massive coup if they manage to beat off competition from their rivals to get their hands on the coveted young prospect in the summer. In fact, the Lions should complete a swoop for the Brentford ace irrespective of where they play their football next season.
Tammy Abraham has been in blistering form at Villa Park this season, with the Chelsea loanee netting 24 goals in 36 games in the Championship so far.
The Englishman has quickly established himself as a firm fan favourite but his future still remains up in the air as Villa are likely to struggle to retain his services even if they manage to secure promotion.
The Lions do not have a quality back up for Abraham and that is exactly why the club’s links with the prolific Neal Maupay should be an exciting proposition for the fans.
Maupay lacks the aerial ability of someone like Abraham due to his relatively short stature but the Frenchman knows exactly how to combine his technical abilities with his upper body strength, not only holding the ball with his back to goal but also creating chances with his penchant for playing key passes in the final third.
Blessed with good instincts and awareness, Maupay not only has the ability to get into scoring positions inside the box but he excels with his link-up play as well.
Moreover, he can also fill in the boots of an attacking midfielder, with his versatility, quick feet and vision allowing him to operate as an attacking midfielder through the centre or out wide on the flanks.
The 22-year-old has averaged 3.3 shots and 1.3 key passes per game in the Championship this season, figures which underline his impact on the game.
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Villa currently sit inside the promotion playoff places following their recent resurgence in the Championship and the Lions might have a better chance of getting Maupay on their books if they manage to make it to the Premier League.
Brentford are unlikely to let him depart on the cheap but Villa’s financial muscle might give them an upper hand in this deal.
