Why Aleksandar Mitrovic could be a wonderful signing for Aston Villa
According to Mail Online (h/t Birmingham Live), Aston Villa have been heavily linked with a move for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has been in excellent form for the Cottagers in the Championship this term.
The 25-year-old was once again on target on Boxing Day as Fulham came back from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw against strugglers Luton Town, with Mitrovic taking his goal tally up to 18 for the season in the Championship.
Mitrovic, who bagged 11 goals for Fulham during their relegation campaign in the Premier League last term, has racked up 25 goals in 27 games across all competitions for club and country this so far this season, and his red-hot form has linked him with a return to the top-flight ahead of the January window.
The Serbian international initially moved to English football with Newcastle United from Anderlecht back in 2015 and was an instant hit in the Premier League, scoring 9 goals and registering 4 assists in his debut season at Tyneside.
However, that wasn’t enough to save the Magpies from relegation, and while Newcastle managed to secure promotion back to the top-flight at the first time of asking, Mitrovic found his involvement limited under former manager Rafael Benitez.
That paved the way for a loan move back to the Championship with Fulham during the second half of the 2017-18 campaign and the Cottagers eventually shelled out £22 million to make his stay permanent in the summer of 2018 after Mitrovic fired them to promotion.
Now, with Fulham falling behind the likes of West Brom and Leeds United in the race for automatic promotion in the Championship this season, Mitrovic’s future in West London has once again been brought into question.
The report doesn’t mention how much Aston Villa would have to pay to prise the star striker away from Fulham but it is understood that the Cottagers will be looking for a big profit from his sale to reinvest in their bid for promotion.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa romped home to a 1-0 victory over fellow relegation-contenders Norwich City on Boxing Day, thanks to a solitary goal from Conor Hourihane.
With half the season already done and dusted and fixtures set to come thick and fast in the coming months, Villa will require a herculean effort to preserve their Premier League status and the club’s business in the January window could play a big part in their bid for survival.
Villa’s goals have been evenly spread out through their squad and while that is a good sign for any team, the Lions will surely need to find an alternative to club-record signing Wesley Moraes in the second half of the campaign.
The Brazilian has managed to find the net only 4 times in 19 appearances so far and Villa do not have a quality back-up, with Jonathan Kodjia the only realistic alternative following the injury to youngster Keinan Davis.
To put things into perspective, Aston Villa need to bring in an upgrade on Wesley and Aleksandar Mitrovic certainly fits the bill as a striker with proven Premier League pedigree.
Despite his best efforts, the Serb failed to ensure safety for Fulham last season but Villa have every reason to be optimistic about their bid for survival in the Premier League if they manage to get their hands on the 25-year-old, who has been firing on all cylinders in the Championship this term.
Verdict
The towering 6ft. 2-inch hitman showed last season that he can be a handful for defences in the top-flight with his strength and aerial prowess.
It remains to be seen whether Fulham, who are vying for promotion in the Championship, would be willing to sanction a departure for their top-scorer midway through the season.
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All in all, Aston Villa completing a swoop for Aleksandar Mitrovic in January would be a massive boost to their chances of securing another season of Premier League football.
