Unai Emery doubles down on Aston Villa signing ‘special’ Man City star after failed January swoop | OneFootball

Aston Villa are reportedly ready to renew their interest in a Manchester City attacker Pep Guardiola has previously labelled ‘special’ in the upcoming summer transfer window, after failing in their efforts to land the player in January.

It’s no secret that Unai Emery wants to freshen up his attacking options, assuming he’s not poached away from Villa Park this summer, as Villa prepare for a return to the Champions League next season.

The Midlands outfit are currently eight points clear of sixth-placed Brighton in the race for a top-five finish, while the Seagulls have also played a game more.

Securing a place at the top table of European football will bring extra funds to add some top talent to the Aston Villa squad, with a fresh report claiming that Man City striker Omar Marmoush is back on the club’s radar.

Emery was keen on a deal for the Egypt international during the winter window before eventually bringing Tammy Abraham back to the club in a £18m deal from Turkish outfit Besiktas.

And now The Times reports that Villa have retained an interest in Marmoush and could ‘lure him to the Midlands’ with the ‘promise of regular playing opportunities’.

Despite City boss Guardiola having dubbed the 27-year-old a ‘special player‘ during his time at The Etihad, Marmoush has only started seven Premier League games this season.

After netting seven times in 16 outings when he joined City halfway through last term, Marmoush has only managed one goal and three Premier League assists in 17 outings this time around.

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Marmoush versatility a big Aston Villa plus point

Emery is reported to be a fan of the attacker’s versatility, though, with the former Eintracht Frankfurt star able to play as a No.9, on the left wing or as a No.10.

A player with that many strings to his bow would certainly be a huge benefit to the Villa squad, as they prepare for a major step up in the level of competition that the Champions League brings.

Villa will also have room in the squad, with the impending exits of loanee Jadon Sancho, as well as the disappointing Leon Bailey, although they hope to ward off major interest in Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins.

As for Marmoush’s stance on a City exit, it’s thought that he is not actively pushing for one, although a move to a club where he would play regularly is tempting as he enters the prime of his career.

Should City also decide to cash in, it’s likely that the Egyptian, who has not featured in the club’s last three games, would be available for slightly below the £59m the Etihad forked out on him just over a year ago.