Aston Villa still in talks to sign Paris Saint-Germain attacker Marco Asensio if Lucas Paqueta does not join | OneFootball

Aston Villa are still in talks to sign Paris Saint-Germain attacker Marco Asensio if a move for West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta does not materialise, according to The Athletic journalist Jacob Tanswell.

Villa want the Brazilian at the club, with manager Unai Emery and the recruitment staff big admirers of him.

However, getting West Ham to agree to a deal could prove tricky due to financial constraints, and the Villans want a back-up plan in place if a move for Paqueta falls through.

Asensio spent the second half of last term on loan with Villa, weighing in with eight goals and one assist in 21 appearances.

Personal terms are unlikely to be an issue. However, agreeing a fee with PSG has proven tricky to date.

Another loan deal could be on the cards, given Villa’s financial situation. However, PSG may not be open to that arrangement again, and Villa may need to look elsewhere.

They were reportedly keen on parting with an initial £5 million to sign Paqueta on loan, with an obligation to buy him for £45m included in the package.

However, the Hammers are not keen on a temporary deal and would prefer to sell him instead.

Villa are running out of time to bring in the attacking reinforcements needed to bolster their squad depth.

Other targets could emerge in the coming hours, but failure to get a quality option in the final third could be a blow as they look to challenge across all competitions.