Get ready for a thrilling transfer saga! Aston Villa is on the brink of securing a £18m deal for Besiktas' star striker, Tammy Abraham.
At 28, Abraham is an experienced and sought-after forward, and Villa Park is set to become his next destination. He's expected to undergo a medical this weekend, finalizing his move to the club. But here's where it gets interesting: Abraham has been a key target for Villa's boss, Unai Emery, who's been seeking additional attacking prowess to complement Ollie Watkins, especially after the recent sale of Donyell Malen to Roma.
Abraham's journey to Villa is a bit of a twist. Besiktas initially signed him on loan from Roma last summer, with an obligation to buy if he met certain performance targets. And they did just that, activating their option to buy for around £12m. So, Villa will be paying Besiktas to bring Abraham to their squad.
There's more to this story! Reports from Turkey suggest that as part of the agreement, Villa's defender Yasin Ozcan, currently on loan at Anderlecht, will be joining Besiktas. It's a fascinating swap deal.
Roberto Olabe, Villa's football operations president, even flew to Turkey to watch Abraham in action as Besiktas beat Kayserispor 1-0 on Monday. That's dedication!
Abraham's career path is quite the journey. He joined Roma from Chelsea in 2021 for £34m and became a regular under manager Jose Mourinho. In his time at Roma, he played 120 games and was instrumental in their Conference League win in 2021-22, scoring an impressive nine goals in just 13 appearances. But his fortunes took a turn when Mourinho was sacked in January 2024, and he was loaned out to AC Milan the following season.
During his debut season at AC Milan, Abraham made history, becoming the highest-scoring English player in a single Serie A campaign with 17 league goals. Only David Platt (31) and Gerry Hitchens (58) have scored more than his tally of 29 in Serie A.
And this is the part most people miss: Abraham has a special connection with Villa. He spent the 2018-19 season on loan there, scoring an incredible 25 goals and playing a pivotal role in helping them return to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
So, what do you think about this potential transfer? Is Abraham the missing piece for Villa's attack? Will he continue his goal-scoring prowess at Villa Park? Let's discuss in the comments!
