Aston Villa are “quietly confident” of completing the signing of Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
Is Barnes leaving Leicester?
The Foxes have had an extremely tough season in the Premier League, with a number of key players underperforming compared to their previous level.
Barnes is arguably one of the few who has remained at a high standard, however, scoring 12 times in the league, despite Leicester’s struggles in the relegation battles. It looks unlikely that the £40,000-a-week Englishman will stay put at the King Power Stadium beyond the summer, with a new challenge coming his way.
Villa have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, whose current deal expires in 2025, and he is someone who could prove to be a shrewd acquisition, ahead of what could be a pivotal transfer window at the club.
Could Villa seal Barnes signing?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs gave an update on the situation, saying that Villa believe they could seal a move for Barnes this summer:
“Aston Villa, I think, are the most aggressive of the Premier League suitors at this point. Spurs have taken a look in the past as well.
“I think there’s going to be a fair amount of competition for Barnes. I think that Villa are quietly confident that if they advance things at the end of the season, they will stand a very realistic chance of getting Barnes. Also, the asking price will be very beneficial to them if Leicester go down.”
Barnes could be a really strong signing for Villa before the start of next season, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once describing him as an “unbelievable” footballer, which says a lot about his ability.
He possesses the speed, direct running out wide and end product in the final third that could all help take Villa up a gear, having racked up a total of 59 goal contributions (34 goals and 25 assists) in the Premier League. The player himself would surely jump at the chance to move to Villa Park, considering what a healthy situation they find themselves in, so it could be a match made in heaven.
At 25, Barnes is in the sweet spot in his career where he is now an experienced top-level player, but also someone who should only mature further over the next five years or so, potentially pushing himself into the England reckoning even more.
