Shock Premier League club to make offer for player wanted by Real Madrid - Reports
Aston Villa could reportedly make an offer for Real Madrid target and Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams.
Nico, the brother of Bilbao star Inaki Williams, has enjoyed a rapid rise in Spanish football. He ended last season with nine goals and six assists in 43 games across competitions.
Real Madrid have earmarked the Spaniard to bolster their frontline but manager Carlo Ancelotti isn't on board with the idea. According to El Nacional, Aston Villa have emerged as a realistic destination for him.
Unai Emery is believed to have personally spoken with Williams to convince him to join the Villa Park outfit. The English club could offer him a sizable wage package and a starring role in its frontline.
Aston Villa are yet to make an offer for Williams but Emery could take them in that direction given his admiration of the player. His burst of pace and dribbling skills make him a handful for any full-back to deal with.
Moreover, Williams is still in his formative years and will only get better with time. Aston Villa will also be encouraged by claims that the player isn't keen on the idea of moving to Real Madrid as he realizes he would struggle for playing time.
Los Blancos have Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior as their first-choice wingers and, as per the aforementioned report, Ancelotti doesn't fancy Williams. But Real Madrid may have to scour the market to make up for the imminent exits of Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio.
Luka Modric wants Real Madrid stay over Al-Hilal move - reports
According to Gianluca di Marzio (h/t @MadridUniversal), Luka Modric has rejected a mega offer to join Al-Hilal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Pro League is fast becoming an attractive destination for star players due to the sheer financial power of some of the clubs playing in it. Apparently, Al-Hilal made an offer of €200 million for three years to the legendary Croatian midfielder.
Di Marzio, however, claims that the player has rejected it in favor of staying at Real Madrid. It would mean that he is open to signing a new contract at the club, considering his current one expires in two weeks' time.
The 37-year-old has not shown any signs of slowing down — a claim even Barcelona's Alejandro Balde agrees with. He finished last season with six goals and as many assists in 52 games across competitions.
Modric could, however, have to settle for lesser playing time this season. Fran Garcia's arrival could free up Eduardo Camavinga to play in central midfield and Jude Bellingham is likely to go straight into Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI.