Hoping to land their ninth signing of the summer, Aston Villa are now reportedly closing in on a deal to sign a Manchester City academy star in a long-term deal for Unai Emery's side.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans have dominated the headlines this summer, welcoming the likes of Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen in big-money moves. They'll undoubtedly be one of the sides to watch on the opening day, as they square off against fellow transfer window winners West Ham United to kick off their Premier League campaign.
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Even as the start of the season approaches, however, those in the Midlands are not done with arrivals. Villa have still got two weeks to secure further reinforcements and look to be wasting no time, with recent reports linking them to the likes of Samu Omorodion and future star Yeimar Mosquera. The former, of course, recently saw a move to Chelsea break down, opening the door for Villa to potentially make their move.
Before their pursuit of the Atletico Madrid man, however, the Midlands club look set to land a Manchester City gem. According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa are closing in on a deal to sign Kane Taylor from the Cityzens in a long term move for the 19-year-old midfielder.
Rising through the ranks at City, Taylor can play in central midfield, left-back, defensive midfield, centre-back and attacking midfield in what should prove to be invaluable versatility as his career progresses. As Villa search for the squad depth needed to compete in the Champions League, such a player will be vital for years to come.
Taylor set for Villa return
Whilst Taylor has risen through the ranks at Manchester City, he initially found himself at Aston Villa before completing a move to The Etihad at 14 years old. Now five years later, the midfielder is set to complete a return to his boyhood club in a full circle moment. Of course, the last time that Villa signed a midfielder from the Sky Blues, it was Douglas Luiz, and it's fair to say that went fairly well.
Those in the Midlands will desperately be hoping to see their former youngster return and hit the ground running to become a Luiz repeat. Whether he steps straight into Emery's squad remains to be seen, however, given his lack of senior minutes. Instead, Taylor will likely find himself back in the academy with an eye on cup competitions for opportunities.
He's picking the right moment to make a return, that's for sure. When Taylor headed for City a few years ago, Aston Villa were not even a Premier League side. Years later, however, the midfielder is set to return to a club in the Champions League and on their way to further success under Emery.