Aston Villa are reportedly one of a number of Premier League sides monitoring West Bromwich Albion ace Matheus Pereira with a view of a summer swoop.
The 24-year-old has emerged as a key figure for the Baggies this season, scoring nine goals and providing five assists in 29 appearances for the club across all competitions.
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However, it doesn’t appear as though it will be enough to preserve their Premier League status, as West Brom are nine points adrift of safety with just five games remaining and so it will take a big push to avoid the drop.
In the event that they do drop back down to the Championship, it could lead to interest in their top players, and Pereira is seemingly one of those who is attracting attention.
As per The Athletic, it’s suggested that talks will likely begin over key individuals once West Brom’s relegation is confirmed, and Pereira will be one of their key players who have a number of admirers. It’s added that Villa are among several Premier League sides interested, and so it will be interesting to see if we do launch a bid to sign him this summer.
Given our lack of attacking quality and creative spark in the final third in recent months, particularly with skipper Jack Grealish sidelined by injury, that is surely going to be a priority for the club to address at the end of the season in the transfer market.
Dean Smith has seen the likes of Ross Barkley, Anwar El Ghazi and Bertrand Traore struggle to offer consistency, and with Barkley set to return to Chelsea when his loan deal expires in June as things stand, there will be a void that must be filled too.
Pereira has shown his class particularly in recent weeks for West Brom, with his technique, creative ability and eye for goal all on display against Villa in our 2-2 draw with Sam Allardyce’s side at Villa Park on Sunday night.
In turn, he could be a smart addition to the squad, especially if we can get him at a good price if West Brom do go down, and so this could be one to watch when the transfer window opens this summer.