Aston Villa will reportedly open contract talks with Matt Targett, while Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is on our transfer radar.
With eight games to go in the current Premier League campaign, Villa and Dean Smith will hope to finish as strongly as possible to take some confidence and momentum into next season.
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It’s been tough going over the past three months and it certainly doesn’t get any easier against Manchester City next, but the focus will undoubtedly be on finishing the season well.
However, there will be plenty of work to be done this summer, and the transfer talk is already underway with regards to possible goings-on at Villa Park.
As per Gregg Evans’ tweet below, Villa are being tipped to open talks with Targett over a contract extension next, with the possibility that the left-back joins a growing number of his teammates in signing a new deal after impressing this season.
The 25-year-old has cemented his place in the side at left-back, featuring in all 30 league games so far this year, and given the improvement and solidity that he has consistently displayed, it’s fair to say that he is deserving of any new deal that comes his way.
#AVFC are committed to keeping their best players at the club on long-term deals.
Matt Targett is the next in line for an extension following on from Konsa, Mings, McGinn and Grealish.
He’s started every game this season + has been brilliant.
— Gregg Evans (@greggevans40) April 12, 2021
Meanwhile, there is also talk over a possible signing in the goalkeeping department, with BirminghamLive reporting that Villa are interested in Bayindir, via Takvim, with the suggestion that we will scout him on Monday night.
Emiliano Martinez has without doubt established himself as our first-choice goalkeeper this season, keeping 14 clean sheets and in the process he has moved to the verge of breaking a club record.
While Tom Heaton is coming back from a lengthy layoff, the experienced shot-stopper is unquestionably talented enough to warrant a starting berth, and so if he were to move on this summer for playing time, that would leave a void that must be filled in the squad.
The report above would suggest that Bayindir could be a possible solution, with the 22-year-old impressing this year having kept 12 clean sheets in 33 appearances for Fenerbahce, while conceding just 29 goals.
Time will tell if the Turkey U21 international has done enough to convince Villa that he is the right man for the potential job opening.