An update has emerged on Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham, regarding Aston Villa's interest in his services.
What's the talk?
According to The Telegraph, Aston Villa are working on a deal to bring Tammy Abraham back to the club from Chelsea, with the forward having spent the 2018/19 campaign on loan at Villa Park.
The report claims Abraham is Villa's preferred striker target as they attempt to bolster their squad to counter Jack Grealish's prospective move to Manchester City.
Smith needs him
Johan Lange must sanction a deal for Abraham this month as he could be exactly what Dean Smith needs to bolster his attacking options.
Keinan Davis was the second-choice striker for the majority of the campaign and scored once in 15 Premier League appearances, whilst Wesley came back and failed to score in three matches. Although it is harsh to judge the Brazilian on three games, he also only found the back of the net five times in 21 starts in the 2020/21 campaign.
This suggests that there is scope for Villa to add stronger competition in the striker position, putting more pressure on Ollie Watkins and possibly providing him with a partner at times. Abraham could be the man to fulfil this role for multiple reasons.
For starters, he would not need much time to settle in as he worked with Smith in the 2018/19 season. Abraham scored 26 Championship goals on loan in the second tier, helping the club return to the top-flight and this shows that he is able to thrive within Smith's tactical set-up and that he knows how to lead the line in a way that Smith wants.
Former Villa boss Alex McLeish hailed Abraham as a phenomenal player earlier this summer in response to him being linked with a move to West Ham.
“There’s always a style of play or a system that can suit your strengths. West Ham would be that kind of team, I would think, for a phenomenal player like Tammy Abraham.
“I don’t know what Thomas Tuchel has told him. Maybe Thomas Tuchel has been patient.
“The speculation obviously comes out but we don’t know if Tuchel may have plans for him. I guess if this story grows arms and leg, Tuchel may say something on it.”
The £82k-per-week dynamo is also proven at the Premier League level. In 37 starts for Chelsea in the past two seasons, Abraham has scored 21 goals and provided four assists, which suggests that he could be a consistent goalscorer for Villa in the top-flight if he starts most of their matches, or at least provide a reliable alternative to Watkins.
He is exactly what Smith needs to improve his attacking options this summer. Judging by his statistics for the Blues, he could offer significant competition for places and be a big asset for Villa next season.
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