Aston Villa are eyeing a summer move for Celtic midfielder David Turnbull in the transfer window.
What's the story?
With the Premier League season now almost over, attentions naturally will be turning towards the start of the summer transfer window, and it appears that Dean Smith already has some targets in his sights.
According to a report from The Scottish Sun, Villa are lining up a £7m move for Turnbull after watching the 21-year-old in action several times this season playing for the Hoops.
The report added that Smith has 'made a goalscoring midfielder a priority with on-loan Ross Barkley returning to Chelsea', while they feel he could offer the same value for money as John McGinn when he signed from fellow Scottish side Hibernian.
Imagine him and McGinn
With Turnbull having recently been named in the Scotland squad for the upcoming European Championship, it's likely that the 21-year-old will line up alongside McGinn this summer - perhaps as a nice little preview before he ends up joining Villa and partnering him at club level, too.
What a prospect that would be.
Just like Villa's current Scottish dynamo, Turnbull also has an unparalleled level of energy, along with an eye for goal which really marks him out as a top player - this season, he has scored ten goals and provided another eight assists in all competitions.
It's no surprise that the midfielder has already earned plenty of rave reviews for his ability and work ethic, with former Premier League manager Owen Coyle telling The Scottish Mail on Sunday (14/03 print edition, page 152): "His physical attributes are there. He’s got an unbelievable engine, he goes box-to-box, covers the ground. He’s a team player who works his socks off. I think he’s a manager’s dream."
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Given the relationship they could build up at international level with Scotland, Smith might be the one to profit greatly if Turnbull arrives at Villa Park this summer and partners him alongside McGinn in the midfield engine room.
Meanwhile, Villa must land this starlet...