After pursuing him over the course of the summer transfer window, Aston Villa must finally sign River Plate star Julian Alvarez amid a recent update.

What's the story?

Reports in recent months had claimed that Fernando Hidalgo, the agent of the 21-year-old, is set to meet with Villa's representatives over a move to Dean Smith's side ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Now, Argentinian publication Ole (via Sport Witness) have claimed that the Midlands club have been "studying" Alvarez's profile for the past year, and are willing to negotiate a deal for the versatile attacker.

Forget Buendia

Despite signing another creative Argentine in the summer - Emi Buendia from Norwich City - Villa haven't really seen the best out of him just yet, with Smith's insistence in seeing him operate as a number ten failing to bring its rewards (he's managed just one goal and no assists in eight Premier League games).

In Alvarez however, they can find someone who is considerably younger at 21, but has already been making waves in his native Argentina.

The River Plate youngster is someone who can play anywhere across the frontline, and after a highly impressive campaign in his native Argentina, he was named as part of his country's Copa America squad this summer.

Like Buendia, he is very much a creative attacker bagging four goals and setting up another seven in just 20 appearances last season - including a couple of games where he plundered a hat-trick of assists against Godoy Cruz and Central Cordoba respectively.

This campaign has seen him take his game to another level, scoring 11 times and providing another six assists in just 15 games in the Argentina top-flight.

It's no surprise then that Marcelo Gallardo, his manager at club level, has previously hailed the young Argentine as someone who "every coach would love to have."

The £18m-rated star could come in and even usurp his international compatriot Buendia at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, Villa have now made contact with this man...