Even though there is some time until the ongoing summer transfer window officially closes, the Premier League season is just around the corner and that means the clubs will have to hurry up with their business on the market.

For Aston Villa, that undoubtedly means solving their striker issue which has become an emergency and a crisis on its own. Of course, the Villains somehow survived the 2019/20 campaign but it's also quite obvious their strikeforce just wasn't good enough.

Because of that, signing a new forward is now a priority for Dean Smith. Unfortunately, after missing out on Callum Wilson who joined Newcastle United, they will have to turn to other targets instead.

According to the latest report from The Telegraph, Smith is ready to table a £16m bid to land Bournemouth's Josh King.

The Cherries were not as lucky as Villa and they got relegated last season. That usually means the players should be available for a cut-price so Smith is looking to cash in on that opportunity.

Still, Bournemouth already lost Wilson and Ryan Fraser so taking King away from them as well could take some negotiating after all. But with enough money to spend now that Wilson is no longer an option, Smith could have the financial power to seal the deal.

All he has to do now is convince Bournemouth they should part ways with their forward.

Only time will tell how easy that task will be.

Verdict

King, just like Bournemouth, didn't exactly have the best season in front of goal throughout 2019/20. But in general, he seems like a consistent provider and a proven player in the English top-flight.

Getting him for £16m won't exactly start a revolution at Villa but could help them plug some holes along the way.

Will that be enough for their 2020/21 aspirations, though? We'll have to wait and see.