Aston Villa remain interested in signing Juventus youngster Samuel Iling-Junior in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh rumour.
Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?
The 19-year-old Englishman spent the vast majority of his youth career at Chelsea, arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2011 and spending the next nine years there. He then made the move to Juve, where he has broken into the first team, making 18 appearances to date and holding his own.
Iling-Junior is currently contracted with Juve until the summer of 2025, but it could be that he is allowed to leave the club before then, should interest arrive.
Villa are continuing to work hard on new signings, following a brilliant summer that has already seen the likes of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby come in, as they look to build on a brilliant campaign that led to qualification from the UEFA Europa Conference League.
They have been linked with a move for Iling-Junior in the recent past, and it looks as though they are still looking to potentially snap him up.
Could Aston Villa sign Samuel Iling-Junior?
According to Tuttosport [via Sport Witness], the teenage attacker has "long been on Monchi's list" of potential signings for Villa, as he aims to work his brilliance since coming in from Sevilla this summer. Their interest in him has been "rekindled", although much may depend on the future of Leon Bailey.
Juve are demanding €25m (£21.4m) for Iling-Junior's services, although it is stressed that they certainly aren't desperate for him to leave, with only an "important offer" doing enough to turn their heads. Everton are also mentioned as potential suitors.
While Villa signing players in and around their peak years is great to see this summer, it is also important that the club continue to plan for the future, too, ensuring that this period under Unai Emery isn't just a fleeting spell of positivity and possible success.
With that in mind, Iling-Junior could be a really exciting signing who comes in as a squad player to begin with, before eventually becoming more of a key figure as time passes, and as his level of maturity as a footballer grows. To have already played nearly 20 times for a club of Juve's stature says a lot about his potential, and he has also represented England at five different youth team levels, including winning three caps for the Under-20s.
Predominantly a left-sided player, the former Chelsea youngster's ability is summed up by the fact that a return to Stamford Bridge has been mooted, while financial powerhouses Manchester City and Newcastle United have also been in the conversation when it comes to his next move.
Bringing in a young homegrown player is always exciting for an English club, in terms of hitting their quota and having a big talent from his homeland in the squad, so the idea of Iling-Junior in a Villa shirt is very exciting, with the positives outweighing the negatives.
At worst, he could simply come in and not fulfill his potential, but on the plus side, the Villans could acquire his signature before others manage to swoop in, snapping up a huge talent in the process.