‘Take him’: Aston Villa have been backed to sign 30-year-old who Everton sold in 2017
Gabby Agbonlahor says he would back Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to sign Inter loanee and Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku this summer.
The 2023 summer transfer window is open and Unai Emery’s side are expected to make moves as they prepare for a return to Europe ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
The Aston Villa squad will need to be bulked up to cope with the midweek games, as Agbonlahor wants the club to buy someone that is ‘similar to Benteke’, and when Romelu Lukaku’s name was thrown into the hat, he said that he would take it, as he told talkSPORT.
Ollie Watkins is the main man up top for Emery, and whilst he struggled under Steven Gerrard, he took his game to a whole new level under his new boss, including scoring 15 Premier League goals last term.
Added with the England international, January capture Jhon Duran, who is only 19, is the back-up option, alongside thriving academy star, Cameron Archer.
But for Agbonlahor, he would still buy another striker because Watkins would need a ‘rest’ when Villa play three times a week next season.
“They need one more striker,” said Agbonlahor. “A similar striker to Benteke, I would love. A different option.
“I would take Lukaku at Villa. But we need a different sort of option. Ollie Watkins is outstanding. But can Ollie Watkins (constantly) play Thursdays and Sundays?
“No, he can’t. He needs a bit of a rest. A bit of a rotation.”
Villa should stay away from Lukaku
The 30-year-old was just part of an Inter side that reached the Champions League final, so it has to be questioned why he would swap that for Villa this summer.
Plus, after re-joining Chelsea for a second time, within a few months, he couldn’t wait to get out and it’s pretty clear that he prefers his time in Italy – his best spell in England probably came at Everton, before his exit in 2017.
Therefore, it’s no point wasting energy or money on such a player, who has also had injury problems this season.