---
title: "Aston Villa: Italian clubs keen on El Ghazi"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-italian-clubs-keen-on-el-ghazi/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2021-07-16T19:35:14Z"
modified: "2021-07-16T19:35:14Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Italian clubs keen on El Ghazi

**Sides from Italy are keen on signing Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi this summer, according to [Gregg Evans of The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/2706208/2021/07/14/aston-villa-mailbag-grealish-signings-youngsters/).**

### The Lowdown: El Ghazi’s Villa career

El Ghazi made the move to the Midlands on [loan back in 2018](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/transfers/spieler/183720). He helped Villa earn promotion to the Premier League and was signed [permanently from Lille in a deal worth £8.1m the following summer](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/transfers/spieler/183720).

The 26-year-old, on [£38,000-a-week](https://salarysport.com/football/player/anwar-el-ghazi/), has made [over 100 appearances for Villa in all competitions](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/leistungsdaten/spieler/183720), with [62](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/leistungsdaten/spieler/183720) of those coming in the Premier League.

He netted [10 times in 28 top-flight appearances last season, four of which came in Villa’s last seven league games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/leistungsdaten/spieler/183720/plus/0?saison=2020).

\[freshpress-poll id=”321340″\]

### The Latest: Evans’ claim

[Evans](https://theathletic.com/2706208/2021/07/14/aston-villa-mailbag-grealish-signings-youngsters/) shared a Villa mailbag on Thursday, answering numerous questions from supporters on a number of topics.

He was asked if any permanent departures were expected at Villa Park, aside from Jack Grealish, who has been [linked](https://twitter.com/SamLee/status/1415929388294606848) with a move to Manchester City.

[Evans](https://theathletic.com/2706208/2021/07/14/aston-villa-mailbag-grealish-signings-youngsters/) said that Conor Hourihane is the most likely to leave but revealed that a few clubs from Italy are keen on El Ghazi.

El Ghazi, described as [‘remarkable’ by pundit Adrian Clarke](https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/12/blogs/premier-league/aston-villa-pundit-heaps-praise-on-anwar-el-ghazi/), has [two years remaining on his Villa deal](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/profil/spieler/183720), and [Evans](https://theathletic.com/2706208/2021/07/14/aston-villa-mailbag-grealish-signings-youngsters/) admitted he would be surprised to see the Dutch winger leave.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”363813″\]

### The Verdict: Keep

Although Villa have already bolstered their wide ranks with the [club-record signing of Emiliano Buendia](https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/june/Villa-confirm-club-record-Buendia-signing/) this summer, it would make sense to keep El Ghazi ahead of the new season, unless a big-money bid that proves too hard to turn down comes in.

He was [Villa’s second-highest scorer last season](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/top-scorers) and now appears to have adjusted to Premier League football following a [tricky first season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anwar-el-ghazi/leistungsdaten/spieler/183720/plus/0?saison=2019).

[Trezeguet is also out with a serious injury](https://theathletic.com/news/trezeguet-injury-aston-villa-latest/ev0vjwc6R1z3), so [El Ghazi, Buendia, Jack Grealish, Ashley Young and Bertrand Traore](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/kader/verein/405) are currently Dean Smith’s wide options at this moment in time.

[***In other news: ‘I beg we sack Smith’ – Many Aston Villa fans react as plans for £50k-p/w ace emerge.***](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/aston-villa-fans-react-to-john-mcginn-report/)