ESPN FC pundit and former footballer Craig Burley believes that AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek should not move to Aston Villa, though the Premier League strugglers’ ‘desperation’ could lead to the Polish forward help rescue the club’s striking woes.
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Summer signing Wesley had only scored six times before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Burnley on New Year’s Day, stretching Villa’s resources as they fight to stay in the Premier League in the second half of the campaign.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley suggested that Piatek, who only joined Milan a year ago after shining for Genoa in Italy’s top flight, could probably look higher than Aston Villa should he seek a San Siro exit following a lacklustre season to this point.
He said: “There might be better avenues than Villa – as big a club as they are, they’re struggling. He would go from a team in Milan that haven’t generally created a lot of chances because of the poor side, to a Villa side who are fighting down there, and apart from Jack Grealish, really lack a bit of guile in there.
“Clearly, Piatek is a better player than going to Villa, but it might be a case where they’re desperate because of the potential of relegation and it might be game time for him.”
Piatek’s rise to prominence in top-level football came from scoring 13 Serie A goals in 19 appearances for Genoa after hitting the ground running following his move from Polish outfit Cracovia, before doing the same when joining Milan last January, netting nine times for his current club in 2018/19.
However, after just four goals this season with Milan lying in 12th and serving a ban from continental competition, there could be understandable motives to seek a move.
But to go from there to a relegation dogfight in the Premier League may seem odd as Burley suggests, though his track record would perhaps give Villa some hope if he was to rekindle his previous scoring knack for Dean Smith’s side.
Wesley’s injury may force Smith’s hand in the transfer market this month – though an approach for Piatek is probably as ambitious as it is unlikely.
Villa fans, do you think the club should take a gamble on Piatek? Let us know what you think below!
