Aston Villa are preparing an offer to sign Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma in January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Emery’s first window

Unai Emery was appointed as Steven Gerrard’s successor back in October and has already taken the Premier League by storm, recording back-to-back victories over Manchester United and Brighton.

The New Year will present the 51-year-old with his first opportunity to bring in some of his own players in a bid to secure a top-half finish, and it appears he’s identified a target who he’s already very familiar with.

The Latest: Danjuma bid on the horizon

According to the Daily Mirror (via TEAMtalk), Emery has Danjuma ‘in his sights’, with the pair having previously worked together during the manager’s time at Villarreal.

The Midlands outfit are ‘ready to take advantage’ of this existing connection with an official offer ‘on the agenda’, and it’s believed that he’s valued at £26m.

Nicolas Jackson is another player of interest, and it’s claimed that contact could be ‘initiated’ regarding a potential double deal.

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The Verdict: Absolute bargain

Danjuma will already be used to the style of play in the top flight having had a successful spell at Bournemouth, and he would be the perfect profile of player to make the move to Villa Park.

The Dutchman has racked up a remarkable 20 goals and four assists in just 48 La Liga appearances, form which has seen him dubbed an ‘exceptional talent’ by Clinton Morrison.

The two sides are set to meet in a mid-season friendly on Thursday, which could hand Emery the ideal opportunity to run the rule over his target ahead of the winter market.