Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is thought to be eyeing a move for Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze.

The Lowdown: Chukwueze profiled

Chukwueze is primarily a right-winger who can also play on the left or in an attacking midfield role.

The 23-year-old has been hailed as a 'ridiculous' player who 'tortures' defenders by ESPN journalist David Cartlidge, and he knows Emery well.

He lined out on 94 occasions under the 51-year-old, contributing to 29 goals, and it looks as if a move for the Nigeria international could be on the cards for Villa.

The Latest: Villa linked with Chukwueze

Sport Witness relayed an update from a Spanish source regarding Chukwueze and Villa on Monday. They claimed that ‘Emery calls Chukwueze to be Aston Villa’s top winter signing’, with Arsenal, Everton and West Ham also name-checked with an interest.

The report adds that any prospective suitor would need to pay around €50m (£43.5m) for the forward, which would make him Villa’s most expensive signing of all time if they land him for that amount.

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The Verdict: Take your pick…

Chukwueze isn’t the first Villarreal attacker who has been linked with a move to the Midlands. Speculation over swoops for Yeremy Pino and Nicolas Jackson has already begun, although you’d expect that Villa's the chances of signing all three are slim.

Therefore, the club may look to target one of that trio during the January transfer window, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the New Year as Emery is set to be backed with a ‘huge’ budget by NSWE.