A number of Aston Villa fans have been left excited after reports claimed Villa have initiated contact with Bordeaux winger Mehdi Zerkane.
According to reliable outlet L’Equipe, relayed by Sports Witness, Villa have been in touch with the player’s entourage after having the 21-year-old on their radar for several months.
An official bid could be lodged at the end of the season, however, the report is unsure as to how much Zerkane would cost.
Zerkane, an Algeria international, has made 26 Ligue 1 appearances this season. He’s only scored once and registered a single assist, but it seems as if Villa like what they see in the versatile winger.
He can play on either wing and as an attacking midfielder, although his main position is on the right-hand side.
Villa are thought to be after two wide forwards this summer, and it seems as if Zerkane is a strong target for sporting director Johan Lange.
Villa fans react
@villareport shared the news on Twitter on Monday evening. Their post received plenty of interaction, with these fans seemingly excited at the links, with one labelling him as the ‘next Riyad Mahrez’.
"absolute baller"
"I swear we have the scout that found Mahrez and Kante for Leicester if so I’m looking forward to this"
"Next Mahrez"
"Next Zidane I heard"
"Am I the only one that gets excited by players I've never heard of, shows proper scouting by the club"
"This is the reason we have bolstered our recruitment department and hired the likes of Mackenzie to scout and unearth hidden gems I have full faith that they're looking at Mehdi then he has a lot of talent and potential. It's gonna be an exciting summer, in NSWE we trust UTV AVFC"
In other news: Villa man linked with surprise Liverpool switch, find out more here.