---
title: "Aston Villa: Gregg Evans drops James Tarkowski update"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tarkowski-villa-transfer-latest-gregg-evans-gerrard/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-06-01T07:05:39Z"
modified: "2022-06-01T07:05:39Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Gregg Evans drops James Tarkowski update

**[Aston Villa](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/) are ‘unlikely’ to sign Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski this summer, according to [Gregg Evans](https://twitter.com/greggevans40/status/1531565923601104896).**

### The Lowdown: Tarkowski linked with Villa

Villa have been hard at work prior to the transfer window officially opening, making [Philippe Coutinho](https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/may/12/villa-announce-philippe-coutinho-signing/)’s loan move permanent and putting deals in place to sign [Boubacar Kamara](https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/may/23/villa-announce-boubacar-kamara-signing/) and [Diego Carlos](https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/may/26/villa-agree-diego-carlos-/).

The latter isn’t the only centre-back on Villa’s radar, though, with the Midlands club being linked with Rangers’ [Calvin Bassey](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/aston-villa-closing-in-on-deal-for-rangers-defender-calvin-bassey-0g5p6lqmt) as well as Tarkowski.

[Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/12619894/aston-villa-transfer-news-boubacar-kamara-signs-five-year-deal-at-villa-park-as-club-open-talks-with-james-tarkowski) revealed last week that Villa held talks with the Burnley defender ahead of a possible move, with [reports](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/villa-transfer-news-carlos-tarkowsk-27061214) even suggesting that Steven Gerrard was desperate for the club to get a move over the line, believing there isn’t a better deal to be struck all summer for the soon-to-be free agent due to his [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) experience ([194 top-flight outings](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tarkowski/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/173504)).

### The Latest: Evans’ update on Tarkowski

[The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/3335261/2022/05/30/everton-transfer-news-moving-on-ageing-high-earners-recruiting-leaders/) recently stated that Villa were the early favourites when it came to securing Tarkowski’s services.

However, Evans [took to Twitter](https://twitter.com/greggevans40/status/1531565923601104896) on Tuesday morning to reveal that a move to Villa Park for the 29-year-old is now ‘unlikely’.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398332″\]

### The Verdict: All-in for Bassey?

With Tarkowski potentially morning elsewhere, Villa may now look to go all-in for Bassey. Gerrard [knows the player well](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/calvin-bassey/leistungsdatentrainer/spieler/461883/plus/0/verein/124/trainer_id/51276) after working with the Nigerian at Ibrox following a move from Leicester.

\[freshpress-poll id=”393243″\]

Bassey starred in the final months of the 2021/22 campaign, catching the eye in the [Europa League final](https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/19/owen-hargreaves-heaps-praise-on-rangers-defender-calvin-bassey-after-europa-league-heartbreak-16670144/) defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. The 22-year-old would provide an option at both [centre-back and left-back](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/calvin-bassey/leistungsdaten/spieler/461883), and with [reports](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/aston-villa-closing-in-on-deal-for-rangers-defender-calvin-bassey-0g5p6lqmt) previously hinting that a move to Villa was close, it could be one to watch closely once more.

***In other news: [‘Brutal’ – NSWE now closing in on another Villa signing for Gerrard after Carlos; pundit fuming](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/aston-villa-rangers-calvin-bassey-transfer-claim/)***