Aston Villa are ready to smash their transfer record to sign Brentford striker Neal Maupay.
Dean Smith’s side are preparing to make a £20 million move for the Frenchman, as per a report by Birmingham Live.
Villa have returned to the Premier League after a three-year absence and their owners are ready to financially back Smith.
He knows Maupay well from signing him for Brentford in 2017 and now wants to reunite with him at Villa Park this summer.
The 22-year-old forward has scored 41 times in 95 appearances in all competitions for the Bees and is looking set for a move away this summer to the top flight. Sheffield United have also been linked with him.
Prior to his move to London, Maupay started his career at Nice and played 53 times for their first-team before moving onto Saint-Étienne. He spent the 2016/17 season on loan at Ligue 2 side Brest, where he bagged 12 goals.
Brentford signed him for just £1.6 million and he has turned out to be an inspired signing by them as they look set to make a hefty profit on him.
Aston Villa fans will still be celebrating after Monday’s Play-Off final win over Derby County but will know that their squad is in need of some signings ahead of a Premier League campaign next season.
Maupay has proven himself in the second tier and would offer the Claret and Blue side another in attack. Villa will have to act fast to land him though amid interest from other clubs.
