Aston Villa have been making a move to sign a versatile winger from a Premier League rival that qualified for Europe next season.
Aston Villa’s transfer business has yet to secure any of the names on their radar. In fact, the number of targets continues to increase. Their harsh reality is the recent UEFA fine for another financial rule breach over two consecutive seasons might have affected the players they are pursuing. Consequently, Villa may have to be very careful when choosing their transfer targets.
According to a report by TeamTalk, it appears that The Lions have made an approach for a Bournemouth player who helped his team secure a place in European competition last season.
“Aston Villa and Fulham have both made enquiries over the availability of Bournemouth star Marcus Tavernier – a player we can exclusively reveal is now on Liverpool’s radar too.”
Marcus Tavernier is under contract until the summer of 2029. Thus, Bournemouth are under no pressure to sell him. In fact, the versatile winger is reportedly not for sale. The Cherries have already told interested clubs to look elsewhere.
Considering the length of his contract, should Villa insist on signing him, they would need to prepare a lucrative offer. Tavernier’s price tag could reach £40 million. Given Villa’s current situation after receiving a fine from UEFA, it seems quite unlikely that they would push ahead with negotiations. Such a move would probably only become possible if The West Midlands side agreed to sell one of their stars, such as Morgan Rogers. The 23-year-old England international has reportedly been valued at £130 million for any potential suitors.
Tavernier joined The Cherries in 2022. Since then, he has featured in 125 matches, registering 20 goals and 18 assists in all competitions. Last season was arguably his best so far, as he helped his team finish sixth in the Premier League. They secured a place in the Europa League for the first time in the club’s history. The former Middlesbrough man scored seven goals and provided four assists in the English top flight.
The Leeds-born winger has often made the difference in crucial games. He provided two assists in a 3-0 away win over Manchester United during the 2023/24 season. In the following campaign, he registered one assist in a 1-0 home victory over Spurs and another in a 2-1 away win against Arsenal.
The brother of Glasgow Rangers captain, James Tavernier, is capable of playing on either wing or leading the line. He can also operate as a number 10, a defensive midfielder, and even as a left-back when necessary. Tavernier is comfortable on the ball and also excels at pressing.
Based on data from FotMob, the 27-year-old winger has a strong xG of 9.06, while his xA stands at 4.64. Meanwhile, his pass completion rate is an impressive 83.6%, although his successful dribble rate and long-ball accuracy are relatively low at 43.8% and 39% respectively. His duel success rate is also fairly average at 43.3%.
Nevertheless, Tavernier excels defensively. He made 252 defensive contributions last season, including 40 tackles, 17 interceptions, and 39 clearances, which is quite remarkable for an attacking player.
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