Aston Villa may reportedly join the race to secure a deal for Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli.
Having acquired the services of Moussa Diaby earlier this summer, head coach Unai Emery appeared to be happy with his options in the final third.
However, Emiliano Buendia sustained a serious knee injury just days before the start of the new season, forcing the Spaniard to contemplate alternatives.
While Villa showcased their attacking prowess in a 4-0 victory over Everton last weekend, they are still in the market for a fresh face on the flank.
Given their need to also add to their backline courtesy of a similar injury suffered by Tyrone Mings, the West Midlands outfit will seemingly assess the market for value for money.
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According to Sport, Villa may look to sign Ezzalzouli before the end of the summer transfer window, the closing day for deals being September 1.
The 21-year-old was able to showcase his potential last season as he represented Osasuna, contributing six goals and two assists as his temporary side qualified for Europa Conference League football.
Ezzalzouli has since been retained in Xavi's squad at Camp Nou, being introduced as a substitute in each of the club's opening two La Liga fixtures.
Nevertheless, given Barcelona's well-documented financial problems, the Catalan giants are in a position where they must be open to potential sales.
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That said, the report indicates that Barcelona would prefer to retain the Morocco international's services and find a solution for Ansu Fati instead.
As it stands, though, Bayer Leverkusen are said to be willing to pay €20m (£17.1m) plus add-ons in order to get a deal over the line.
Villa are allegedly considering whether they should either match that bid or attempt to agree different terms with their Barcelona counterparts.
Ezzalzouli, who featured on three occasions for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, still has three years remaining on his contract.
Darren Plant
