Nicolás Gaitán could potentially be heading for the Premier League, with a number of potential suitors interesting in signing the 31-year-old, including Aston Villa, according to reports from the Guardian.
What’s the word?
Gaitan, who is currently with MLS outfit Chicago Fire, is set to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of December.
The likes of West Ham and Sheffield United are also, as reported by the Guardian, interested in signing the Argentinian, and a battle of Premier League sides could ensue in chasing the services of the forward ahead of the January window, with Villa likely to be attracted by the prospect of Gaitan’s availability on a free transfer.
Is Gaitan what Dean Smith’s side need?
The forward has impressed during his time in the USA, scoring four goals and registering 11 assists in 27 league appearances, but Villa owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris will have to ensure they don’t jeopardise their long-term vision for the club with acquisitions that align to short-term gains.
At the age of 31, Gaitan would be joining Smith’s squad towards the latter stages of his career, and given the club’s youthful transfers policy in the summer window – with 10 of Villa’s 12 summer signings aged 24 and under – this would represent an alteration in the newly-promoted side’s philosophy in the market.
The only player Villa signed this summer above the age of 30 was Tom Heaton (33), and if Gaitan was to arrive in B6, he would have to make a considerable impact in order to earn a starting berth.
If a short-term contract was to be tabled – perhaps till the end of the season – this could work in Villa’s favour. But Gaitan’s age and the reduction in competitiveness he will have been experiencing over the last two years – in both the MLS and the Chinese Super League – could make this a transfer worthy of caution for Smith and the club’s owners ahead of the January transfer window.
