Aston Villa eyeing “phenomenal” £55m star they made contact for last summer

Aston Villa are now eyeing a “phenomenal” Premier League defender who they made contact about signing last summer, with it recently being revealed he has a £55m release clause in his contract.

Villa eyeing summer signings

The Villans were extremely active in the January transfer window, sealing deals to sign several high-profile players, most notably Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Asensio, who both joined on loan until the end of the campaign.

However, there is no guarantee the loan moves will turn into permanent transfers, so Unai Emery continues to assess targets in multiple positions ahead of the summer transfer window.

Moise Kean is one of the strikers currently under consideration, with the forward regularly finding the back of the net for Fiorentina in the Serie A this season, while Villarreal attacking midfielder Alex Baena is also on the list of potential targets.

Not only is Emery keen to bring in new attacking options at the end of the season, but he may also be keen to strengthen his defence, with Axel Disasi currently set to return to parent club Chelsea when his loan reaches its conclusion.

According to a report from The Boot Room, one of the centre-backs Villa are eyeing is AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, who they made contact about signing before he sealed a move to high-flying AFC Bournemouth last summer.

A number of Premier League clubs are now on alert, as it has emerged Huijsen has a £55m release clause in his Bournemouth contract, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool also being named as potential suitors.

The Cherries have previously been unwilling to confirm the existence of the release clause, but it has now been revealed it is set to become active in the summer, potentially opening the door for a move to a top club.

Huijsen excelling for Bournemouth

Bournemouth have been one of the surprise packages in the Premier League this season, making an unexpected push for Europe, and the 19-year-old has emerged as a key player since the beginning of December.

The Spaniard is now a regular starter for Andoni Iraola’s side, and he has caught the eye of Jacek Kulig in 2025, with the football talent scout lauding

Over the past year, which includes his time with AS Roma, the defender ranks extremely highly on a number of key defensive metrics, while he has also proven himself to be a threat at the opposite end of the pitch.

£55m is a lot of money to fork out on such a young player, but Huijsen is showing very promising signs in his debut Premier League season, so Villa should definitely pursue a deal this summer.