Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Report: Aston Villa set to make £16m Joshua King bid
Aston Villa are set to make a £16 million bid for Bournemouth forward Joshua King after missing out on Callum Wilson,
The Cherries striker headed to Newcastle yesterday, leaving Dean Smith to focus his attention elsewhere in the quest to bolster his firepower.
King, 28, scored six goals and registered four assists as Bournemouth slipped through the relegation trap-door during 2019/20.
One of the biggest attributes King possesses is his versatility, with the forward capable of playing out wide, through the middle or as a No.10.
In 170 appearances for the Cherries, he has bagged 50 goals and registered 17 assists, also winning 48 caps for Norway during his career – scoring 17 times.
King began his career in Norway but made the move to Manchester United from Valarenga in 2008, playing twice for the first-team at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has previously been linked with a move for King but it would seem that Villa are now in pole position to land the versatile forward.
Villa secured their Premier League status for another season on the final day of the 2019/20 campaign and Smith will hope for an easier ride next season.
In order to do that he will hope his side can score more goals and King looks like being the man identified to do just that.
TBR View – King ideal but Villa still need star striker
Make no bones about it, King would be a decent signing at £16 million – if Smith is planning on signing a main striker too.
The 28-year-old is a workhorse, a player who rarely tires and one who will put a 90-minute shift in each and every week.
King isn’t a 20+ goal a season striker though and Smith will surely try to identify one of those too before the transfer window closes.
If Villa can line King up with a centre forward – say, Ollie Watkins – then they could be in place for a decent campaign.
King isn’t best utilised as a central striker and Smith will need to ensure he gets quality around him to get the most out of his team in the final third.