Aston Villa have joined the likes of Sheffield United, West Ham United and Fulham in the race to sign Matty Cash, Football Insider claims.
The 23-year-old was one of the Championship’s best-performing right-backs last term and he bagged three goals and five assists from 42 appearances for Nottingham Forest.
He is understood to be keen on joining a top-flight side this summer and Sheffield United are reported to have already failed with a £10m bid for his services.
It is now revealed that Dean Smith’s side have entered the pursuit of the in-demand star, but they would still need to meet the £15m valuation set by Forest.
Ahmed Elmohamady, Frederic Guilbert and Ezri Konsa featured in the right-back spot for the Villans last term, but none of them started regularly in the position.
The arrival of Cash would potentially allow the manager to have someone reliable in the role and capable of making an impact on both ends of the playing field.
Villa may have ended the previous season on a high note, but their defensive displays were poor over the course of the campaign with 67 goals allowed.
Cash should provide a solid base from the right side of the backline based on his previous season, where he won more than two tackles and one interception per game.
He also managed an impressive three clearances per 90 minutes while being aerially dominant with nearly two duels won every match.
It remains to be seen whether the Villans can find a suitable agreement with Forest and the player himself.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com and Whoscored.com
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