Aston Villa have been very active in the summer transfer window and have already splashed out £100 million on signing new players.
Dean Smith, the Villa boss, will be looking to add more new faces before the window closes. However, it seems Villa are likely to miss out on Bristol City defender Adam Webster.
The 24-year-old is arguably one of the best defenders in the Championship right now, and several Premier League clubs including Villa have shown strong interest in signing him.
Villa have been in talks with the Championship side, but it seems they are losing the battle for his signature.
The Robins have already rejected an offer for the central defender from Villa. The newly-promoted Premier League club are reluctant to match his £30 million price tag.
Bristol boss Lee Johnson has said that he is confident of keeping hold of his star player. He has hailed him as a ‘fantastic’ player, adding that the club are in a strong position to keep him.
Although he admitted that anything can happen in the transfer window, it seems Villa will no longer pursue their interest in Webster.
The arrival of Bjorn Engels means Villa now have signed four central defenders this summer.
“I think we’re in a strong position,” Johnson told BristolLive. “I think so [that Bristol City have a lot to offer him]. Listen, every player wants to play as high as they can and for as long as they can.
“And sometimes media reports can be pretty wide of the mark, so it hasn’t always been what’s been in the press has always been the reality of the situation.
“But at the same time he’s a fantastic player – and we want to keep our best players and if we can’t keep our best players it’s because they’re going to top clubs in the Premier League.
“And we’re getting fees that we believe can make our squad better with those finances involved. Honestly, I think he’ll be here. I honestly do.
“I would never say never in football because anything can change – particularly as it gets manic in the last week of the window.”I think we’re in a strong position.”
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