By 
Aston Villa are turning their attention from one Bournemouth striker to another, as they table a bid for Joshua King.
Words: Regan Foy | @findfoy
_____________
Aston Villa are set to table a £16,000,000 bid for Joshua King after facing blows in their search for a forward, as talks for priority target Ollie Watkins continue with Brentford.
With less than a year remaining on his contract, Josh King will be available for a cut-price this summer as he looks set for an immediate return to the Premier League following Bournemouth’s relegation.
Should the deal move quickly, King would be the second player through the door at Bodymoor Heath this summer after Nottingham Forest’s Matty Cash signed in a deal worth the same amount quoted for King.
The 28-year old forward was involved in 10 goals last season, scoring six and assisting four, in 24 appearances.
The former Manchester United academy graduate has been a part of the Bournemouth squad since 2015 after joining from Blackburn on a free transfer following loan spells with Borussia Monchengladbach and Hull City.
According to Percy at The Telegraph, King is one of a few forwards attracting interest from Aston Villa – with Odsonne Eduoard and Rhian Brewster also tickling Dean Smith’s fancy.
The Norwegian Internatinal has a relatively strong injury history until late, missing two months of football in the 2019/20 season after a muscle fiber tear in late December.
Of King’s 48 goals for Bournemouth, twelve have come from the penalty spot, whilst two have come from set pieces. To put this into perspective, only 28 of his goals have come open play in his 161 appearances for the Cherries.
They are a side that create a large number of chances, and it’s their goals that kept them in the Premier League for as long as they were – with defensive frailty causing a major issue during their time in the Premier League.
On the other hand, Aston Villa created only two more ‘big chances’ last season than Bournemouth – with 46 – but with the potential of improvement and competition in other positions, King could find himself in a role that suits him.
The last Norwegian forward to play at Villa Park stole the hearts of many – so what’s to say that King couldn’t do the same?
