Aston Villa set to make £25m transfer move for midfielder Habib Diarra – but Chelsea chiefs will have final say
ASTON VILLA are making a fresh £25million move for Strasbourg’s Senegal star Habib Diarra.
Villa have checked on the 21-year-old creative midfielder for the past few weeks after taking a huge interest last season.
Diarra will be sold by the French club at the right price.
They have already turned down £15m from Eintracht Frankfurt but are open to a Premier League swoop.
Unai Emery plans to move around some of his squad and there could be space for a new No10 next season as they go for glory at home and abroad.
Everton and Nottingham Forest have also been watching Strasbourg games in Ligue 1 recently.
However, Villa’s interest in the versatile midfielder is the strongest and most deep-rooted.
Nevertheless, Chelsea could play a role in the player’s future as Strasbourg have the same owners as the Premier League giants with BlueCo in charge of the French outfit.
Diarra swapped from playing for France at Under-18 level to Senegal.
He has already won nine caps and is now ready for the next stage in his club career.
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Meanwhile, Frank Lampard’s Coventry are leading the race to sign Villa right-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
Sky Blues are willing to pay £5m plus extras for the academy product, who had a good season on loan in the Championship at Preston.
Villa will sell Kesler-Hayden, 22, as they trim their squad and the player knows his time at his first club is nearing an end.
Former youth team captain Kesler-Hayden, 22, has been on loan five times and managed three first-team appearances.