Big update on Aston Villa move for "special" Unai Emery target Oscar Gloukh

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has decided to move on from Galatasaray loanee Nicolo Zaniolo at the end of the 2023/24 season. Villa negotiated a conditional obligation to buy when they signed Zaniolo last summer, but according to transfer insider Dean Jones, Emery is already looking at potential replacements.

"I think it will probably be the case that Zaniolo does leave Villa at the end of his loan spell. I think he is a good player and still has potential to grow into this season if he can get more opportunities, but will he get opportunities? That's the big question for him right now. What will his patience level be like?

"I don't know whether it would make much sense from a club or player perspective to turn this into a permanent transfer at the end of the season. We know that Aston Villa are continuing to browse the market for potential options for the summer, and I think that means they're not convinced on signing Zaniolo at this point in time."

One player who may fit the bill is Oscar Gloukh at RB Salzburg. Back in December, it emerged that Gloukh was a target for Villa and a number of other clubs across Europe after displaying "top potential".

And then, earlier this week, we learned that the Premier League top-four chasers held a "concrete" interest in a summer move, having conducted extensive scouting and monitored Gloukh closely. Emery believes he can be a great fit for his project at Villa Park.

Villa leading the way in Gloukh race

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Villa are now one of the "leading candidates" to sign Gloukh, alongside title contenders Arsenal. There are other Premier League sides "in the background", but these two are out in front right now.

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There's a possibility that Villa end up going head-to-head with Mikel Arteta's side for the deal after the Gunners compiled a "huge" dossier on the 19-year-old with a view to swooping this summer.

Gloukh has shown he's a "special" talent

Attacking midfielder Gloukh joined Salzburg from Maccabi Tel Aviv just over a year ago and has made 45 appearances for the Austrian Bundesliga club so far, including 28 this season.

He's started 14 of the 20 league games for which he's been available in his first full season, and also scored his first Champions League goals in a 2-0 away win at Benfica and a 2-1 defeat against Inter. In the Austrian cup, meanwhile, he's provided a couple of assists on Salzburg's run to the semifinals.

Gloukh is one of the five youngest players to play for Israel in the 21st century and has already amassed 12 caps, scoring three times. He's earned the tag of "special" from under-23 scout Antonio Mango, and could follow in the footsteps of Sadio Mane by jumping straight from Salzburg to the Premier League.