Aston Villa are eyeing a move for AFC Bournemouth striker Joshua King, after missing out on a move for Callum Wilson according to the Daily Mail.
Dean Smith's side were beaten by Newcastle United to the signing of Wilson, with the forward completing his move to the Magpies on Monday ahead of the new Premier League season.
King has previously been attracting transfer interest from his former club Manchester United, but a return to Old Trafford failed to materialise for one reason or another.
The Norwegian international scored six goals in 27 appearances for Bournemouth in the Premier League last season, but his efforts were unable to stop them from being relegated into the Championship on the final day of the 2019/20 campaign.
The Cherries are now managed by Jason Tindall, and the newly-appointed boss will know that King is a player that will attract significant transfer interest heading towards the conclusion of the transfer window this year.
A move to Villa Park could be tempting for King as well, with Dean Smith's side retaining their status as a club in the top-flight for another season last term.
They don't have a considerable amount of options in attack, which could mean there is space for King to force his way into the starting XI if he signed for the club.
Aston Villa take on Burton Albion in the second round of the EFL Cup on 15th September, before taking on Sheffield United in their first league match of the season.
Bournemouth face a potentially tricky test against Blackburn Rovers on the opening weekend of fixtures, as they look to get off to a winning start back in the Championship.
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The Verdict:
This would be a great move.
I still think Aston Villa are lacking cutting edge in front of goal, and they could certainly benefit from adding another striker to their squad ahead of the new season.
King has shown that he can score goals in the top-flight, and will surely be looking at a move back into the Premier League in the near future.
He's too good for the Championship, and Bournemouth will surely know that they'll be fighting a losing battle to keep him at the club.