Aston Villa close to securing a breakthrough in talks to sign 53-cap international

Aston Villa are keen on signing the Argentine international Marcos Acuna.

According to a report from Football Insider, the 31-year-old is a target for the West Midlands club and the English outfit are looking to get the deal done.

The report claims that Aston Villa have already agreed personal terms with the defender and it remains to be seen whether they can agree on a fee with Sevilla now.

The 53-cap Argentine international could prove to be a quality acquisition for Aston Villa who have looked vulnerable defensively so far this season. They conceded five goals against Newcastle United in their opening game of the Premier League season and Unai Emery will be hoping that his side can tighten up defensively.

Acuna will add defensive quality and experience at the back.

The 31-year-old defender has been a key player for club and country of the past year and he helped Argentina win the World Cup. He helped Sevilla win the UEFA Europa League last season as well.

Aston Villa sporting director Monchi knows the player well having signed him for Sevilla back in 2020 and it remains to be seen whether he can bring the player to Villa Park now.

The report from Football Insider claims that Aston Villa are now close to securing a breakthrough in negotiations.

January signing Alex Moreno is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and it makes sense for the West Midlands club to go out and sign an experienced replacement.

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Lee Johnson knows clinching a glamour Conference League play-off clash with Aston Villa has come at a price for Hibs.

But the Easter Road boss is adamant the gruelling schedule that has seen the Battle of Britain blockbuster brought forward 24 hours to Wednesday CAN’T cost his side dearly when Raith Rovers come calling in the Viaplay Cup. Johnson has seen injuries pile up and energy levels stretched to the limit in a burst of three huge games in six days.

Thursday’s heroic draw in Luzern that teed up the Villa showdown saw Dylan Levitt hobble off with ankle-ligament damage that will see him ruled out of this afternoon’s action. Jake Doyle-Hayes was already sidelined for the Swiss trip along with long-term absentees Harry McKirdy and Jojo Wollacott. And Josh Campbell played through the pain barrier with a shoulder injury. With Unai Emery’s multi-million pound squad in Leith on Wednesday it’s a major test of mental and physical strength.

Hibs had to move the game forward 24 hours to avoid a clash with Hearts’ home tie against PAOK Salonika – with the Jambos getting the benefit of the extra day due to their higher league position last season. First things first though and Johnson is determined to avoid a slip-up against Raith.

The Hibees boss said: “The Villa game being brought forward doesn’t help us. Not with the Raith game as I want to win and compete on all fronts.

“The team selection will be a headache. As a manager it’s horrendous because you have a wave of euphoria then straight away you have to think about the next game.

“We’ve shown we have character. We just need to keep building minutes in our players and overcome the circumstances that have led us to struggle in league games at the moment. A lot of these boys need a lot of credit for what they have done over the last 10 days.”

Johnson – who lifted the League Cup as a player with Kilmarnock 11 years ago – has admitted the biggest regret from his first season in charge was falling at the first hurdle in both cup competitions. He wants to put that right and give the fans something extra to celebrate on top of their Euro exploits.

He said: “We want to make an impact on the cups. I’ve been lucky to win this competition as a player so I know it’s big. We want to keep building the club, that’s the key. The squad is going to be really important. There’s no starting XI. Everyone has to play their part.

“We will need our fans on side. The positivity over the European games has transcended into the lads’ performances. Now we need them to give us that extra yard through their voice in a game we’re expected to win – but it’s one of the most difficult of the season for that reason.”