Bertrand Traore now 'closing in' on Aston Villa exit | OneFootball

Aston Villa forward Bertrand Traore is edging closer to leaving the club, with Spanish side Villarreal in the final stages of securing his signature, according to reports.

Traore has fallen out of favour at Villa Park with Unai Emery's side flying high at the top of the Premier League. With the Midlands club having plenty of attacking options, it was always going to be difficult for Traore to break into the starting XI. Emery and his recruitment team also recently brought Morgan Rogers to the club from Middlesbrough, which could force Traore further down the pecking order.

Traore close to Villarreal move

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Villarreal are closing in on the signing of Traore from Aston Villa. The Villans gave the green light after finalising a deal to bring Rogers to the club in the last few days, meaning Traore's game time was likely to be limited even more so than it has been this campaign. In a later tweet, the respected reporter confirmed that Traore's contract has been terminated at Villa Park, allowing him to join the Spanish outfit on a free transfer.

Romano confirmed to GIVEMESPORT earlier in the week that Traore was more likely to leave the club than Jacob Ramsey, and it now appears that the Burkina Faso international will be heading through the exit door before the window slams shut later tonight.

Traore was recently on target for his country at the African Cup of Nations, scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Mali, but his strike wasn't enough to prevent Burkina Faso from being eliminated from the competition. The 28-year-old signed for the Villans back in 2020 for a fee of around £19m from Lyon, so it might come as a surprise that the club are willing to allow him to depart for free.

Wilfried Zaha on Villa's radar

According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, in a conversation with GIVEMESPORT, Galatasaray winger Wilfried Zaha is a target for Villa and is on their radar, but he believes it could be too expensive for the Midlands club.

The former Crystal Palace winger has been in impressive form for the Turkish side, scoring nine goals and providing three assists in 19 games in the league. As a result, it could be difficult for the Premier League outfit to secure his signature.