Report: Aston Villa weigh up move for highly rated 22yr old Nottingham Forest attacker with player reportedly on Unai Emery’s radar this summer
Aston Villa are interested in signing Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest during the summer transfer window. The Reds maintained their Premier League status in May and now another rebuild will begin.
According to the Daily Mail, Johnson is now on the radar at Villa as they prepare to tackle the UEFA Conference League next season. It has to be said, however, that it will take a huge offer to convince Forest to sell.
Villa were brilliant under Unai Emery last season. They rose up the Premier League table and managed to secure a place in European competition next season on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign.
Johnson has risen to fame at Forest since bursting onto the scene during the 2021/22 campaign. He returned to the City Ground following a successful loan spell at Lincoln the year before.
In Forest’s promotion-winning campaign, he scored 19 goals and claimed nine assists as the Reds won the play-offs. He scored in both legs of the play-off semi-final against Sheffield United and proved to be the club’s star boy.
The 2022/23 campaign was also a successful one for Johnson. He found the net on 10 occasions in all competitions and also made three appearances at the World Cup for Wales.
Steve Cooper is a huge fan of the player. After a 1-0 win over Leeds back in February, the head coach called him ‘fantastic’ following his volley that secured a big three points for the Reds.
The Midlands-based outfit should forget signing Johnson. There is absolutely no way on this earth that Forest would maintain their Premier League status for another season and then start selling the crown jewels.
This move would be met with a serious backlash from supporters. Johnson was instrumental alongside Morgan Gibbs-White last season and the club will now feel they can keep their best players.
Emery has got Villa firing again and they will relish their European adventure next season. Signing Johnson from Forest looks like a non-starter though and the club would have to spend an absolute fortune to prise him away from the City Ground.
