Aston Villa: £30m Spaniard 'would be attracted' by Villa Park move

Aston Villa ‘are an attractive option for players’ this summer amid links to Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from the RCDE Stadium in recent weeks following another impressive season in La Liga, and Villa Park has been listed as a potential destination.

Spanish sources have claimed that De Tomas is on the radar of several Premier League clubs, with Newcastle United, Everton and West Ham also listed as potential suitors.

It’s claimed that the Spain international is the highest paid player at Espanyol and the Barcelona-based side are eager to offload his sizeable wages.

The Spanish side are believed to be demanding a €35 million (£30m) fee for their prized asset, who registered 17 goals and three assists in 34 top-flight appearances last season, leading to him being labelled “emphatic”.

De Tomas still has four years remaining on his current contract at Espanyol and was the joint-third top scorer in La Liga last season.

O’Rourke believes that Villa’s ambition and the prospect of working under Steven Gerrard would be appealing to De Tomas, who appears to have his pick of the clubs this summer.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “De Tomas has been linked with a few Premier League clubs recently this summer.

“I think also Newcastle have been linked to them, but I think Aston Villa are an attractive option for players right now with the ambition that the club’s owners have, and also with Steven Gerrard as manager as well I’m sure plays a big part in some players’ thinking of where they might possibly move.”

Last season, Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins were the only strikers in Gerrard’s first-team squad, leaving the 42-year-old