Aston Villa transfer news: Steven Gerrard '100%' certain to target £50m star

Aston Villa are ‘100%’ certain to look to strike a deal for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma when the transfer window reopens in the summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Steven Gerrard – who was appointed as the Midlands club’s head coach in November – reshaped his squad by drafting in Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen and Calum Chambers last month but was unable to welcome Bissouma to Villa Park.

The Athletic have revealed Aston Villa are expected to push to sign Bissouma after Gerrard admitted the club were frustrated in their efforts to prise the 25-year-old away from Brighton during the January transfer window.

Bissouma’s current employers rejected Villa’s proposal, which the report suggests was in the region of £35million and fell short of the Seagulls’ valuation.

Brighton were reportedly only willing to entertain selling the defensive midfielder if a bid worth £50million had been lodged.

Had Villa succeeded with their initial bid, Bissouma would have become the most expensive signing in the club’s history.

However, it is unlikely that Villa will have to part with that sum in the summer as, but for a new contract being agreed, Bissouma will have entered the final 12 months of his £29,000-per-week deal at the Amex Stadium.

That still does not necessarily mean it will be easy to secure Bissouma’s services in the summer as Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have also been keen on sealing his transfer.

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O’Rourke is certain that Villa will reignite their interest in Bissouma when the transfer window reopens at the start of July.

The journalist understands Villa and Brighton were unable