Dan Ashworth could take advantage of Aston Villa transfer U-turn in £30m Newcastle United move

Aston Villa are no longer interested in a summer swoop for £30million-rated Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, according to reports.

Steven Gerrard wants to further bolster his midfield options this summer after already landing top target Boubacar Kamara from Marseille on a free transfer. But The Athletic claim Bissouma is no longer a target for Villa, despite bidding for the player back in January.

Brighton were said to be holding out for an offer north of £40million a few months ago, but with Bissouma set to enter the final 12 months of his contract, his value is depreciating. That means Villa weren't alone in their interest in the Mali international, with Arsenal and Monaco also said to be monitoring the situation.

Cash-rich Newcastle United have also been mooted as possible suitors for Bissouma and they may well have held an advantage over Villa to land his signature this summer. That's because newly appointed sporting director Dan Ashowrth worked with Bissouma at Brighton after the club signed him from Lille in July 2018.

Ashworth, who had been on gardening leave since February, joined Brighton in the spring of 2019 after six years with the English FA as director of elite development. And the Express claim that due to Ashworth's links to Brighton, and previous links to Bissouma, a summer transfer to St James' Park is not unfeasible.

Villa are expected to be busy until the end of the summer window, but Gerrard hopes to have the bulk of his signings completed before pre-season ramps up in the coming weeks. The club's current focus is to shift a few fringe players out after already making four permanent additions to Gerard's squad, in Philippe Coutinho, Kamara, Diego Carlos and Robin Olsen.