Graham Potter makes Yves Bissouma admission after Aston Villa transfer hint

Aston Villa could reignite their interest in Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma this summer, according to reports.

The 25-year-old looks set to leave Brighton at the end of the season as he will enter the final 12 months of his current deal on the south coast. And he will have a number of suitors given his impressive form under Graham Potter over the last two Premier League campaigns.

Villa boss Steven Gerrard is a big fan of the Mali international and made a bid for him back in January, but the club's approaches were knocked back by Brighton, who were holding out for an offer north of £40million at the time. Though, Gerrard will go into the summer market with a midfielder a priority ahead of what promises to be a crucial 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips is also a top target, but with Manchester United said to be progressing with a deal to bring him to Old Trafford, the England international could be less attainable than Bissouma. The Brighton star will also cost considerably less than the £60million Villa will have to part with to land Phillips.

With 12 months left on his contract, Bissouma's value has reduced since January when Gerrard admitted that he had made a bid to sign him. Speaking after the window closed, Gerrard said: "Incomings, the window was extremely strong. There were areas that we needed to find solutions for us to be stronger and better. We got 90/95% of business done that we wanted to get done in the window.

"I’m delighted with the support from the board. It was well documented that we put in a bid for Bissouma at Brighton which was turned away, and we respected and appreciated. If a move is not right then we will not become desperate and make a decisions that we do