Aston Villa face Arsenal transfer battle after ‘identifying’ 17-goal striker

Aston Villa are reportedly preparing to battle Arsenal for highly-rated striker Lois Openda.

The 23-year-old signed for Lens from Club Brugge last summer and the forward made an instant impact in his debut Ligue 1 campaign. Openda has bagged 17 league goals in 32 games this term, helping Lens battle for a Champions League spot as a key part of Franck Haise’s impressive side.

Openda arrived in France after two seasons on loan at Vitesse in the Eredivisie, where he was involved in 48 goals in 88 games. Villa have heavily relied on Ollie Watkins under Unai Emery and are claimed to be considering a move for the Belgium international this summer as a way to bolster their forward options.

It has been reported by Caught Offside , via Spanish outlet Fichajes , that Villa are “interested” in the Belgian goalscorer. It is stated that Openda has been “identified” as a possible target for Villa, ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

However, Villa are said to be rivalled by Arsenal for Openda’s signature, following his prolific season in front of goal. The former Club Brugge man is touted as a back-up option to Gabrel Jesus as manager Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his title-challenging squad.

From a Lens perspective, though, the club are in a strong negotiating position. Openda signed a five-year contract until 2027, meaning Villa would be forced to “pay a premium” to Lens, if the club opted to pursue a deal for the young striker.

Villa’s late push for Europe has been spearheaded by Ollie Watkins, who has scored 14 goals and provided six assists in 32 league games. Teenager Jhon Duran is currently the only other recognised striker in the squad after the club took the decision to cash in on Danny Ings, as well as giving Cameron Archer another opportunity to thrive on loan.