Turkish giants Besiktas have reportedly set their sights on two Aston Villa players as they consider a deal that could see striker Tammy Abraham return to Villa Park.
Besiktas President Confirms Player-Plus-Cash Preference
Besiktas president Serdal Adal has publicly confirmed the club's stance on a potential move for Abraham, who is currently on loan at AS Roma. Adal stated that while an offer from Aston Villa is on the table, the Turkish side would prefer any agreement to include a player moving in the opposite direction.
The 28-year-old Abraham is no stranger to Villa, having enjoyed a successful loan spell at the club from Chelsea back in the 2018/19 season. He is also attracting interest from Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest and Everton.
Guessand and Bogarde Named as Potential Makeweights
According to emerging reports from Turkish media, the players identified by Besiktas' technical staff are young forward Evann Guessand and defender Lamare Bogarde.
However, the potential move for Guessand has already hit an early snag. The player's agent has this week gone on record to state that Guessand will not be leaving Aston Villa during the current January transfer window, seemingly pouring cold water on that aspect of the proposed swap.
The interest in Bogarde is said to be driven by Besiktas' desire to strengthen their defensive options for the remainder of the campaign.
Deal Hinges on Player Inclusion
President Adal elaborated on the situation, making it clear that while Besiktas do not actively want to lose Abraham, they are open to discussions if a suitable player is included. "If a player is offered to come the other way then we will sit down and think about it," he said.
He concluded by confirming: "There are players that the technical staff want from Aston Villa. We conveyed it to them." This sets the stage for further negotiations between the clubs, with Villa's valuation of Abraham and their willingness to part with either of the named youngsters being key factors.
The coming days will reveal if this complex player-exchange deal can gain any real momentum before the transfer deadline.
