Aston Villa and Real Betis are reportedly set to go head-to-head in the final weeks of the transfer window as the two clubs are touted as Giovani Lo Celso's only options to leave Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite recently adding a second Copa America title to his impressive personal trophy haul, the Argentine was recently said to not be a part of Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou's plan for the upcoming season, so is up for sale. Word has reached Lo Celso's homeland, where the latest claim officially brings Villa into the fold.
TyC Sports claim the West Midlands to be one possible destination for the 28-year-old, allowing him to continue his Premier League journey in a new setting. Whilst it would mark a new adventure, he would be greeted by the familiar face of Unai Emery.
The Spaniard was critical in kickstarting the midfielder's career in Europe when bringing him to Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, and they worked with one another for the next two seasons. After that Emery offered Lo Celso a loan route out of Spurs in 2022, and the pair spent 10 months together again at Villarreal.
To complete the signing, Villa would have to see off competition from La Liga's Real Betis. As they also have personal connections with the man in question - he made 45 appearances across two years in Balompie between 2018 and 2020 - the battle would come down to who Lo Celso feels the deeper connection with.
A Betis sporting director recently stated: "He is a player who already showed his worth at Betis, who is now doing so with Argentina, and who is complementary to [Nabil] Fekir, one should not be a substitute for the other."
And of course also paramount to any transfer is Spurs' final say on the matter. The latest report states that the Londoners will only consider a permanent sale, no loans this time around, and will only listen to 'good offers'.