Aston
Villa are interested in loan moves for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham and
Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe.
Both Abraham and Tuanzebe played on loan at Villa as Dean Smith's side
earned promotion to the Premier League from the Championship in the 2018-19
season.
Abraham received limited first-team opportunities at Chelsea after Thomas
Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in January, but still ended last season as the
club's joint-top goal-scorer alongside Timo Werner.
Chelsea would prefer to sell Abraham than send him out on loan and are
thought to value the 23-year-old at around £40m, with Arsenal also
interested in signing the English forward.
With Abraham's current contract at Stamford Bridge running until 2023, the
club would look to extend the deal if they were to allow him to leave on
loan for the upcoming campaign.
Chelsea have had an £85m offer to sign Romelu Lukaku rejected by Inter
Milan, with acquiring a new striker appearing to be Tuchel's priority for
the summer transfer window.
Abraham is held in high regard by Villa boss Smith, having scored 26 goals
in 40 starts during his loan spell with the club.
Tuanzebe, who has had two loan spells with Villa, is in a similar situation,
with United keen to extend his contract before allowing him to go out on a
temporary deal again.
The 23-year-old's current contract expires next summer, but United hold an
option to extend it until 2023.
United's options at centre-back are set to be bolstered by the signing of
Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, potentially diminishing opportunities for
academy product Tuanzebe.
Chelsea making room for Lukaku?
Sky Sports News' Dharmesh Sheth:
"I feel like Chelsea are already making space for Romelu Lukaku. We've
already seen Olivier Giroud move to AC Milan and now it's emerging that
Aston Villa are interested in signing Tammy Abraham on loan. In the 2018/19
season, he spent a year on loan there in the Championship and scored 26
goals in 40 starts.
"Arsenal are also thought to be interested in the player, but Chelsea would
prefer a sale with the valuation at £40m. His current deal is up in 2023
hence why Chelsea would want the sale.
"It might even be that they would look to extend his contract by a further
year so that if he went on loan and performed well, he would maintain his
value or who knows might even convince Thomas Tuchel that he has a future at
Chelsea under his management.
"Chelsea are no strangers to doing this deal as they did so with Michy
Batshuayi and with Giroud."
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