Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on signing River Plate winger Julian Alvarez and will begin talks over a deal this week.
The 21-year-old scored four goals and provided seven assists in 20 appearances for River Plate this season, and his performances earned him a call-up to the Argentina squad for the Copa America this summer.
Alvarez only made his senior international debut at the beginning of June but now looks set for a move to the Premier League with Dean Smith's side showing interest.
According to Birmingham Live, Alvarez's agent Fernando Hidalgo is due to fly to Europe on Thursday to hold talks with Villa and Dutch champions Ajax.
River Plate are expected to demand £15m for the winger, and with interest from both Villa and Ajax, a bidding war could commence for Alvarez's signature.
The Argentina international developed through River Plate's academy and, after making his first-team debut in 2018, he has gone on to score 16 goals and provide 17 assists in 69 appearances for the club.
Sammy Wynne
