Aston Villa have taken a significant step towards bringing striker Tammy Abraham back to Villa Park, with club officials reportedly flying to Turkey to negotiate a deal with his current side, Besiktas.
Villa Delegation in Turkey for Talks
Senior figures from the Premier League club have travelled to thrash out terms for the 28-year-old English forward. According to reports from Turkish media outlets Hurriyet and Sabah, the Villa delegation even watched Abraham play in Besiktas's away match against Kayserispor.
This move comes nearly eight years after Abraham's influential loan spell from Chelsea in the 2018/19 season, where his 26 goals in 46 games were instrumental in securing Villa's promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Transfer Fee and Personal Terms Revealed
The potential deal centres on a surprisingly affordable transfer fee. Besiktas initially loaned Abraham from AS Roma, with an option to make the move permanent for just over £11 million, a clause they are understood to have triggered.
However, to then sell him on to Villa, the Turkish club is said to want a fee of just under £18 million. This is considered a reasonable price for a player of Abraham's experience and calibre.
On the personal terms front, it is claimed that Abraham has already agreed to a four-and-a-half-year contract with Aston Villa. The deal would see him earn approximately £4 million per season after tax.
Emery's Striker Search Reaches Critical Phase
The push for Abraham is driven by manager Unai Emery's publicly stated need for attacking reinforcement. Following the departure of Donyell Malen, Emery is desperate for a proven striker to provide competition and cover for main forward Ollie Watkins.
Speaking recently, Emery made his position clear: "We need the same situation we had the last three years: one player competing with Watkins. The priority is someone as a central striker... to compete with Watkins or maybe even play with him."
Abraham's potential return would certainly fit that bill. Since leaving Villa, his career has taken him to Roma, AC Milan, and most recently Besiktas, adding valuable European experience.
Meanwhile, Besiktas are already scouting for a replacement, with Napoli's Romelu Lukaku reportedly on their radar. For Villa fans, the prospect of Abraham's return will evoke powerful memories of his crucial role in one of the club's most important modern achievements.
