Aston Villa have opened preliminary discussions with Crystal Palace regarding the possible acquisition of striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, while simultaneously reaching out to AC Milan to explore the signing of dynamic winger Rafael Leão. The club is actively evaluating its attacking options as it also faces competition from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, who are eager to secure the services of forward Ollie Watkins. Sky Sports News reports that Al Hilal have entered negotiations for Watkins and have already seen at least one of their offers rejected by Villa. Watkins was notably absent from the matchday squad for Villa's 4-0 loss to Brighton on Sunday.
When questioned about the omission, manager Unai Emery responded to Sky Sports with a terse, "Ask him. I can only answer with silence," leaving fans and pundits to speculate about the striker's future.
Subsequent reports indicate that Watkins returned to training on Monday and offered an apology to his teammates for missing the Brighton fixture, suggesting that the situation may be resolving internally. Mateta, who has a single year remaining on his contract with Palace, has been on Villa's radar since at least the winter transfer window. The 29-year-old featured for Palace in their 2-0 defeat to Everton over the weekend, keeping his form under observation.
Sources close to the deal say there is a valuation gap between Villa and Palace that has stalled progress, with Villa reportedly valuing Mateta higher than Palace is willing to accept. In parallel, Villa are making a serious push for Rafael Leão, who has signaled a willingness to consider a move to England. Negotiations between the two clubs are underway, and both parties hope to finalize terms before the September 1 transfer deadline.
Leão is a versatile attacker capable of operating as a central striker or on the left flank. He recorded nine goals and three assists across 29 Serie A appearances last season, demonstrating both goal-scoring instinct and creative ability. Villa have also long admired Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who is expected to depart his current club before the deadline. Jackson has attracted interest from Napoli and several other European sides, but Villa remain keen and have been linked to a potential signing should Watkins move to Al Hilal.
Patrick Rowe of Sky Sports highlighted Villa's recent reliance on improvised forward options, noting that Emi Buendía and Ross Barkley were deployed as makeshift attackers during the heavy defeat to Brighton. With Watkins' future uncertain, and both Tammy Abraham and 17-year-old Brian Madjo sidelined by injury, the club's attacking depth has been stretched thin. Emery has watched his Europa League-winning squad fragment over the summer, with departures of Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa already confirmed. Watkins and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could be next.
The urgency to reinforce the squad before the deadline cannot be overstated. While Leão would not be a routine addition, his profile matches Villa's need for a high-calibre forward who can replace the creative output and positional flexibility lost with Rogers' exit. Leão's skill set allows him to function as a central striker, second striker, or left winger, mirroring Rogers' ability to press defenses, drive forward, and threaten the goal from multiple angles. Although his market value has dipped recently, Emery's track record of revitalising players—most notably Marcus Rashford—suggests he could unlock Leão's full potential.
Villa can offer the allure of Champions League football, a guaranteed starting role, and a prominent platform in the Premier League. For Leão, this represents an opportunity to showcase his talent on a bigger stage and to work under a manager who has demonstrated an ability to nurture and elevate players.
Former AC Milan and Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begović weighed in on Sky Sports, praising the prospective move: "This would be fantastic news for Villa supporters. Rafael Leão would be an incredible signing. I have played with him and seen his pace, power and skill first-hand.
He is perfectly suited to the Premier League. His technical ability, athleticism and footballing intelligence would thrive in England." Begović added that Leão's development at Milan was hampered by managerial turnover, which affected his consistency. He believes that under Emery, Leão could finally settle into a defined role and take his career to the next level. In summary, Aston Villa are juggling multiple transfer targets as the September 1 deadline looms.
They are pursuing Mateta from Palace, negotiating with AC Milan for Leão, monitoring the Al Hilal bid for Watkins, and keeping an eye on Nicolas Jackson as a potential long-term solution. The club's ability to secure one or more of these players will shape its attacking options for the upcoming season and determine whether they can compete at the highest level in both domestic and European competitions.