Aston Villa transfer news: Brazilian starlet 'targeted' in deal worth in excess of £10.5m

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in securing a deal for a Brazilian starlet ahead of the winter transfer window.

Unai Emery's side have defied a slow start to the campaign to storm into the top three of the Premier League table.

Despite a previous insistence from Emery in the middle of August that his squad were not candidates for the top seven, Villa now hold a five-point advantage over fifth position.

Although Villa must continue to ensure that they comply with the relevant Premier League and UEFA financial regulations, ambition remains to mount what once appeared an unlikely title challenge.

There is an argument that Emery sticking with his current crop will give Villa the best chance of keeping pace with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.

Villa targeting deal for Brazilian starlet

Nevertheless, as per Bolavip, Villa are pushing to sign Gremio youngster Alysson Edward over the coming weeks.

The report alleges that the West Midlands outfit have already put forward a bid in excess of €12m (£10.49m) for the 19-year-old.

© Imago / Sportimage

Odorico Roman has just taken over as Gremio's president and he is said to be among the club officials who are contemplating their next move.

With Gremio having only finished in ninth position in the Brasileiro table, there is reportedly an acknowledgement that cashing in on Edward would help fund a reshuffle of the squad.

On the flip side, there are some key figures behind the scenes who feel that Edward's market value will substantially increase over time and are in favour of retaining his services.

Who is Alysson Edward?

During the 2025 Brazilian top flight, Edward was used on 31 occasions, featuring in the starting lineup as many as 21 times.

However, he would only contribute one goal and two assists, as well as completing the 90 minutes just twice.

A former Brazil Under-16 international, Edward's stock remains high, but he appears to be at a pivotal point in his young career when his goal and assists numbers are so low.

Villa will be conscious that very few Brazilian youngsters have made an immediate impact in English football when transferring directly from their homeland, potentially making them unprepared to bid in excess of their current proposal.