Aston Villa transfer news today: Potential £34m Morgan Rogers ‘replacement’ identified

Aston Villa have identified Sporting Lisbon attacker Geny Catamo as a potential successor to Morgan Rogers, the newest report has revealed.

The Lions were beaten 4-2 by Real Sociedad in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, and that was their second game without attacker Rogers, who completed a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month.

Manager Unai Emery will be devastated to have lost arguably his best player, with the Englishman having proven himself to be a threat from all areas of the pitch.

If Villa are to replace the impact of Rogers, they will need to sign a pacey and direct forward, but they must also be capable of regularly scoring.

A new report from Football Insider has revealed that Villa are considering a bid for Sporting Lisbon attacker Catamo, with the attacker valued at £34m by his club.

Geny Catamo at Sporting Lisbon: The new Morgan Rogers?

Geny Catamo is more experienced than other attackers on the market this summer, with the 25-year-old having already spent five seasons in the Portuguese top flight.

The forward prefers to operate on the right side of attack, which could be problematic considering Rogers predominantly played on the left or as a number 10.

In 40 games for Sporting last season, Catamo only found the back of the net seven times while providing four assists, and he only managed to produced three direct goal involvements in 11 Champions League matches.

The winger has a limited history of production, and it would almost certainly be a significant challenge to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League immediately.

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Though there are legitimate concerns about how impactful Catamo might be, his potential price of £34m is significantly lower than the prices that other English sides have paid for talented stars, with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur both spending at least £100m on individual signings.

Emery would want someone with experience in Europe's top five leagues in an ideal world, but the Lions must reportedly still be careful with their finances due to concerns about breaching spending rules.

Catamo's price is extraordinarily cheap considering the fees that Premier League sides are paying to strengthen their squads, and while he may represent a risk, he could be one of the most affordable risks left on the market.