Aston Villa AGREE striker deal as €60m Real Madrid bid made

Tom Weber
Tom Weber
  • Updated: 23 Jan 2026 15:21 GMT
  • 4 min read
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
© IMAGO

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Besiktas to sign Tammy Abraham, while they have also reportedly made a hefty bid for Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz.

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The Villans are looking to bolster their frontline following the departure of Donyell Malen for AS Roma. Leon Bailey has returned from his loan in the Italian capital, while Gremio youngster Alysson has been signed, but neither is expected to play a big role in the second half of the season.

As a result, Aston Villa have explored deals for various big-name forwards. Positive talks have been held with Jean-Philippe Mateta, as revealed by FootballTransfers, but Crystal Palace are reluctant to sell. The Transfers Podcast understands that Goncalo Ramos is also a target.

Current ETV
Player image Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham

F (C)

Besiktas logo

Besiktas

Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham

F (C)

Besiktas

Besiktas

€14.8M

ETV Range

€13.3M - €16.3M

However, Villa appear to now have secured their preferred option: Tammy Abraham. Sky Sports reports that a verbal agreement with Besiktas has been reached for a €21 million fee. with young defender Yasin Ozcan also heading to Istanbul.

Abraham is on the verge of returning to Villa Park, something he was understood to be incredibly keen on. Unai Emery is also believed to be a long-standing admirer of the former AS Roma striker.

Villa make Brahim bid

Meanwhile, a sensational report in Spain claims that Villa are also trying to sign Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz. Fichajes asserts that the Villans and Sunderland are ready to pay up to €60 million for the Morocco international.

Given that the 26-year-old has perennially struggled for minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu despite being such an eminently talented player - except when it comes to panenka penalties - Real Madrid are considering the offer.

Brahim Diaz and FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino
© IMAGO - Brahim Diaz and FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino

It is claimed that the fee consists of a guaranteed sum of €45 million and a further €15m in potential add-ons. It is a "very attractive" offer as far as Real Madrid are concerned.

Brahim's performances at the Africa Cup of Nations have seen his stock rise and piqued the interest of various clubs around Europe. Real Madrid are not in a hurry to cash in on him, but they are understanding of his desire for more minutes and believe that the money on offer is reasonable.

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