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Deal of the summer? Harry Wilson to Aston Villa is a low-risk, high-reward move destined for success
Robin Bairner
- 4 Mar 2026 14:01 GMT
- 5 min read
Analysis
Harry Wilson has been linked with a move to Aston Villa after an outstanding season with Fulham, and FootballTransfers’ data suggests it would be a great move for all involved.
Wilson has emerged as one of the hottest names on the transfer market for a pack of Premier League sides outside of the ‘Big 6’.
Aston Villa and Everton have been closely linked with the 28-year-old, while there has even been interest from high-flying Wrexham.
Current ETV
Harry Wilson
F (R), M (CR)
Fulham
Harry Wilson
F (R), M (CR)
Fulham
ETV Range
€16.1M - €19.7M
Harry Wilson to Aston Villa: The sources
Aston Villa’s links with Wilson were first reported by The Telegraph in February. It was claimed that they were also interested in signing him in January, but after that deal fell through, they instead turned their sights on signing him as a free agent in the summer.
Fabrizio Romano reignited rumours linking Villa with a move for Wilson, revealing that initial talks have already taken place for the winger.
Romano points out that only Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes have produced more goals and assists in the Premier League than Wilson since December. The Fulham star has had a direct hand in 12 goals in that time.
STATS
Harry Wilson
F (R), M (CR)
Fulham
Harry Wilson
F (R), M (CR)
Fulham
Marco Silva on Fulham’s chances on keeping Wilson
Fulham manager Marco Silva admits it is a tall task keeping Wilson at the club.
“Our club is trying to have contact with his people as much as they can to solve it,” he said, indicating that the Cottagers are still keen to offer him a new deal.
“I'm not going to hide it, the better he plays, the fight [to keep him] is going to be bigger. It's clear, but we prefer it in this way.
“Of course, when a player goes into the last year of his contract and is performing so well like Harry is doing, it's going to happen. But the reality is that we’re not giving up at all.”
Why Aston Villa are his best option
Wilson would be well advised to seriously consider a move to Aston Villa, according to data analytics experts SciSports.
Based on a variety of factors from potential development and pitch time, to playing style and formation, Aston Villa are given a Club Fit score of 83. No other club comes close to that figure, with Everton ranking second with 79.
It may be that there is not another move in the Premier League all summer that posts such a strong club fit.
Aston Villa are seen as Wilson’s best options because they can offer him a bit of everything, scoring solidly across all the major categories.
Everton are seen as a perfect fit in terms of playing style and formation, but David Moyes’ Toffees could not offer him the same playing time or development opportunities.
Meanwhile, Fulham score 78. They cannot match Villa in terms of development or playing time, according to SciSports’ analysis.
A low-risk, high-reward option
Aston Villa lack options on the right wing, so signing Wilson, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €17.9 million, makes a great deal of sense, particularly as he is available on a free transfer. The Birmingham side, after all, have been restricted in the transfer market in recent seasons due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
The only natural right-sided winger on the Birmingham side’s books is Leon Bailey, but he is a significant upgrade on the Jamaica international. Indeed, he is also seen as a stronger option than Jadon Sancho, who is likely to return to Manchester United in the summer after a testing loan spell.
With Unai Emery’s squad likely to be bereft of natural width come the summer, signing Wilson is a low-risk, high-reward option for a club that hopes to be competing in the Champions League.
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