Aston Villa will look to do some smart business in January as they attempt to climb the Premier League table and could now turn their attention to an exciting striker who is making waves in South America.
Aston Villa embroiled in Maccabi Tel Aviv fan controversy
The Villans have hit the headlines in recent days through no fault of their own, amid controversy surrounding West Midlands Police’s refusal to let Maccabi Tel Aviv fans into Villa Park, as well as advice to the same effect from multi-agency forum The Safety Advisory Group.
Figures such as Keir Starmer have called for the decision to be reversed ahead of the Europa League clash, which comes as a surprise, given that prime ministers do not usually interfere with decisions made by senior authorities regarding attendance at football matches.
It remains to be seen whether or not the ban on away fans will be overturned. Ultimately, Aston Villa are simply stuck in the middle of an unfortunate situation and won’t necessarily have a say on this issue, even if it has become global news.
Returning to football matters, John McGinn is close to signing a new deal in the West Midlands, while they could also make a move for Galatasaray star Wilfried Singo in January.
Unai Emery has managed to bounce back from an uninspiring start to the campaign, and there is a feeling they will pick up over the coming weeks, although he will be the first to admit his team will need serious surgery in 2026.
With this in mind, the Villans decided to sign one of South America’s most exciting talents, who is attracting worldwide attention.
Aston Villa investigate Rayan
According to NTVASCAINOS, Aston Villa have requested to sign Vasco da Gama striker Rayan, who has also appeared on the radar of Tottenham and Newcastle due to his goalscoring exploits in South America.
Villa have also reportedly contacted members of Vasco’s coaching staff over his prospects of being recalled by Carlo Ancelotti to Brazil, so it is clear how highly they value Rayan.
Primarily used as a right winger, the Brazil Under-20 international has recorded 15 goals and one assist in 45 appearances in all competitions this season, although he is also capable of playing on the left flank or as a central striker.
This is likely to be a long-term investment, with Rayan expected to be out of contract in his homeland at the end of December 2026, potentially offering the Villans a way to land him at an affordable price over the coming months.
Reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League, the 19-year-old appears to have no shortage of interest in his services, and it will be intriguing to see if Emery can tempt him to move to Villa Park.
Rayan is a highly sought-after talent and recently became the youngest Vasco player to reach 10 goals in the Brazilian top division since Dinamite in 1973, breaking a 52-year-old record.
His manager, Fernando Diniz, said the teenager had “a huge game-changing ability” and that such talented players in attack were “very rare”.
“Rayan is a player with enormous game-changing ability, one of the greatest in the country,” Diniz said.
“He’s only 19 and he’s still learning to understand his own potential. There’s a long way to go, but he’s a rare player, very rare.”
