---
title: "Gregg Evans makes Aston Villa transfer admission over striker pursuit"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2021/01/28/gregg-evans-makes-aston-villa-transfer-admission-over-striker-pursuit/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Crippy Cooke"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2021-01-28T19:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-01-28T19:00:00Z"
---

# Gregg Evans makes Aston Villa transfer admission over striker pursuit

Wesley Moraes has been [sidelined with a serious knee injury](https://readastonvilla.com/2021/01/01/one-step-at-a-time-wesley-gives-injury-update/) since January of last year, [Mbwana Samatta](https://readastonvilla.com/2020/12/24/club-brugge-want-mbwana-samatta-villa-transfer-rumours/) is on loan at Fenerbahce and Keinan Davis has been [short of form and playing time](https://readastonvilla.com/2020/12/31/villa-should-replace-davis-in-january/) this season, so Aston Villa need a striker to [take the scoring burden off Ollie Watkins](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/leistungsdaten/verein/405).

The Villans have been linked with [Josh King](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/13763021/josh-king-transfer-everton-bournemouth-contract/), [Odsonne Edouard](https://theathletic.com/2265513/2020/12/22/aston-villa-sensible-transfers/), [Mario Mandzukic](https://gianlucadimarzio.com/it/bologna-mandzukic-calciomercato), [Ivan Toney](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-january-19439054) and [Divock Origi](https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/inter/2020/12/28-77685102/origi_all_inter_ecco_il_vice_lukaku_per_conte), but it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll bring in another centre-forward before deadline day on Monday.

Gregg Evans of [The Athletic](https://theathletic.co.uk/2346361/2021/01/26/aston-villa-burnley-score/?article_source=search&search_query=gregg) was asked in a Q&A whether Villa planned to sign a striker before the January transfer window shut and responded: “Not that I’ve heard.

“If something happens it will be a surprise, and a move that has been decided late on. My understanding is that they will give Wesley the chance when he’s fit.”

[Read Aston Villa suggested](https://readastonvilla.com/2021/01/13/time-for-dean-smith-to-add-louie-barry-to-first-team-squad/) that Louie Barry should be given another opportunity in the first team after scoring in January’s FA Cup defeat to Liverpool, but Dean Smith [hasn’t included him in a matchday squad since](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/louie-barry/leistungsdaten/spieler/581670).

The manager stuck with Davis, who has [scored just one goal](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/keinan-davis/alletore/spieler/412660) since August 2019 and has amassed a mere [48 minutes](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/keinan-davis/leistungsdaten/spieler/412660) of Premier League football this season, as the only centre-forward backup to Watkins, who has played [every minute](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ollie-watkins/leistungsdaten/spieler/324358) of every league game in 2020/21. Therefore, Villa are hugely gambling on his fitness while Wesley continues his recovery.

### **READ ASTON VILLA VERDICT**

Villa might regret not bringing in a striker this month, as there’s no guarantee that Wesley will hit the ground running when he returns – the 24-year-old has been out for more than a year.

Watkins will likely need a break at some point this season, too, but Smith doesn’t have viable backup he can trust in his absence. Things are manageable now, but will it last?