Football
Exclusive: Aston Villa Fight Off Inter and Juventus as Boubacar Kamara Edges Towards New Deal
Aston Villa are hopeful of securing a new deal with midfielder Boubacar Kamara, despite interest from Inter Milan and Brentford. The 25-year-old, who has impressed with Villa, has two years left on his contract and Villa boss Unai Emery is confident he will stay. Kamara has international aspirations and hopes to play in the Champions League with Villa after missing out last season. Villa have yet to make any marquee signings this summer.
Preston North End v Aston Villa - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final by Visionhaus | Getty Images
Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara is expected to sign a new deal with the club despite growing interest from Inter Milan and Juventus, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The 25-year-old was offered a new contract earlier this year but has yet to put pen to paper on new terms.
But despite having just missed out on a place in the Champions League next season, Villa boss Unai Emery is confident Kamara, who has two years left on his contract, will stay at Villa Park after a fine campaign last season.
The five-cap France international has enjoyed three seasons with Villa in the Premier League.
He has been a regular starter ever since joining on a five-year deal on a free transfer in May 2022.
Brentford have also been linked with the player, but interest from Italy has intensified over the last fortnight with uncertainty still surrounding whether Kamara will sign a new deal.
The former Marseille man has played for France at every youth level, including Under-21s before making his senior international bow in 2022.
INTERNATIONAL ASPIRATIONS
However, he has not played for the national since two games in 2023 and is understood to be keen to break back into the international fold.
That’s why playing Champions League football was one of his main goals this season, with Villa having done so well in the competition last season.
An agonising 5-4 aggregate quarter-final defeat over two legs to eventual champions Paris St-Germain last term saw Villa miss out automatic qualification for Europe’s Premier competition.
Despite a commendable sixth place Premier League finish, the club’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United on the final day of the season – when keeper Emiliano Martinez was sent-off – ultimately cost them their Champions League place.
Villa enjoyed a strong season last time around, also progressing to the FA Cup semi-finals.
And understandably boss Emery is hungry to keep his best players. Villa have yet to announce a marquee signing this summer despite signing centre-back Yasin Ozcan and back-up keeper Marco Bizot.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.