Aston Villa are reportedly speaking to Feyenoord midfielder Karim El Ahmadi over a move to the Midlands club this summer Press Association Sport understands.
Handed the unenviable task of filling the void left by Stiliyan Petrov as he undergoes treatment for leukaemia manager Paul Lambert has confirmed El Ahmadi is in advanced talks with Villa.
Known for his strong defensive attributes the the 27-year-old would provide some much needed steel in the engine room with Lambert hoping the talks reach a ‘positive conclusion’.
“We’re in talks at this moment, those talks are ongoing and we hope to reach a positive conclusion with Feyenoord and the player,” he said.
“Karim is a player who I feel could definitely improve our squad. He has experience of big club football and also at international level.
“He can pass the ball well and he could be an important player for us in central midfield.
“Let’s see how things progress. We’re very hopeful.”
Reports suggest that Villa are close to agreeing a deal with the fee thought to be £3 million and should the deal go through it would be Lambert’s first major signing since replacing Alex McLeish at the helm.
“I was on the verge of signing a new deal when this came up. I am 27 and that’s the perfect age for a new challenge. The Premier League is the best league in the world in my opinion. I didn’t need to think long about this.
“Everything is great here. If the clubs reached an agreement, it can be a done deal very quickly.”
