Lopetegui reunion with elite striker in tatters as Aston Villa chief Monchi plans to ruin West Ham plan

Julen Lopetegui's plan to snare Youssef En-Nesyri could be ruined by Aston Villa
A Premier League move for Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri is said to be likely, but Aston Villa chief Monchi is aiming to ruin a Julen Lopetegui reunion at West Ham.
Lopetegui is already starting to put his mark on the Hammers’ squad. Just a short time into his tenure, it looks as if a move for defender Fabrizio Bruno is done and dusted.
The Spaniard will continue to shape the squad how he sees fit over the coming months.
If his one contribution in the transfer market as Wolves manager last season is anything to go by, West Ham will be excited about who he gets through the door.
Indeed, Lopetegui signed Matheus Cunha at Molineux, and in his second season, the forward bagged 14 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
The manager is clearly fond of having electric strikers in his sides, having signed En-Nesyri during his time at Sevilla. In his four seasons with the La Liga outfit, the Morocco international has 73 goals to his name, including 20 in all competitions last term.
But his stay at Sevilla could be about to end, as Lopetegui is reportedly keen on reuniting with him at West Ham.
As per reports, a move to the Premier League is likely for the in-form attacker.
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Aston Villa plan to ruin Lopetegui reunion
That the Hammers have been fond on En-Nesyri for a long time, and are now managed by a boss who clearly likes him a lot, they would assume they’d have a good chance at snaring him.
However, Aston Villa are hoping to ruin that plan.
Indeed, it’s reported that though West Ham were well placed in the pursuit, Villa have joined the fight and could ensure that changes.
Indeed, Villa chief Monchi is plotting a reunion of his own with En-Nesyri.
Monchi driving Villa towards En-Nesyri
Like Lopetegui, Monchi knows the striker well, as before he was in a directorial position at Villa Park, he was at Sevilla, and signed off on the signing in 2020.
As such, it is the director who is pushing Villa towards En-Nesyri.
That the striker is open to changing clubs suggests he could be willing to play for either interested side, given there are familiar faces in both camps.
A move to Villa Park would allow him to continue playing in the Champions League, a competition he’s played in each season at Sevilla, so he could look favourably upon the Midlanders, but it remains to be seen if they can land him.
If so, it would surely aid their prospects in the tournament, given En-Nesyri has scored 10 goals in 20 games in Europe’s elite competition, whereas a lot of Villa’s players, while very competent, are under-qualified in the tournament just yet.
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