Krzysztof Piatek of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on December 1, 2019 in Parma, Italy. (Getty Images)
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Aston Villa completing a £30m deal for this struggling Serie A star would ensure survival

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Why Aston Villa should go all out to sign AC Milan striker Krzystof Piatek

According to Italian news outlet Corriere Della Sera (h/t The Daily Star), Aston Villa have joined Newcastle United in the pursuit of AC Milan striker, Krzysztof Piatek.

The Poland international, 24, hasn’t enjoyed a great start to the season, managing just 4 goals in 18 Serie A appearances. And now he has slipped down the pecking order at San Siro following the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and could be on the move this month. (h/t The Daily Star)

The report (h/t The Daily Star) adds Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is ready to submit a £30m bid for Krzysztof Piatek, who has been at AC Milan since January 2019.

AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek in action. (Getty Images)
AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek in action. (Getty Images)

The Villans are in trouble, having lost three key players to long-term injuries. One of them is Wesley Moraes, who was acquired by the club from Club Brugge before the start of the season. He is out for at least nine months after he suffered knee ligament damage against Burnley last week.

Wesley was Villa’s undoubted first-choice striker under Smith and while he didn’t completely adapt to demands of English football, the Brazilian did manage 5 goals in 21 appearances.

His long-term injury has now left Smith with Jonathan Kodjia and Keinan Davis as the only options for the No.9 role. Simply put, Smith and co. cannot entirely depend on Kodjia and Davis for a regular supply of goals and need a prolific goalscorer in their ranks to avoid the drop.

Krzysztof Piatek
Piatek would be a good addition for Aston Villa (Getty Images)

In that regard, Piatek would be a good fit at Villa Park. Piatek’s form has dipped this season following a bright start to life with Milan after joining from Genoa.

He scored 11 goals in his first 21 games but in 2019/20 so far, he’s managed just 4 in 18 Serie A games. That’s the reason why the Pole would represent a bit of gamble for Villa considering how much he has dropped off since he first joined Milan.

However, one cannot deny the former Genoa star’s quality in front of goal and other attributes that make him highly rated in Serie A. He has a solid record in the Italian top-tier and would be an instant upgrade on Kodjia and Davis.

Krzsysztof Piatek of Genoa celebrate after 3-0 during the Coppa Italia match between Genoa CFC and Lecce at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. (Getty Images)
Krzysztof Piatek of Genoa celebrates after 3-0 during the Coppa Italia match between Genoa CFC and Lecce at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. (Getty Images)

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Piatek is a poacher in every sense, having scored so many goals from inside the box in Serie A. The 24-year-old has proven that he can be a reliable striker, who scores goals on a regular basis and creates opportunities for his teammates.

Verdict

The Poland international is the kind of excellent finisher that could ensure the Villans pull further away from the bottom three. Piatek has the qualities to thrive in the Premier League and Smith’s Villa must quickly get a deal done.