Tammy Abraham Rejects Aston Villa Return
By Tom Gott
Aston Villa have offered Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham the chance to return to Villa Park this summer, but the Englishman instead wants to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge.
Abraham, who excelled on loan with Villa in the 2018/19 season, bagged 18 goals for Chelsea last year but faces a real battle for game time this season, with Olivier Giroud and big-money signing Timo Werner also competing for minutes.
The 22-year-old started just twice after lockdown, and with his first-team prospects up in the air, the Daily Mail state that Villa have reached out to their former striker about a possible reunion.
Abraham bagged 26 goals in all competitions during his one-year spell with Villa, who desperately needed someone to post that kind of numbers last season. Jack Grealish led their scoring charts with eight Premier League goals, with summer signing Wesley managing just five.
However, despite Villa's desire to add some more fire power, Abraham has rejected the chance to return to Villa Park and instead wants to continue his development at Chelsea.
He is expected to reject offers from any sides this summer to prove his commitment to becoming Chelsea's undisputed starter, even though staying at Stamford Bridge could lead to less minutes than he would find elsewhere.
Instead, Villa are looking to land a deal for Brentford's Ollie Watkins, but his £25m valuation means Villa are looking for cheaper alternatives before making a final decision.
Dean Smith is expected to be backed in the transfer market by billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wed Edens, despite the pair's £140m investment for the 2019/20 season yielding underwhelming results.
Villa ended the season in 17th, sealing Premier League safety on the final day of the season, and there is an acceptance that the squad needs improving if Villa are to avoid falling into a similar relegation battle this time around.