Aston Villa have made an inquiry for Marseille’s former France Under-21 midfield man Morgan Sanson, who is available for around £15m.
The 26-year-old has been with Marseille since January 2017 and has been linked with a succession of Premier League clubs, including West Ham.
Villa have now begun talks with the French side and a deal could progress in this month’s transfer window.
Marseille are prepared to sell in order to fund their own January signings.
Sanson – whose value has dropped from around £25m – would bolster Villa’s squad in midfield, with Conor Hourihane being linked with a move away from Villa Park.
Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas said at the weekend: “The transfer window is open. Sanson is a player who is highly rated.
“He is a boy who interests English teams because of his characteristics and it is possible something could happen.”
Villa lie 10th in the Premier League but have games in hand after a “significant” Covid-19 outbreak forced the closure of their Bodymoor Heath training ground and the postponement of home matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
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