Aston Villa are enjoying a fine start to the new season – currently fifth in the Premier League table, having picked up an impressive 14 points from a possible 21, they have thrived against Europe’s elite too, winning both Champions League group games so far.

Villa still want more firepower

And while all of Villa’s players have been excellent this term, it’s their strikers who have really stood out. Emery’s first-choice hitman Ollie Watkins has started this season in the same vein as last, hitting four goals and registering three assists in nine games. Watkins’ back-up, Jhon Duran, has six goals in 10 games, with all of his strikes coming from off the bench.

Despite already boasting an impressive strike force, Villa still want to add more guns to their arsenal. According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport, via Sports Witness, the Villans are one of a number of Premier League clubs who areinterested in signing Bologna forward Santiago Castro. The publication claim Villa are keeping tabs on the player.

Everton, Arsenal, and Chelsea are also said to be interested in the 20-year-old striker, who only moved to Italy this year. Corriere dello Sport report that Villa and Everton hold more serious interest in the striker, while Arsenal and Chelsea are “attentive” to the player’s situation.

Castro could be the next Duran

Born in San Martin, Buenos Aires, Castro joined Bologna from Velez Sarsfield in January and has since emerged as a key figure for Vincenzo Italiano’s side. Though he struggled for minutes during his first few months with the club, he’s stepped into the foreground since the departure of Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United in the summer.

This term, the Argentine youngster, who is yet to earn a cap for his country, has scored three goals in seven Serie A games, including a late winner in a crucial 2-1 victory over Monzo in September.

According to Foot Italia, Castro’s idol is his compatriot and Inter Milan striker Lautro Martinez, who, rather ironically, he’s scored more Serie A goals than this term. While Castro looks up to Martinez, however, it’s another Argentine striker that he’s been likened to in terms of both his style of play and stature.

“Santiago Castro looking even more like a Tevez 2.0,” wrote Italian football analyst Ben Mattinson of the Bologna forward on X last month. Writing again about Castro on X earlier this year, Mattinson described him as an “Argentine prospect with a complete forward profile”.

“Loves to run in behind, good aerially, aggressive presence with good link-up,” he wrote. “More focused on scoring than link-up play, can play wide too.”

Castro will next be in action for Bologna when they face Genoa on Saturday at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium, and Monchi and NSWE’s scouts will no doubt be keeping an eye on their man once again. If they can add another potent young weapon up front just like their deal for Duran from Chicago Fire, Unai Emery would suddenly have incredible depth to attack all four competitions with.