Villa linked with Champions League center back (no, not Lescott)

The transfer window doesn't seem like it will ever end for Tim Sherwood, whose relentless pursuit of improvement for his Villa side is showing no sign of slowing. While he said to expect more outs than ins after the Crystal Palace defeat this weekend, Villa fans should take this with a grain of salt after Sherwood said that only English players would be brought in following the Bournemouth game, only to sign Adama Traore a week later.

In following with the ambition showed by the pursuit of Adama Traore, Sherwood has reportedly expressed interest in A.S. Monaco centre back Aymen Abdennour. Abdennour is a Tunisian international, and helped lead Monaco to the Champions League quarterfinal. He has made over 100 appearances in the Ligue 1, and at 26, he is just coming into the prime of his career. The reported links to Villa and Newcastle are overshadowed by the interest that Barcelona expressed earlier this summer, but the Spanish giants have put an end to their inquiry.

Abdennour had previously stated that he only wanted a move up the football food chain to another Champions League team (like Barcelona), so a move to Villa would represent a significant change of heart, and Tim Sherwood may have to re-structure his wage plans if he wanted to make an offer significant enough to tempt the Tunisian to England. Transfermarkt lists his value at just over £7 million, but it is thought that a bid would need to be significantly more than £10 million to convince Monaco to sell.

Abdennour would bring immediate quality to Villa's back line and would likely be the most influential signing of Sherwood's summer, but his price tag and desire for European football may prove difficult to overcome. What do you think about what Abdennour brings to the table? Let us know!