Villa tracking star £10 million Belgian midfielder Dennis Praet

Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Belgium international midfielder Dennis Praet, according to a report from the Guardian. The 21-year-old Anderlect player, who won the 2014 Belgian Golden Shoe award for best player in the Belgian Pro League, is also attracting interest from Everton and Southampton and will move for something in the range of £10 million.

The simple fact that Southampton are chasing Praet should be a good sign for Villa fans, but his overall play could be a boon to the squad. He's a creative player who completed nearly 90% of his passes this year and notched eight goals in thirty-seven appearances. The problem for Villa will be the fact that he is being pursued by bigger clubs, both in England and on the continent. That's tough to contend with, but perhaps the lure of playing with countryman Christian Benteke (if he stays) could be enough to tilt the scales in favor of a claret and blue move.

Should he sign, the prospect of a 21-year-old budding star is one that should make Villa fans very happy. He's got great on-ball control, and his distribution coupled with a knack for scoring could make him a real threat. Have a look at some of his goals and assists from the past season if you need more convincing that this would be a great move. The one at 1'20" in the video is particularly impressive.

What do you think? Do Villa have a chance at getting Praet?