Aston Villa are increasingly hopeful of sealing a club record deal for Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby.
The France international is valued at close to £50million by the Bundesliga club, which would comfortably break Villa’s transfer record - the £40m paid to Norwich for Emiliano Buendia two years ago.
Villa and Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr both wanted Diaby, who was keen for his future to be resolved before Leverkusen depart for their pre-season training camp in Austria on Sunday.
Mail Sport first revealed last weekend that Villa had made Diaby, 24, their top target for the wide attacking role.