Thiago Brentford target moves Aston Villa toward £30m striker

Aston Villa are plotting a move for thiago brentford target Igor Thiago. Unai Emery wants the 24-year-old because his game is seen as a fit alongside Ollie Watkins, not a duplicate of him.

Thiago scored 22 goals in 38 Premier League appearances for Brentford in the 2025-26 season. That output followed an injury-hit debut year in west London after his £30m move from Club Brugge.

Emery’s Watkins plan

Villa’s interest is tied to Emery’s belief that Thiago would complement Watkins, who moved from Brentford to Aston Villa in 2020 and developed into one of England’s leading forwards at Villa Park. The pair would not be built around the same job, which is why Thiago has moved high on Villa’s list.

January brought the first real push. Villa made a last-minute approach for Thiago then, but the move fell short on funds before Brentford’s stance hardened around their striker.

Brentford’s 2031 deal

Brentford handed Thiago an improved long-term deal until 2031 earlier this season, and they would demand a substantial fee before allowing a departure. That contract leaves Villa facing a far different negotiation from the one they tried to open in January.

Thiago’s expected World Cup involvement this summer would also give Villa’s scouting team another chance to assess him against international opposition. For now, the interest is clear: a 24-year-old striker with 22 league goals, a long deal in place and a price tag Brentford are ready to defend.