Aston Villa winger Bertrand Traore is expected to be recalled from his loan spell with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, according to reliable journalist John Percy.
The Lowdown: Traore loaned out last summer
The 27-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Steven Gerrard during the summer transfer window, being loaned out to Basaksehir in the process.
Traore has made 12 league appearances in Turkey’s most populous city this season, scoring twice and registering one assist, as well as playing six times in the UEFA Conference League, finding the net once.
As deadline day nears its conclusion, however, it looks as though Traore could be heading back to England.
The Latest: Deadline day return expected
Writing on Twitter, the reliable Percy claimed that Villa will likely recall the Burkina Faso international before the end of Tuesday:
“#avfc are set to recall winger Bertrand Traore from his loan at Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir. As it stands the plan is to have Traore back involved in Unai Emery’s first-team.”
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The Verdict: Good for squad depth
It seems clear that Unai Emery views Traore as a more useful option for Villa than Gerrard did, so the decision to bring him back this month could prove to be inspired, as they look to improve on their current 11th-place standing in the Premier League.
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The Villans have lacked natural attacking width this season, aside from Leon Bailey, but Traore is someone who can offer similar quality, having been described as ‘marvellous’ by Dean Smith.
A tally of 15 goals in 68 caps for Burkina Faso outlines his pedigree as a footballer, while 81 career strikes at club level also highlight his end product.
