Said Benrahma celebrates after a victory (Getty Images)
In January, a report from The Mirror had claimed that Brentford star Said Benrahma and Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia were Aston Villa’s top two targets. However, none of them arrived at Villa Park in January.
The Villans signed Mbwana Samatta and Borja Baston instead, whilst bringing in Pepe Reina and Danny Drinkwater on loan from AC Milan and Chelsea respectively during the winter transfer window. Before the start of the season, the likes of Tyrone Mings, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Douglas Luiz and Wesley Moraes arrived at Villa Park as well.
Despite that, Aston Villa continue to struggle in the Premier League. They are 17th in the table, just a point above the relegation zone. Smith’s side lost once again in the league, tasting a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth over the weekend.
The Midlands outfit have struggled for top-flight goals. They have managed 32 goals in 25 games and have lost first-choice striker Wesley to a season-ending injury. Skipper Jack Grealish is the club’s top scorer with seven goals but the Villans need goals from Samatta, Baston, El Ghazi and Trezeguet as well.
Samatta has made an instant impact since arriving from Genk, scoring in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. However, for a team struggling to score goals on a regular basis, Smith should have signed Said Benrahma last month.
Benrahma, 24, is an exciting player in the Championship. He has been in great form for Brentford this term, scoring 8 goals and supplying 5 assists in 27 appearances. In fact, he recently scored three goals and ran the show in the Bees’ 5-1 victory over Hull City.
The Algerian hit double figures for both goals and assists last term, netting 10 goals and registering 15 assists in the 2018/19 Championship campaign. Benrahma is well on course to do that again this year, with eight goals and five assists already to his name.
Benrahma has proven himself in the Championship and that should have been enough for Villa to make a move for him in January. Thus, it feels like the Villans have missed a trick by not signing the 24-year-old forward.
