Aston Villa Opinion: Lions should have second thoughts about signing Stephane Bahoken
According to the Mirror, Aston Villa are amongst a quartet of Championship clubs chasing Cameroonian international striker Stephane Bahoken in the summer transfer window. Reports are claiming that Derby County, Sheffield United and Swansea City are also in the race to sign the 26-year-old hitman, who currently plies his trade in Ligue 1 with Angers.
Bahoken has netted 10 goals in 27 appearances for Angers in Ligue 1 this season, including a scintillating run of form that has seen him find the net on 5 occasions in his last 10 games.
The 26-year-old’s goalscoring heroics for an Angers side that currently sit mid-table in the French top-flight has attracted a lot of interest from the English clubs and a move definitely seems to be on the cards in the summer.
Sheffield United confirmed their promotion to the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town, while Villa and Derby will be looking to make a comeback to the top-flight through the playoffs.
The Blades are apparently in the hunt for a new striker to ease the burden on 33-year-old Billy Sharp, while Villa are planning for life without Tammy Abraham, who is likely to return to Chelsea upon the expiry of his loan spell at the end of the season.
Bahoken has certainly made a big impact in Ligue 1 this season and all the aforementioned clubs have every reason to believe that the Cameroonian international can replicate that sort of form in English football.
He began his professional career at Nice and spent time on loan at Scottish Premiership club St.Mirren before joining Strasbourg back in 2014. The 26-year-old scored 23 goals from 103 appearances for Strasbourg prior to his move to Angers last summer.
To put things into perspective, the suitability of Bahoken moving to Villa Park in the summer depends on where the Lions play their football next season.
The Cameroonian has come up with decent returns playing for some mid-table clubs in Ligue 1, which should convince Villa to sign him as a replacement for Abraham if they remain in the Championship for another season. However, if the Lions manage to make a return to the Premier League, they would be better off looking at other options to lead the line.
Bahoken’s goalscoring record at his previous club Strasbourg isn’t prolific enough and he might find it difficult to acclimatise to the highly competitive and dynamic nature of the Premier League.
Moreover, he is someone who often goes through extended lean patches in front of the goal. The Cameroonian has scored 10 goals in the league this season, 5 of which have come in his last 10 appearances, which clearly indicates that has a tendency to blow hot and cold throughout the campaign.
Aston Villa already have someone like Jonathan Kodjia as a useful back-up option to lead the line, though they should prioritise the signing of a top-quality No.9 if they manage to secure promotion. It would be better if they manage to strike a permanent deal for Abraham but the chances of him staying at Villa Park beyond the current season are slim.
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Bahoken would be a handy signing for Dean Smith if Villa stay in the Championship to challenge for promotion next season. However, bringing him as the spearhead of the attack in the Premier League would be too big a gamble for the Lions to afford.
