Aston Villa and Spurs in £43m duel for Lyon’s Czech star Pavel Sulc

Birmingham and north London are plotting the same raid on France’s Rhône valley. Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have both placed Lyon’s 25-year-old Czech midfielder Pavel Sulc at the top of their summer shortlists, according to a Daily Mail report that values the player at around £43 million.

Sulc’s statistics demand attention: 13 goals in 29 appearances since his summer switch from Viktoria Plzen. Those numbers have turned heads among Premier League clubs searching for creativity without the premium attached to household names.

For Villa, the need is immediate. Injuries have thinned Unai Emery’s attacking-midfield ranks, and Sulc’s ability to operate both centrally and in wide pockets dovetails with the Spaniard’s fluid 4-4-2/3-4-3 hybrid. Tottenham, operating under interim boss Igor Tudor, are recalibrating after a season of under-performance in the final third. Sulc offers craft and goal threat without the baggage of a blockbuster fee, though Lyon’s valuation could yet rise if negotiations drag.

Atletico Madrid provide continental competition. The Spanish club’s Champions League pedigree and Diego Simeone’s track record of polishing creative midfielders give them a persuasive edge, yet Premier League wages and exposure remain powerful counters.

Lyon are open to a sale but hope to spark a bidding war. Villa monitored Sulc last autumn yet opted to wait and assess his form in Ligue 1; his consistency since has answered those doubts. Tottenham’s recruitment team, historically split between audacious punts and pragmatic buys, view Sulc as the latter: potential without recklessness, upside without vanity.

The next step belongs to the player. A second season in France could refine his game, but the current market rewards early movers. History warns of mistiming: Luka Modrić and Kevin De Bruyne flourished after patient Premier League introductions, while others vanished after premature leaps.

Whichever club wins the race, the pursuit itself signals intent. Villa and Spurs both crave relevance beyond the top-four glass ceiling; securing Sulc would represent a statement of methodical ambition rather than scattergun spending.