Published: 4 days ago

Aston Villa, Fulham, West Ham United vying for Ashley Trujillo

Aston Villa, Fulham, and West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing 16-year-old Queens Park Rangers wonderkid Ashley Trujillo in the summer transfer window.

According to a report by Football Insider, Ashley Trujillo has piqued the attention of several well-known Premier League clubs with his exploits in age-group football at the club and international levels. Aston Villa, Fulham, and West Ham United are among the prospective suitors vying for the signature of the 16-year-old Queens Park Rangers wonderkid heading into the summer transfer window.

Who is Ashley Trujillo?

Ashley Trujillo is the latest highly-rated whizkid to rise in prominence in England. Born in London, the teenage sensation has spent his formative years in his home city and currently represents Queens Park Rangers in age-group football. However, he has picked Colombia as his national side thus far instead of turning out for the country of his birth.

The 16-year-old was recently in action in the Under-17 South American Championships, making his mark in the competitions. While Trujillo is primarily a centre-forward, he can play across the offensive line. The youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. Premier League outfits, in particular, are keen, with Aston Villa, Fulham, and West Ham United vying for his signature.

High in demand

Aston Villa, Fulham, and West Ham United have been reluctant to hand regular game time to teenage prospects, although circumstances have often forced their hand. Such scenarios have forced West Ham to regularly utilise Oliver Scarles in the ongoing campaign.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s interest in Ashley Trujillo is understandable, considering Ollie Watkins will turn 30 this year. So, the West Midlands outfit should lay down a succession plan for the English international, with the QPR wonderkid emerging as a viable target.

As for Fulham, Raul Jimenez is on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the twilight of his career. Meanwhile, West Ham’s bid to reinforce the offensive unit by signing a top-notch striker has been unsuccessful. While Trujillo will not be a short-term solution for the three clubs, he can be an option in the long run.

However, convincing QPR to part ways with the 16-year-old Colombian youth international will be an uphill task. In addition, the Hoops tend to groom highly-rated prospects well, with Eberechi Eze among the benefactors of that.

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