Aston Villa will look to sign 23-year-old Croatian international Martin Baturina from high-flying Serie A club Como this summer.
According to a report by Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness, Martin Baturina is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Villans are keen on reinforcing their first-team squad by signing a versatile playmaker in the upcoming transfer window, and they have set their sights on the 23-year-old Como midfielder.
Per Gazzetta dello Sport, the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League winners have submitted a bid worth €50-55 million to the Serie A outfit. However, Aston Villa’s proposal has not been successful, with Como rejecting the offer, as they want €80 million to part ways with the Croat in the coming weeks.
Martin Baturina has been a recent prospect from his homeland to rise in prominence. Born in Zurich, the 23-year-old spent his formative years in Croatia and graduated from the youth division at Dinamo Zagreb. The youngster rose in prominence during his spell with Dinamo Zagreb before Como signed him last summer.
However, the Croatian playmaker has had to bide his time since joining Como, managing only 1,835 minutes of game time across 34 appearances for the Serie A club while managing a decent tally of eight goals and four assists. Nevertheless, Baturina’s stock remains high, with several well-known clubs keen on signing him. Aston Villa will be among the prospective suitors vying for his signature this year.
Aston Villa’s interest in Martin Baturina makes logical sense. The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League winners are combing the market for a versatile playmaker, as they are concerned about Morgan Rogers’s long-term future at the club. The English international is reportedly a target for several high-profile clubs, including Manchester City and Arsenal.
While the Villans are eager to keep hold of Rogers ahead of their return to the UEFA Champions League, it is unclear if the Englishman is committed to the club. Even if Rogers remains at Villa Park, Aston Villa must pursue a productive playmaker due to the team’s over-dependence on the former Middlesbrough playmaker and Ollie Watkins in the final third.
Several versatile attackers, including Ibrahim Mbaye, are thus on Aston Villa’s wishlist, with Baturina also a viable target. However, Como’s asking price of €80 million is unrealistic, considering his stature in Cesc Fabregas’s team. Nevertheless, placing an excessive valuation is understandable, as the Serie A high-flyers must retain the core of their squad ahead of their Champions League bow next season.
