Aston Villa, Tondela battle for David Oduro as Barcelona exit looms

Ghanaian left-back David Oduro is attracting interest from several clubs as he prepares to leave FC Barcelona after two seasons with Barça Atlètic.

The 19-year-old is edging closer to an exit from the Spanish giants, with Aston Villa emerging as the leading candidate for his signature.

According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Aston Villa are planning to sign Oduro before sending him to French Ligue 2 side Annecy, another club under the ownership of the English Premier League outfit.

The move would give the former Accra Lions man the opportunity to continue his development in France, with Annecy competing in the second tier of French football.

However, Aston Villa are not the only club pursuing the Ghanaian defender, with Portuguese side Tondela also showing strong interest.

Tondela are reportedly preparing for Oduro’s arrival after selling their first-choice left-back to Latvian club Riga, creating room for the Barcelona youngster in their squad.

Portuguese top-flight club Marítimo have also made an approach for Oduro as the race for his signature gathers momentum.

Oduro had previously attracted interest from Austrian club Sturm Graz, who submitted a formal proposal to Barcelona earlier this summer.

The Ghanaian was keen on the possibility of joining Sturm Graz, particularly because the move would have offered him the chance to play European football, but Barcelona initially rejected the proposal while assessing their options at left-back.

With the Catalan club now believing they have sufficient cover in the position, Oduro’s departure has accelerated.

Barcelona are expected to retain 50 percent of his future transfer rights as part of the deal, allowing the club to benefit from his development after his departure.

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