Despite spending over £100 million on new players in summer, Aston Villa find themselves stuck in the relegation zone with half of the season gone.

The hard-fought 1-0 win against Norwich City on the Boxing Day came after four straight defeats in the Premier League lifting off the pressure a bit, but Villa’s lack of cutting edge, with the exception of Jack Grealish, is turning out to be a major headache for Dean Smith.

Villa are likely to delve into the transfer market once again and according to reports from the Daily Mail, they are leading the race to sign Said Benrahma, who would cost around £20 million in the January window.

The 24-year-old is arguably one of the most naturally gifted attackers in the Championship and Villa have tracked him for a while. With a tally of three goals and five assists this season, Benrahma is driving Thomas Frank’s side into promotion contention, alongside teammates Bryan Mbuemo and Ollie Watkins.

London outfit Chelsea have also reportedly scouted the Brentford attacking midfielder in recent months, but it seems Villa Park is still the most likely destination for the Algerian.

Benrahma could be seen as an upgrade on Trezeguet on the left-hand side, and would be a valuable addition for the Premier League strugglers.

Villa have played an attacking brand of football under Smith but they have very little to show for in terms of results. However, with four points separating five teams above Villa, the battle for survival is bound to get interesting in the second half of the season.