Aston Villa turn to Demba Ba in search of scoring solution?

Aston Villa, 12/5 relegation chances with Coral this term, have turned their attention to Besiktas striker Demba Ba as they look to add a proven Premier League performer to score them goals that will steer them to safety.

Paul Lambert has already added Carles Gil to the ranks at Villa Park, with Manchester City winger Scott Sinclair also set to join on loan, but the West Midlands outfit have managed just 11 goals in league action so far.

That total is worryingly low, with big Belgian frontman Christian Benteke missing much of the early campaign through injury and suspension. Czech Republic centre forward Libor Kozak, meanwhile, has been out long-term with a broken leg.

Former West Ham United, Newcastle United and Chelsea striker Ba, 29, has been prolific since joining Turkish Super Lig giants Besitkas for €6m last summer. He has 18 goals in 23 games across all competitions, but was overlooked for inclusion in the Senegal squad that went to the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Without Ba, the Lions of Teranga bowed out at the group stage, but were drawn in a difficult pool against Algeria, Ghana and South Africa. During his Premier League career, the frontman has an impressive return of 43 in 99 appearances.

Ahead of Benteke, Austria attacker Andreas Weimann and Villa clubman Gabriel Agbonlahor are tied as league top scorers with three apiece. Lambert’s tactics have largely seen his side play on the counter, even at home, with a link between midfield and the forwards clearly missing.

French-born Ba could see continuity in this regard with him playing his best football in sides that are direct. Whether this interest is with a view to him playing alongside Benteke up front, or as a replacement for him remains to be seen.

If Villa cannot start to score goals, they will be sucked deeper into relegation mire, and are a tasty 10/1 to finish bottom, despite having never endured relegation in the Premier League era.