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Aston Villa’s reported interest in Folarin Balogun has taken a new twist, as club legend Stan Collymore believes Unai Emery will prioritise another 2026 World Cup star instead of the United States international who grabbed global attention at FIFA’s premier tournament. The Villans are eyeing reinforcements across the pitch this summer, with both arrivals and departures expected.

England international playmaker Morgan Rogers is also in the spotlight, with speculation linking him to a potential record-breaking £130 million ($174m) transfer to Premier League champions Arsenal. Such a move might become necessary due to the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), which could force Villa to consider sales to balance their books.

Any outgoing transfers would provide Emery and his team with funds to strengthen a squad that ended a 30-year wait for silverware last season by clinching the Europa League title.

Up front, Villa remain light on natural centre-forwards, with Ollie Watkins often leading the line alone. The club may look to add competition for the 30-year-old during this transfer window, and Balogun has been among the names associated with a possible move.

The Arsenal academy graduate netted 19 goals for Ligue 1 side Monaco in the 2026–27 season before representing the USMNT at the home World Cup, where he scored three times. However, his campaign was marred by a controversial red card that was later overturned following reports of political intervention.

Collymore, though, is not convinced that the 25-year-old striker fits the profile Villa need. Instead, he believes the club should focus on strengthening their wide areas and has suggested that Japan’s highly-rated goalkeeper Zion Suzuki could be targeted as a potential successor to World Cup winner Emi Martinez.

When asked about the possibility of Balogun returning to English football, the former Villa striker, speaking to GOAL in association with BetTOM, said: “I’m always cautious about World Cup players because they’ve been part of a four-year cycle for their countries and different clubs.”

He elaborated: “I was chatting to some friends about goalkeepers — like the DR Congo goalkeeper who impressed — and while the World Cup serves as a showcase, it’s still just a handful of games to prove yourself. I’m sure Unai Emery and his staff at Aston Villa will be assessing players who have consistently performed over several seasons, and Balogun doesn’t necessarily fit that bill.”

Collymore continued: “I expect Villa to be linked with several World Cup standouts. Suzuki, the Japanese goalkeeper, is a different case altogether. He’s his nation’s number one and a rising talent in club football, so he would make logical sense.”

On other possible targets, Collymore added: “Balogun? I’m not too sure. One player I do rate is Brian Brobbey. Although he’s already at Sunderland and under contract, he’s probably the best non-goal-scoring striker I’ve seen in a while because of how he occupies and troubles defenders.”

“That said,” Collymore noted, “Brobbey would require a system with a central strike partner, and Villa typically play a 4-3-3 formation. If Morgan Rogers leaves, they might look for someone capable of playing in an advanced midfield role, but the club’s main priorities have been pretty clear for some time.”

He concluded: “If Emi Martinez were to leave — perhaps after another World Cup triumph — there would be space for someone like Suzuki. But I think Villa’s key need is pace out wide to deliver quality crosses for Ollie Watkins. Watkins will remain in a Villa shirt for the next few years, so the focus should be on improving supply to him, which wasn’t always consistent last season.”

Watkins scored 21 goals in 55 appearances for Villa last season across all competitions, maintaining his reputation since joining from Brentford in 2020 for a then club-record £28m ($37m). While Emery may decide that he doesn’t need another striker like Balogun to partner his trusted No.11, the American forward is still expected to attract interest this summer after proving his credentials in France and on football’s biggest international stage.