Aston Villa are battling St Etienne for Egyptian winger Mahmoud Trezeguet.
The Sun says Villa CEO Christian Purslow and the club's sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch have sanctioned a 9m deal with the 24-year-old's Turkish club Kasimpasa for Mo Salah's international team-mate.
He is set to fly to the UK over the weekend to complete a medical.
However reports in France say Saint Etienne hope to hijack the move, using some of the proceeds of William Saliba's proposed 27m transfer to Arsenal fund a late raid.
Trezeguet beat Salah to be voted the best player in Egypt's AFCON Group A.
