La Liga club Espanyol are not 'bluffing' on demanding the release clause be met for a player that Aston Villa and Manchester City are keen on landing.

Aston Villa conducted significant business in the summer transfer window to back Unai Emery, but were also limited by the Premier League's PSR rules.

Now another transfer period is just over six weeks away and Aston Villa are again expected to be active.

Bringing more quality to the right-back position is a priority for Emery and Aston Villa have a player from La Liga on their wish list.

Espanyol's 21-year-old Moroccan full-back Omar El Hilali is a player they like and very recently he signed a new deal with the Spanish club.

El Hilali is also firmly on the radar of Manchester City, who have suffered inconsistency in recent weeks and are firm admirers of the Moroccan.

According to Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo, Espanyol have included a EUR15m release clause in El Hilali's new deal.

And any club wanting to sign El-Hilali will have to meet that EUR15m figure.

Espanyol are claimed to be not bluffing over that stance and they effectively priced Joan Garcia out of joining Arsenal in the summer by taking a similar stance.

Now it remains to be seen if either Aston Villa or Manchester City will be willing to pay the release clause to the Spanish club in order to get their man in January.