Ahead of partaking in the Champions League next season, it is clear Aston Villa are eyeing up players who wouldn’t have been on their radar a couple of years ago.
Unai Emery is reportedly keen on signing Atlético Madrid forward João Félix, who would add something extra to their squad, while they have also recently shown interest in Euro 2024 sensation Nico Williams.
Might a Premier League player also be on their list of transfer targets this summer?
Aston Villa admiring Premier League midfielder
According to Sky Sports Transfer Centre (23/07 – 11:27), Emery still has plenty of admiration for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.
Villa and Spurs are reportedly keen on discussing a swap deal involving Jacob Ramsey and Lo Celso this summer, which would see the two players move in the opposite direction, according to Fabrizio Romano, via GIVEMESPORT.
With Villa losing Douglas Luiz and Tim Iroegbunam this summer, they won’t be keen on losing another midfielder. Could this see a deal go through for Lo Celso to join on his own in the coming weeks?
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Aston Villa’s previous Argentinian signings |
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|---|---|
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Player |
Club signed from |
|
Enzo Barrenechea |
Juventus |
|
Emiliano Buendia |
Norwich City |
|
Emiliano Martínez |
Arsenal |
|
Gustavo Bartelt |
AS Roma |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
|
It could be an interesting signing, especially considering he plays like one of the finest midfielders in the world…
How Giovani Lo Celso is similar to Rodri
Last season, the Argentinian made just 24 appearances in all competitions, starting a grand total of four matches in the Premier League.
It is clear he doesn’t feature in the long-term plans of Ange Postecoglou and a fresh start would make perfect sense for the 28-year-old.
Emery could sign his very own Rodri if he managed to bring the former Real Betis gem to Villa Park this summer. The Spanish midfielder was wonderful at Euro 2024, winning the Player of the Tournament award as Spain won their fourth European crown.
His influence on the City squad has been evident over the previous two seasons, helping the club win the Premier League twice, along with the Champions League.
As it happens, Rodri is the fifth-most comparable player to Lo Celso and given his highlights over the previous 12 months, signing a player similar to the Spaniard would be incredible.
Indeed, the duo share similar statistics with regard to shots per 90 (2.31 vs 1.90 in Lo Celso’s favour), pass success rate (89.3% vs 92%), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.96 vs 4.82), successful take-on percentage (57.1% vs 65.6%) and crosses (13 vs 12) in domestic leagues last season. They even make a likeminded number of interceptions, Lo Celso making 0.89 to Rodri’s 0.80 per 90.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
The £70k-per-week Spurs midfielder was hailed as a “magnificent player” by Sevilla president Jose Castro back in 2022 and when he is given regular game time, Lo Celso is a wonderful option to have.
Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big leagues over the previous 12 months, the Spurs outcast ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe for progressive passes, carries, assists and non-penalty goals, despite his lack of regular outings in the starting XI.
He could add that extra bit of dynamism to the heart of the Villa midfield, offering shades of Rodri in the process.
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