Aston Villa’s 2023/24 campaign was incredibly successful. Unai Emery’s side achieved Champions League qualification through their position in the Premier League and reached the semi-final of the Europa Conference League.
In the top flight, the Villans finished fourth, just pipping Tottenham Hotspur to the final Champions League qualification spot by two points. A crucial win was against Ange Postecoglou’s side in November; a different outcome in that match would have seen them fail to claim top four.
Villa’s European adventure this season saw them crash out at the semi-final stage of the Europa Conference League, losing 6-2 on aggregate against Greek side Olympiakos. A shock 4-2 defeat at Villa Park left them a tough task, and they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in Greece.
Nevertheless, they can surely be happy with their achievements in 2023/24 overall, and it leaves Emery with the perfect platform for him to build off ahead of next season in the Champions League.
The summer transfer window is set to be a very important time for Villa. They have already made a move for former loanee Ross Barkley, and have offered him a three-year deal. However, the Midlands side have also been linked with one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe in recent weeks.
Villa looking to sign Serie A winger
The player in question here is Frosinone’s on-loan Juventus winger Matias Soule. The exciting youngster has had an impressive time of things in Serie A this season for Frosinone, which has led to him potentially leaving Juve for a starting spot elsewhere.
According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, Villa are set for a transfer battle this summer for Soule’s signature. They will likely go up against fellow Premier League sides Newcastle and the newly promoted Southampton.
Juve value the 21-year-old Argentine between £25m and £30m, although it’s explained that it “remains to be seen whether any of those sides would be willing or able to pay such a fee”, before suggesting that the Villans, along with Eddie Howe’s side are “more capable” of paying that fee than the Saints at this point.
As per an update on X from Fabrizio Romano, Soule actually rejected a January transfer to Saudi side Al-Ittihad, who also offered £25.5m to Juve. Romano explained that staying in Europe allows Soule to continue with his career as he envisaged and that it is the “best way also for his dream of Argentina’s call”.
How Soule would benefit Villa
It was a very productive season for the Argentina U21 international, on loan at Serie A side Frosinone. He played 36 times in the top flight in Italy, scoring 11 goals and registering three assists, during his first full professional season.
Soule, a right-winger by trade, could slot in perfectly in Emery’s famed 4-2-2-2 system that he has deployed at Villa Park. Football analyst Ben Mattinson on X explained that Soule can play many roles, specifying that he “could be a situational number 10, be a second striker out of possession, or be the right-winger hugging the touchline, or play as the Mezzala”, before describing that he is an “elite coach’s dream”, perfect for Emery.
Indeed, slotting in as one of the number 10s that the Spaniard uses in his system could be ideal for Soule. As his Fbref stats show, he is an elite creator, something Emery needs from this role. Soule averages 2.36 key passes per 90 minutes, 3.09 passes into the final third per 90 minutes and 2.25 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes. This ranks him in the top 9%, top 16% and top 2% respectively among Serie A wingers.
In fact, that is statistically better than Leon Bailey, Villa’s primary right-winger. As per Fbref, the Jamaican averages 2.26 key passes per 90 minutes which ranks him in the top 9% amongst Premier League wingers, 1.65 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, placing him in the 11th percentile, and 2.22 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 4%.
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Soule vs Bailey creative passing stats compared |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Soule |
Bailey |
|
Key passes |
2.36 |
2.26 |
|
Final third passes |
3.09 |
1.65 |
|
Penalty box passes |
2.25 |
2.22 |
|
Stats from Fbref |
||
This elite creativity in the final third could see him link up superbly with Villa’s star striker Ollie Watkins. The England international was one of the best players in the Premier League last season, scoring 19 goals and registering 13 assists in just 37 games. Given Soule’s proficiency in playing passes into the penalty box, it could be the start of a new link-up with Watkins. The striker could have a lot of joy getting on the end of those balls from the Argentine.
Soule is also a dangerous ball carrier, averaging 3.37 final-third carries per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 8% amongst wingers in Serie A. He has the explosive ball-carrying ability to help him thrive under Emery.
The 21-year-old would be an astute signing for Villa, given his ability to play as one of the number 10s behind the strikers. He puts up similar numbers to Leon Bailey, meaning the drop-off would be minimal, and adds quality depth for Emery out wide.
For a price of just £30m, he offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen the squad for a nominal fee; an opportunity that Villa may well decide to take this summer.
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