Villa could sign a perfect foil for Watkins in 6ft 2 dynamo

Aston Villa registered a wonderful 2-1 win over Lille in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final in midweek as Unai Emery aims to end the club’s trophy drought.

It was a solid performance at Villa Park, but they will now need to translate that form into the Premier League, a competition where the club have won just one of their previous five fixtures.

The Midlands side currently face a battle with Tottenham Hotspur to secure a top-four finish in the top flight and Champions League qualification for next season.

This could impact the transfer business that Emery will be able to conduct this summer, as playing in Europe’s premier club competition will allow him to attract the best players.

It appears as though the Spaniard is looking to get a head start, as he is admiring a player who is currently shining in Serie A…

Aston Villa transfer news

According to reports (via Caught Offside), Villa are considering making a summer approach for Inter star Denzel Dumfries as Emery bids to improve his first-team squad ahead of next season.

The Dutchman currently has just over a year left on his current contract and it is clear the Italian side are desperate to extend this in order to fend off potential suitors.

If he doesn’t agree an extension by the summer, it leaves the club in a vulnerable position, which could tempt Villa into making a concrete offer for the player.

Dumfries is currently valued at €26m (£22.2m), and considering his contract situation, Villa could potentially secure his signature for a bargain fee if everything goes to plan between now and the end of the season.

While Emery’s squad is excellent, more depth is required – and signing Dumfries would significantly bolster his right flank.

He could offer something different to the club’s attacking options and provide Ollie Watkins with a brand-new foil.

Oliie Watkins’ statistics this season for Aston Villa

The Englishman has certainly enjoyed life under Emery this term, becoming his main source of goals in this Villa side.

Against Lille, Watkins scored his 25th goal of the season, coming in his 44th match. Alongside his ten assists, it works out that the former Brentford centre-forward registers a goal involvement every 1.2 matches throughout 2023/24, a stunning ratio.

Without him, there is no telling where Villa would be in the league table, but it is clear that he needs some added support next season in order to take the pressure off.

Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey have chipped in with 20 goals between them, but if Watkins suffers a serious injury, Villa could struggle.

In the top flight, Watkins not only ranks as Villa’s highest-rated player with regards to their overall Sofascore ratings (7.37), but he also ranks first for goals & assists (28) and shots on target per game (1.4), as well as fourth for big chances created (9), showing how vital he is to their cause.

Signing a player like Dumfries, who could create plenty of chances for Watkins, could be a gamechanger and give the club a major boost next term.

Denzel Dumfries’ statistics this season for Inter

The 27-year-old moved to Italy in the summer of 2021, joining Inter from PSV Eindhoven for a transfer fee in the region of €12.5m (£10.7m) plus €2.5m in bonuses, which represented an excellent deal for the Serie A side.

The Dutchman had spent the previous three seasons in the Eredivisie with PSV, making 124 appearances while registering 36 goal contributions – 16 goals and 20 assists – which was not a bad tally at all for a wing-back.

He began to show prominence at international level for the Netherlands during his spell at PSV and went on to shine at Euro 2020 prior to his move to Inter.

Dumfries scored twice and registered an assist in the competition, and it’s fair to say his spell in Italy has gone extremely well thus far.

He has since won the Coppa Italia twice along with three Supercups, while Inter are on course to win their second league title in four years, while his individual displays have been impressive.

In the top flight, Dumfries ranks sixth among his teammates for goals & assists (seven), along with ranking seventh for big chances created (five), seventh for key passes per game (one) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (0.5), highlighting his forward-thinking abilities throughout the campaign.

His statistics begin to take off when he is compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues. Indeed, the wing-back currently ranks in the top 2% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (3.33), along with ranking in the top 9% for assists (0.21) and the top 7% for aerial duels won per 90 (1.68), which is further evidence of just how much he loves to push forward and burst into the penalty area.

The 6 foot 2 gem could link up well with Watkins in the Villa attack, providing the striker with a plethora of chances during games, while even chipping in with the odd goal himself.

Following his showing at the 2022 World Cup for the Netherlands, pundit Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on the player, saying:

“He’s integral, just like Daley Blind, to the way that Louis van Gaal works.

“They’re the outlet that gets beyond, and he’s a player you look at and think that he’s athletic, can beat people one-on-one. It’s not just about being there, it’s the quality.

“He’s not putting balls in willy-nilly, he’s picking people out, those cutbacks have been ever so dangerous. He doesn’t mind working at the other end of the pitch, as well. He’s been a breath of fresh air for them and a very important player.”

There is no doubt that he would shine in the current Villa side and add some quality to the starting XI that could only benefit them if they manage to secure Champions League football for the 2024/25 season.