Aston Villa has enjoyed a phenomenal resurgence under Unai Emery, who has triumphed in 13 of his 22 Premier League games at the helm, propelling his new club to the cusp of European football.
The Spaniard has allowed players like Ollie Watkins, Jacob Ramsey, and Tyrone Mings to flourish, finding some of the best form of their careers.
However, despite many areas of improvement, one player who has drastically underperformed for a considerable period is Philippe Coutinho.
How much has Philippe Coutinho cost Aston Villa?
The Brazilian, who is currently the club’s third best-paid player on £125k-per-week, has been hugely underwhelming and draining the club whilst offering very little output in return.
The 30-year-old originally joined the Midlands outfit in January 2022, signing on loan under Steven Gerrard for the remainder of the season.
The deal generated massive excitement and anticipation, which skyrocketed when he netted on his debut against Manchester United in a 2-2 draw at Villa Park.
He would go on to register eight contributions in 19 league outings and recorded the second-highest rating (6.96) of any Villa player, as per WhoScored, to support his formidable reputation
As a result of these impressive performances, the former Liverpool star was signed at the end of the campaign on a permanent deal for £17m on a four-year contract.
Then-manager Gerrard was thrilled with the deal and said: “I think it's fantastic for everyone connected with the club. You've seen the reaction from the supporters, it's very positive, they've seen him over the last five or six months play ever so well.
"He's still got loads left in him, in our opinion. To have him here full time and settled, I think he'll come again and go up another level.”
Aston Villa's Philippe Coutinho.
Although, since this announcement, the playmaker’s time in England has unravelled into disaster with the total cost of a move set to cost in the region of £23.5m once you consider his wages for this term.
Gerrard received the sack earlier in the campaign when Villa was in touching distance of the relegation zone, and despite the upturn of results under Emery, Coutinho has been unable to refind his feet. The technician has only scored once and produced no assists in 20 Premier League appearances.
Despite his mercurial brilliance, the attacker dismally resides in the bottom 28% for progressive carries per 90 and the lowest 43% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.
It is a damning indictment of a player who lacks influence, involvement, and quality.
Retired Villa striker Dwight Yorke is baffled by his decline, saying: “It's mind-boggling how world-class players lose their way totally like he has.
“Coutinho is not half the player he was, that move to Barcelona was sensational and he was sensational at Liverpool. He became a journeyman, went to Bayern on loan, and then to Aston Villa before moving permanently. It's a mystery how it happened.”
It would make sense for NSWE and co to try and move Coutinho on in the summer as performing consistently in English seems beyond him.
Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are 'talking to several candidates' as chairman Daniel Levy chases a quick managerial appointment, according to reports.
Who could Spurs appoint as manager?
It's been well over a month since Spurs mutually agreed to part company with ex-manager Antonio Conte and it's been quite the chaotic time for them since.
Former sporting director Fabio Paratici followed his Italian colleague out the door recently, having failed to appeal his 30-month worldwide ban from football.
Two interim managers have also taken the reins in Conte's absence, with Cristian Stellini sacked in the role after a humbling 6-1 defeat away to Newcastle United which more or less ended Spurs' top four hopes.
Man United are now miles out in front of the north Londoners with a few games in hand, meaning a Europa League spot is perhaps far more realistic for Tottenham and current temporary boss Ryan Mason.
Spurs boss Ryan Mason
In terms of coaching options for next year, the likes of Julian Nagelsmann – who recently left Bayern Munich – are on the agenda alongside Feyenoord's Arne Slot and Burnley's Vincent Kompany.
Hiring a new manager and soon is crucial for Levy after a turbulent last few months, especially with the summer transfer window fast approaching.
According to Football Insider, there has been some promising news on that front, with Spurs chiefs apparently 'talking to several candidates' as Tottenham up the ante in their pursuit.
It's added, amid these discussions, that Levy personally wants to make a 'quick' manager hire – and it's also reiterated that Nagelsmann, Slot and Kompany remain on Tottenham's list.
Who should Spurs appoint?
Now that former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino appears out of the picture, we believe the club should in fact go all out for Nagelsmann given his free agent status.
There have been suggestions that certain roadblocks like the lack of a sporting director could dampen Tottenham's pursuit, yet if Spurs manage to overcome that, he would be perfect.
His intense brand of high-pressing football would bring excitement back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Nagelsmann being revered for his coaching methods.
Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, speaking just before Nagelsmann was sacked, even claimed he is among the top three best ever coaches he's worked with – explaining to the press:
“I can only say that Julian Nagelsmann is an outstanding coach. Really, I’ve had a lot of coaches and a lot of top coaches and despite that, I’d say he’s easily in the top three of my best coaches.”
Chelsea will play out the rest of the 2022/23 campaign with their former manager Frank Lampard now as interim manager after Bruno Saltor did not want to job, to begin with.
Why have Chelsea rehired Frank Lampard?
The Blues will see Lampard return to the sidelines at Stamford Bridge for their remaining games on the back of their recent draw against Liverpool.
It has been a season to forget for Chelsea with a lot of money spent over the transfer windows which have not produced results in the league.
The draw against Jurgen Klopp's side was not enough to pull Chelsea back into the top half as they now sit slumped in 11th spot and a whopping 14 points off fourth place.
Champions League football is now out of the picture for the Blues, but it is a measure of how poor their campaign has been under Graham Potter that they are this far off the pace.
Upon Potter's sacking, his assistant coach, Saltor, was appointed as the caretaker manager and oversaw the following game against Liverpool.
However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Spaniard did not particularly want to take on the job given his close relationship with Potter:
(3:50) "Bruno Saltor, the interim manager [appointed] a few days ago and also in the Liverpool game, he was not 100% keen on this job.
"He was there because Chelsea decided to do that, after the Graham Potter surprising timing and situation, but he's really close to Graham Potter. And so the feeling at Chelsea is that they needed something different until the end of the season."
Will Lampard be better than Saltor?
The Blues were held to a draw on Tuesday night in a game which they very much dominated but were simply unable to find the back of the net.
Chelsea ended the game with an XG of 2.17 in comparison to Liverpool's mere 0.35, yet were forced to share the points with the Reds (via SofaScore).
But Saltor's time at the helm only lasted one game as Chelsea opted to bring in Lampard for the remaining games in the league and Champions League.
Frank Lampard claps the fans as Chelsea play in the Premier League.
Lampard is someone who will provide more experience than Saltor having previously managed across a number of different teams.
However, his time in the Premier League has not exactly been a roaring success.
The former midfielder was sacked by Everton earlier in the year less than 12 months after being appointed at Goodison Park amid their ongoing relegation concerns.
And his time at Stamford Bridge between 2019-2021 only saw Lampard able to provide a return of on average 1.75 points per game which saw him sacked in favour of Thomas Tuchel.
Perhaps Lampard will not be able to pull of a Champions League miracle, but it is apparent Chelsea value his experience at the club more than that of Saltor.
Before Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool during the 2015/16 season, their success in the transfer market over the preceding five years had been woeful to say the least, with only a few gems making up for the countless flops that joined under Roy Hodgson and then Brendan Rodgers.
One of those standout purchases was Joe Gomez, who arrived at the Reds from Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2015 for a paltry sum of just £3.5m with the 18-year-old highly regarded upon his arrival on Merseyside.
He only had 24 senior appearances to his name before signing for Rodgers, and it was evident he was a player earmarked for the future.
Fast-forward nearly eight years later, and he is still standing in the Liverpool first team while his value has soared.
How much is Joe Gomez worth now?
It took a few seasons for the Englishman to break into the side on a regular basis, having to wait until the 2017/18 campaign to make more than 20 Premier League appearances for the club, yet he was about to become part of the greatest Liverpool era since the halcyon days of the 70s and 80s.
Gomez would win the Champions League and a Premier League winners medal while adding in countless other trophies all while remaining a key part of the team. Although never truly one of the first names on the team sheet, Klopp is certainly a fan of the defender, saying this back in 2020:
“He is a sensational footballer, which is good. He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good.
Joe Gomez for Liverpool
“The package is really nice. It was always clear in the moment he starts playing and can get rhythm again, everything will be fine – and that’s how it is.”
High praise from one of the finest coaches in the world and although Liverpool have been patchy this term, Gomez has managed to achieve a Sofascore rating of 6.92/10, ranking him as the second-best centre-back in the squad.
The initial £3.5m outlay back in 2015 now looks like a stroke of genius, particularly with Football Transfers now valuing the 25-year-old at €33m (£29m) which represents an increase of 728%, a staggering rise.
Having signed a new long-term deal last summer, Klopp could certainly cash in on the player for a massive profit, however, with his ability, keeping him at Liverpool may be the wisest move.
Everton’s disappointing form continued yesterday, as they twice threw away their lead to share the points with Nottingham Forest.
Although it was a spirited and much-improved display on the road, it marked a fine chance to propel themselves out of the relegation zone had they won. Yet it seemed like as the match wore on the hosts were far more likely to go on and claim victory, as the Toffees looked physically spent.
The midfield had become ragged, and the usual workmanlike trio of Idrissa Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana found themselves wildly overran.
However, throughout the game the latter of these became more and more anonymous, with his previous “immense” displays – as dubbed by pundit Matt Holland – eluding him. Indeed, he offered little in the way of going forward whilst hardly dominating defensively in the heart of the pitch.
It has arguably now been some time since the hulking Belgian has performed to the levels expected of him, and his place in the squad could come under scrutiny with James Garner’s imminent return.
When will James Garner be back for Everton?
Having also signed in the summer, the Manchester United academy graduate joined Goodison Park as part of Frank Lampard’s vast midfield overhaul. It was expected that the £15m man would provide ample backup for the more established members, whilst developing alongside them.
However, it quickly became clear that the energetic youngster boasted far more attacking impetus than the usual starters.
Last season the 6 foot 1 gem scored four and assisted eight from a deeper midfield role, but in his cameos for the Merseyside outfit had shown his penchant for a crunching tackle and a lung-busting run. During that campaign, Statman Dave took to Twitter to brand the 21-year-old “special”.
Having seen his progress cut short due to a back injury just before the World Cup, Sunday’s draw marked his return to the squad since as he watched from the bench.
This was a huge step forward for Garner, who Sean Dyche had revealed was nearing a return to regular football.
It will leave the £100k-per-week Onana now sweating over his place in the side, as his last five performances have failed to surpass a 6.7 Sofascore rating.
Meanwhile, it will be refreshing that the former Burnley boss now has a new profile of midfielder to deploy. Lampard himself even outlined how big of an asset this could be: “He looks a bit different to our other midfield players in his attributes; his passing, his delivery of set-pieces and shots he can get away. He is a really clean striker of the ball in a sense of his passing.”
This fresh attacking input from deep could be imperative in thwarting the offensive issues plaguing Everton, and given Onana’s recent form, he could be the one to make way as Garner makes his triumphant return.
The Premier League very much looks like the richest league in world football; clubs seemingly have the ability to splash the cash to no end each and every summer, as talent around Europe.
The money involved in English football right now is bigger than ever, with an incredible inflation of prices. 13 years ago, £80 million got you Cristiano Ronaldo – one of the best players in the world. Now, it gets you Harry Maguire. The difference is staggering.
With that said, we’ve listed the 20 most expensive Premier League signings of all time, via TransferMarkt.
20) Mykhalo Mudryk to Chelsea: £62.1m
One of the most recent signings on this list.
Chelsea, led by their new owner, Todd Boehly, spent huge sums in the summer and Mudryk was one of the big-name acquisitions.
He appeared to be heading to Arsenal but the Blues intervened at the last minute to secure his signature.
So far, he’s only played three times in the Premier League but he’s got a huge price-tag to live up to.
19) Alexander Isak to Newcastle United: £62.1m
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
Isak is perhaps the cornerstone signing of this new Newcastle United team.
Having been bought out by hugely wealthy owners, the Magpies splashed the cash on the Sweden international.
He scored 44 goals in 131 appearances for Real Sociedad and is already on the goal trail in black and white.
Thus far, Isak has scored three times in 10 games for Eddie Howe’s high-flying side.
18) Casemiro to Manchester United: £62.7m
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group E – Manchester United v Real Sociedad – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – September 8, 2022 Manchester United’s Casemiro reacts REUTERS/Craig Brough
Snapped up from Real Madrid as United searched for a defensive midfielder who could prove transformative to the club.
And the Brazilian has already delivered.
In the Premier League, United have only lost once when Casemiro has started; he’s a truly elite midfield player.
Whether his transfer can inspire the club to silverware, though, remains to be seen.
17) Ruben Dias to Manchester City: £63.5m
One of the biggest hits you’ll find on this list.
Dias came in from Benfica and has gone on to make 112 appearances for the club, becoming a bedrock of Pep Guardiola’s defence.
The Portugal international has already won two Premier League titles, and is on the hunt for a third this season.
A superb defensive signing.
16) Angel Di Maria to Manchester United: £67.5m
Soccer Football – World Cup – South American Qualifiers – Argentina v Venezuela – Estadio La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina – March 25, 2022 Argentina’s Angel Di Maria celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
Now at Juventus, having moved to the club from PSG in the summer, Di Maria was an undoubted flop at United.
Signed as a marquee acquisition, he made 32 appearances for the club and while he did involve himself in 16 goals – an involvement every other game – he fell off a cliff at the club.
He wanted to leave and was allowed to move on, at great loss to United’s finances.
Not a good signing in any way, but we’ll always have that gorgeous lobbed finish against Leicester City.
15) Kevin De Bruyne to Manchester City: £68.4m
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One of the greatest signings of the Premier League era.
De Bruyne was heavily doubted by onlookers after arriving from Wolfsburg, having struggled at Chelsea.
How wrong they were. De Bruyne has won four Premier League titles at City and has scored 90 goals, while providing a staggering 139 assists, in 337 games for the club.
A bargain of a deal for City.
14) Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea: £72m
Kepa is a rather odd one.
He became the most expensive goalkeeper in history when he made the move to Chelsea but he has been in and out of the team under different managers.
In total, he has made 145 appearances for the club and has kept 56 clean sheets.
He’s clearly a good player, but it is unclear if he is actually a better player than Edouard Mendy.
13) Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal: £72m
It’s not even an argument: Pepe is a huge flop.
Arsenal flexed their financial muscle to secure his signature from Lille but he struggled immensely during his time at the Gunners.
In 112 games, he scored just 27 goals, which simply isn’t a good enough return.
It’s no surprise he was loaned to Nice, simply to get him away from the first-team.
12) Kai Havertz to Chelsea: £72m
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The Germany international is a superb player, clearly.
Havertz has made 122 appearances for the club and has scored 29 goals, while registering 15 assists.
Best deployed as a No.10, Havertz can unlock any defence with his silky passing and his turn of pace.
He’s yet to truly explode, but he is clearly a top player in waiting.
11) Darwin Nunez to Liverpool: £72m
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The jury is firmly out on Nunez.
Signed at huge expense for the Reds, he’s yet to truly find his feet, and he’s been more famous for missing chances than burying them at Anfield.
Nunez has scored 10 goals in 27 games but just five of them have come in the Premier League.
The Reds need him to start scoring goals at a clinical rate very quickly.
10) Wesley Fofana to Chelsea: £72.4m
Soccer Football – Pre Season Friendly – Hull City v Leicester City – MKM Stadium, Hull, Britain – July 20, 2022 Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
This is another one where it’s really hard to judge if this is a good or bad signing.
Fofana developed into a superb centre-back at Leicester City and they received a huge fee for him from the Blues.
However, he’s played just six times for the club due to a serious knee injury.
It remains to be seen if he will get the chances he needs at Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter.
9) Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool: £76.19m
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One of the most undisputed successes on this list.
Liverpool spent big to sign Van Dijk from Southampton and he proved transformative as Jurgen Klopp’s side entered a golden era.
He’s won the Premier League and the Champions League and is clearly one of the best defenders in the world.
His form since his serious injury has been less than world-class, but he is a truly elite centre-back.
8) Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United: £76.23m
Lukaku’s first entry onto this list.
The Belgium international was meant to fix United’s centre-forward woes for a decade, but it just didn’t quite work.
In 96 games, he did score 42 goals but he always felt like an awkward fit for United’s playing style, and he was eventually moved on.
A disappointing signing at a time when United really needed a major success.
7) Jadon Sancho to Manchester United: £76.50m
This is another one where the jury remains out.
Sancho has not managed to replicate the form he showed at Borussia Dortmund at United yet.
In 55 games, he’s been involved in a grand total of 13 goals, which is coming very close to flop territory.
Under Erik Ten Hag, though, he could receive a new lease of life. He needs to.
6) Harry Maguire to Manchester United: £78.3m
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Can we say now that this didn’t work?
United paid a huge sum to Leicester City – the Foxes really are very good at extracting big fees for their best players – and Maguire is now the club captain.
However, he doesn’t really seem fancied by Erik Ten Hag at all, and has been dropped.
Thus far this season, he’s made just five Premier League starts. For the investment, it’s not good enough.
5) Antony to Manchester United: £84.3m
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Signed in the summer from Ajax, Antony has gone on to make 23 appearances for the club.
The Brazil international has scored three Premier League goals but it’s far too early to make any sort of judgement on the transfer.
Still, United clearly believe in him, having paid an immense figure to secure him from the Dutch club.
Under Ten Hag, he may well become the next great United right winger, or, as the evidence on this list suggests, he might well be offloaded in a summer or two.
4) Paul Pogba to Manchester United: £94.50m
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This was meant to be the big one.
Pogba was meant to come in and fix United’s midfield for years.
Instead, his spell was marred by rows with managers, injuries, and a lack of silverware.
The Frenchman was subsequently offloaded to another one of his former clubs, Juventus, in the summer.
3) Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea: £101.70m
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We did say that Lukaku would appear again.
Lukaku came back to Chelsea ahead of the 2021/22 season, having previously played for their academy.
He scored eight Premier League goals in 26 games and was shipped back to Inter Milan in the summer.
One of the biggest Premier League flops you’re going to find.
2) Jack Grealish to Manchester City: £105.75m
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City had to pay through the nose to get Grealish into the club from Aston Villa.
The winger and attacking midfielder has clearly adapted to life under Pep Guardiola and has been involved in six goals thus far this season in the Premier League, including what could prove to be a vital strike against Arsenal in a top-of-the-table clash.
He’s also already won the Premier League, and Guardiola clearly thinks highly of him.
Still, it’s hard not to be wistful for the time when he was absolutely destroying teams single-handedly at Villa.
1) Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea: £107.4m
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez poses with his Best Young Player award during the award ceremony after the match REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
The most recent signing on the list is also at the top of it.
Chelsea spent an immense figure to sign Fernandez from Benfica.
It should be said here that the Portuguese club bought the Argentina international for around €18m, or just over £15m.
That means Benfica made a profit of £91.5m after he played 29 times for the club. We can’t help but think his performances for Argentina, as they won the World Cup in Qatar, contributed to the hugely inflated fee.
An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi and when he could return from injury…
What’s the latest?
The 24-year-old has revealed that it could take him up to a month before Michael Beale will be able to utilise his talent for a full 90 minutes of action.
Speaking to Romanian media, via the Daily Record, the midfielder said: “For me to play 90 minutes? I would say in three or four weeks. But of course, it doesn’t just depend on me, I have to be called to do it.
“I have to show I can play well. I feel fine physically and mentally as well. Now I’m trying to play as many minutes as possible and get ready as quickly as I can. I don’t feel old, but I feel experienced compared to Alex Pitu for example, who has just signed for Bordeaux. I have my whole career ahead of me, I hope to play another 15 years at least.”
Hagi recently made his comeback off the bench in the 2-0 win over St. Johnstone and was an unused substitute against Ross County last weekend in the Premiership.
Big boost
This news should come as a big boost to the Light Blues head coach as the Romania international has the quality to be a key player for Beale in the coming months of the campaign.
The 24-year-old missed a whopping 69 competitive outings for the club after needing knee surgery in January 2022 and the claim that he will be able to play full 90-minute games by the end of February, or in the early part of March, is fantastic news and a credit to the work the gem has done during his rehabilitation.
It also means that the winger could be ready to play a significant role, if selected, in the League Cup final against Celtic on the 26th of February. Whilst he may not be ready to play a full match by that point, Hagi should be fit enough to either start or play a good chunk of minutes off the bench as he closes in on 100% fitness.
This is a big boost given what the playmaker has shown over the course of his Rangers career. The dynamo has proven himself to be a difference-maker on more than one occasion having scored 15 goals and provided 21 assists in 86 appearances in all competitions for the club.
The Romanian is capable of providing goals and assists from an attacking midfield or wide position and his contributions at the top end of the pitch could win matches for the Gers this season if he is able to get back to his best.
The above statistics show that Hagi has the quality to consistently deliver quality performances and end product from midfield for the Gers when at his peak fitness, which is why having the midfielder fit and ready to play in the coming weeks and months is a huge boost for Beale.
John Townley of Birmingham Live has given his verdict on former Aston Villa forward Danny Ings’ time at Villa Park.
The Lowdown: Ings joins the Hammers
Villa sold Ings to fellow Premier League club West Ham United, with the Hammers paying £15m to Unai Emery’s side for his services.
The Villans previously bought the English forward from Southampton in the summer of 2021 for £25m.
During his time at Villa Park, Ings scored 14 times and produced eight assists from 52 appearances in all competitions, but it seems as though Emery’s arrival brought about the end of the striker’s spell at the club.
The Lastest: Townley makes Ings transfer claim
Speaking on the Claret & Blue YouTube channel, Townley claimed that some Villa fans may look back and realise that the club had somewhat overspent on Ings.
He stated: “I think in hindsight, you look at it and think Danny Ings is fine to bring into the club, but for the money that we did, potentially that was a poor decision because we’re always going to lose a lot of money on him.
“So we probably thought, well, if we can cut £10m pounds instead of 15 or 20, let’s do it.”
The Verdict: Trust the process
We believe that with Emery at the helm, Aston Villa are in very safe hands, as he’s a top manager with a great CV.
Making £15m from a 30-year-old striker – albeit at a loss – is a good bit of business from the Villans, as they can use that money to reinvest it into another forward in the summer.
Ollie Watkins is someone that we tip to shine under Emery and the signs are already there, in our view.
Half of the 27-year-old’s goal contributions have come since the Spaniard’s arrival, with Watkins scoring in their last league match against Southampton.
Former striker Michael Owen has also spoken highly of the player in the past, labelling him as a ‘top player’ as quoted by Birmingham Live.
With the success that Emery’s had in his managerial career, we believe he knows what he’s doing when it comes to Ings’ sale.
And with Watkins performing well under him, the forward could well develop into a lethal striker for Aston Villa.
A claim has emerged on Aston Villa and their pursuit of Villarreal attacker Arnaut Danjuma during the January transfer window…
What’s the talk?
According to the Daily Mail, the Villans are one of the clubs who have ‘discussed’ a potential deal to sign the Netherlands international before the end of the month.
The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, and Nottingham Forest, all teams Fun88 have had major sponsorship deals with, are also interested in signing the La Liga dynamo.
It is stated that the player has already made his way to England in preparation to hold talks with potential suitors after Villarreal decided that they are willing to loan him out for the second half of the campaign.
Jack Grealish replacement
Johan Lange could finally find Villa’s replacement for Jack Grealish by beating off competition from their Premier League rivals to sign Danjuma this month.
The England international, who joined Manchester City in 2021, produced an impressive six goals and 10 assists from out wide in the 2020/21 top-flight campaign before leaving the club.
Last season, no Villa midfielder or wide player managed more than Emi Buendia’s 10 direct goal contributions, which suggests that the club are yet to find another forward who can impact games as Grealish did for Dean Smith.
Danjuma could be that player as his form for Villarreal last season showcased his ability to make a huge difference in the final third. In the 2021/22 campaign, the Dutch international delivered 10 goals and three assists in 23 La Liga outings, whilst also scoring six and assisting one in 11 Champions League matches.
The winger, who the Spanish side signed for £22m at the start of last season, was previously lauded for his ability in attack by former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips, as the ex-forward said: “On his day he is a nightmare for defenders. He can create and score goals. He can hurt any defence with his pace and directness.
“He is a player who can hurt any defence on his day. He’s shown that countless times. Players like him are a rarity in this day and age.”
His aforementioned statistics for Villarreal back up these comments and journalist Dean Jones summed it up best by once claiming that Danjuma could be a “game-changer” for Villa.
Grealish was a ‘game-changer’ for the Villans on a regular basis and the ex-Bournemouth man has proven, under Emery’s management last term, that he can have a similar impact with his ability to produce goals and assists week-in-week-out at the top level.
The 25-year-old’s pre-existing relationship with the Villa boss could also allow him to hit the ground running and have an immediate impact in the second half of the campaign, which potentially gives him an edge over other targets who may not have worked with the manager before.
Aston Villa are ‘getting closer’ to completing the signing of Real Betis left-back Alex Moreno, according to a key update from reliable journalist John Percy.
The Lowdown: Moreno on Villa’s radar
Villa have been linked with a number of names to improve the squad, including Vedat Muriqi and Weston McKennie, but Moreno is one of those who seems to be a genuine target.
Recent reports have suggested that the 29-year-old could easily become a Villa player in the January transfer window, coming in as competition for Lucas Digne.
Now, a fresh update suggests that the transfer is closer than ever.
The Latest: Move edging closer
Writing on Twitter, The Telegraph‘s Percy revealed that Villa’s pursuit of Moreno has gathered further momentum:
“#avfc to continue talks with Real Betis over £12m deal for left-back Alex Moreno. Getting closer. Unai Emery also targeting a new winger as a priority this month.”
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The Verdict: Shrewd piece of business
This is exactly the type of signing Villa need to make this month – someone with proven experience at a high level and who can enhance Emery’s squad depth.
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Moreno has averaged 2.1 clearances and 1.8 tackles per game in La Liga this season, as well as registering three assists.
It now feels as though it is a matter of time until the Spaniard is a Villa player, in what is hopefully just one of several signings made in the coming weeks.