Aston Villa: Emery considering a January move for a player worth more than £50 million.
According to reports, the Villans are looking for defensive reinforcements…
While Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have been far from faultless in the Premier League so far this season, they have offered hints of what is to come after the former Arsenal manager fine-tunes his tactical blueprint.
The Villans, of course, got off to a bad start on the first day, losing 5-1 to Newcastle United. However, they have won three of their last four games, with their sole loss coming at Anfield against Liverpool.
Coming from behind to upset Crystal Palace 3-1 the previous time out, it’s evident that the Midlands club is finding its form. And they’ve reportedly shifted their attention to the January transfer market, where they’re exploring a move for a specific La Liga player.
What is the most recent Aston Villa transfer rumor?
Villa enjoyed one of the more remarkable transfer windows in England’s top division, spending a whopping €93 million (£80 million) on five new players. Moussa Diaby has been the most successful of their arrivals thus far. In five Premier League appearances, the former Bayer Leverkusen winger has scored two goals and assisted on another two.
There’s little doubt that Emery, who led Villa to Europa League qualification last season, will have European ambitions this season, and with that, January reinforcements could yet arrive.
According to Caught Offside, the Midlands club is interested in acquiring Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand, who supposedly has a release clause of €60 million (£51.6 million).
As things stand, Emery could use another center-back option following Tyrone Mings’ long-term absence, which has left the Frenchman with Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos, and Caleb Chambers to call on for the majority of the season.
Should Robin Le Normand join Aston Villa?
Welcoming a player of Le Normand’s caliber would confirm that Emery’s Aston Villa are on the verge of reaching a new level, which began with European qualification last season and progressed with the purchase of Diaby in the summer.
In terms of statistics, Le Normand has been a standout in La Liga in recent years. According to FBref, the Spaniard ranks in the top 97 percentile for aerial duels won per 90, the top 76 percentile for pass completion rate, and the top 77 and 78 percentiles for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90, allowing him to earn more than his estimated £46k per week at Sociedad.
Meanwhile, when compared to Konsa, Torres, and Carlos this season, Le Normand stands out in various areas, as shown below by FBref:
Having said that, it will be intriguing to see if Villa triggers Le Normand’s release clause. It’s apparent that he has the extra quality to help them grow even more and could even qualify for the Europa League this season, making the prospective move one to keep an eye on.
