Unai Emery is ramping things up at Aston Villa this summer as plenty of activity is expected over the next few weeks.
Moussa Diaby looks like he could be departing Villa, with Saudi outfit Al Ittiahd the club of choice, which could give the Spaniard some funds to work with.
A move for Jaden Philogene looks close to being agreed, with Villa resigning the player just a year after he left to join Hull City in the Championship.
Could there be a swoop for another attacking talent in the next few days, as Emery aims to bolster his team ahead of the 2024/25 campaign?
Aston Villa eye move for Serie A midfielder
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Villa are chasing a move for Napoli attacking midfielder Jesper Lindstrom this summer, along with Everton.
Antonio Conte will assess the player in training before making his final decision, but it looks as though the Italian side will accept an offer of around €30m (£25m) in order to sell Lindstrom.
This fee shouldn’t break the bank, especially if Diaby leaves in the coming days and a move for the Dane could see Emery form an impressive attacking duo next season…
How Lindstrom could fit alongside Philogene
Signing Philogene this summer could turn out to be a stroke of genius by Emery, especially considering how impressive he was in the second tier last term.
Goals
12
Assists
6
Big chances created
7
Shots on target per game
1.3
Successful dribbles per game
2.7
Key passes per game
1.6
Total duels won per game
7.6
Big chances missed
6
Across 33 games in all competitions, the youngster scored 12 goals while registering six assists, proving to Villa that they were silly to let him leave in the first place.
He can operate on either wing, but was more effective on the left flank, which could allow him to link up well with Lindstrom should the Dane make the move from Serie A to the Premier League.
The 24-year-old may not have scored at all during the 2023/24 campaign, but there is no doubting his quality in the number ten role. For Eintracht Frankfurt, Lindstrom registered 11 goal contributions in just 27 Bundesliga matches in the 2022/23 campaign, underlining how effective he was in the final third.
That season for the German side saw Lindstrom also created four big chances, average 0.7 key passes per game, succeed with one dribble per match and average 1.7 shots, demonstrating his effectiveness in an attacking midfield role.
U23 scout Antonio Mango dubbed the midfielder as “exceptional” back in 2022 and, despite his struggles with Napoli last term, he has already proven his worth in the Bundesliga.
Perhaps a fresh start would benefit the player and linking up with Emery could give him the confidence he needs to replicate his excellent 2022/23 campaign.
If so, the Spaniard could deploy him just behind Ollie Watkins, with Philogene operating on the left flank. This attacking setup certainly sounds like it could cause plenty of damage to opposition defences.
With Everton interested, Villa will need to act swiftly to secure his services, that’s for sure.
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ByAngus Sinclair
