Unai Emery’s Aston Villa target set to complete transfer before deadline
Aston Villa transfer news as previous midfield target Matteo Guendouzi, well known to Unai Emery, nears a move elsewhere
Matteo Guendouzi, Unai Emery’s one-time Aston Villa target, is finally set to complete a move away from Marseille this summer – and he is expected to move to Italy and join Serie A side Lazio.
It’s understood that Villa and Emery – who brought the player to England and worked with him at Arsenal previously – was eager to strengthen his midfield department in the January transfer window and Villa, as a consequence, looked into bringing Guendouzi back to the Premier League from his native France.
Having spent the 2021-22 season on loan at OM, he returned there on a permanent basis last summer when Arsenal sanctioned a £9m deal, and French international Guendouzi continued to impress in Ligue 1, so much so that he might’ve returned to the top flight and reunited with Emery, but that move proved too expensive to do.
Villa reignited their interest in Guendouzi this summer, but they instead eventually moved for Youri Tielemans, who they were able to snap up on a free transfer following his departure from relegated Leicester City. He has boosted the midfield competition, which already included Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Leander Dendoncker.
Now, it’s been confirmed that OM are in talks over the sale of Guendouzi to Lazio, in a deal which could be worth €18m. Guendouzi has two years left on his current contract at Marseille.
“I can confirm that there is an offer on the table,” OM president Pablo Longoria said. “It’s true that we received an offer and that the positions of the two clubs have come very close in recent days, but the deal is not finalised, there are still many details to settle and many situations of potential disagreement.
“There are always three parties involved: the buying club, the selling club and the player. Even a fourth with player agents and their various entourages.”
Tielemans or Guendouzi? Did Villa get the better deal? Let us know here.
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Aston Villa made transfer decision on Jack Harrison from Leeds United after medical issue
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Alan Hutton believes Aston Villa pulled out of a deal to sign Jack Harrison because he’s injured.
Everton signed Harrison, 26, on a season-long loan from Leeds on 14 August but Villa showed an interest in the ex-Manchester City winger before he completed his temporary switch to Merseyside.
According to The Sun (14 August), the Villans tried to hijack Everton’s move for the attacker with the Daily Mail claiming on 13 August that it was due to Emi Buendia’s serious knee injury.
Ultimately, Villa backed out of the deal and Hutton reckons that’s something to do with Harrison’s existing injury.
Speaking to Villa News, Hutton said: “You very rarely see a player moving when he’s got an injury or an issue.
“I’ve seen many occasions where medicals have been failed through something they don’t even realise they have.
“It could be a nick in the cartridge in their knee they didn’t know was there and then it shows up in the images when you get a medical done.
“I don’t know exactly what happened with Harrison but when you sign a player, it’s to improve the squad immediately unless you’re buying a young kid.
“If they didn’t see it being right straight away then that’s why they pulled out.”
Harrison is yet to play for Everton since joining them on loan.
It’s unlikely that he’ll be back in action until after the international break due to his hip injury.
In other Aston Villa news, an imminent multi-million exit from Villa Park has caused uproar.
