BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 08: A general view of a statue outside the stadium prior to the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Aston Villa and Stevenage at Villa Park on January 08, 2023 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Aston Villa: Villans in Clement Lenglet talks
Unai Emery could yet add a defensive reinforcement…
Aston Villa have had a productive summer transfer window, and there could be room for further additions to Unai Emery’s side.
The Midlands club have benefited from their business so far this season, too, with two wins and one loss in their opening three games, which includes a 4-0 thrashing of Everton.
With three days still remaining in the transfer window, too, things could yet get even better for Emery and co, who are now reportedly in talks to bolster their defensive options.
What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?
So far this summer, Villa have welcomed a total of four fresh faces, with Moussa Diaby, Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo and Pau Torres all coming through the door at Villa Park.
Diaby has arguably been the pick of the bunch so far, finding the back of the net twice in his first three Premier League games, whilst also registering one assist. As every week goes by, that reported £51.9m fee looks more and more like a shrewd deal, despite it being a club record.
Having improved their attacking options, Villa now look set to turn their attention to their backline following the injury to Tyrone Mings. And, with that said, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club have now opened talks with Barcelona to sign central defender Clement Lenglet before the transfer window slams shut.
The Frenchman is yet to make an appearance for Barcelona this season, and could, therefore, certainly do with a move away in the coming days.
How good is Clement Lenglet?
An international who has played at the top level and has Premier League experience following his loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur last season, Lenglet may represent another piece of smart business from those at Villa Park.
It remains to be seen just how much the defender will cost this summer, but given his lack of appearances at Barcelona so far this season, Villa could yet get themselves a cut price to suit all parties involved. Though, one high expense could be Lenglet’s wages, with the centre-back reportedly earning £200,000-a-week at Barcelona.
After Mings suffered a serious knee injury against Newcastle United, it would be a smart idea for Villa to sign another central defender before the window comes to a close, and, statistically speaking, Lenglet could be more than an adequate option.
Last season, according to FBref, Lenglet even outperformed Mings in some areas whilst on loan at Spurs.
| Player | Progressive Passes per 90 | Progressive Carries per 90 | Pass Completion Rate | Tackles Won per 90 |
| Clement Lenglet | 3.79 | 1.47 | 86.7% | 1.03 |
| Tyrone Mings | 3.17 | 0.57 | 85.2% | 0.20 |
