Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on a deal to complete an early January signing as Unai Emery looks to broaden his squad to aid their hunt for Champions League qualification.
Aston Villa updates
Since his arrival at Villa Park in October 2022, Aston Villa boss Emery has managed to cultivate a squad of players that some in footballing circles are confident will compete on both domestic and European fronts this term.
Douglas Luiz has been a key figure for the Spaniard due to his form over the course of the last year and his stock is continuing to rise, which in turn has led to interest in his services from elsewhere. According to an update on Luiz from Football Insider, Aston Villa are looking to open contract talks with Luiz to try and ward off attention from Arsenal, who are long-term admirers of the Brazil international and have previously tried to snap him up.
John McGinn, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa have all recently signed contract extensions in the West Midlands and it is now hoped that Luiz will follow them, with his current deal at the club set to expire in 2026. Discussions with Luiz could commence as soon as January over fresh terms.
In other news, Aston Villa are targeting a move for Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips; nevertheless, it will cost in the region of £50 million to prize the England international away from the Etihad Stadium. West Ham United, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Italian giants Juventus will all rival the Villans in the hunt to offer the former Leeds United anchor man an escape route from his uneventful spell in Manchester.
Aston Villa close in on Marcos Acuna deal
According to reports in Spain, Aston Villa are closing in on a deal to sign Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna for a fee in the region of €15 million (£13 million), with the La Liga side willing to sell and the proposed January agreement seemingly at an advanced stage.
The Argentina international is believed to have his heart set on a new challenge and is excited over a proposed move to Aston Villa to join Emery, with the Midlands now looking likely to be his next destination following much speculation over a potential move during the summer window.
Labelled a "top defender" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Acuna has gone on to make 132 appearances in all competitions for Sevilla during his time in the south of Spain, registering five goals and 13 assists in the process (Acuna stats – Transfermarkt).
In comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions, the 32-year-old has excelled in the art of tackles won, coming out on top in around 2.63 per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, putting him in the 88th percentile for this metric (Acuna statistics – FBRef).
Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno occupy the left-back slots at Aston Villa currently, though bringing in Acuna would provide the pair with some real competition for game time under Emery as the Villans continue to try and build towards sustained success.