Unai Emery is reportedly looking to bolster his midfield at Villa Park, and Aston Villa is reportedly keen on bringing in a new midfield player.
Emery made moves to add players to the West Midlands throughout the summer, including Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo, Moussa Diaby, Clement Lenglet, and Pau Torres. It’s safe to conclude that his summer additions have significantly impacted his team’s efforts to advance to the Champions League.
In the Premier League, Villa Park has unquestionably established itself as a stronghold. In a recent interview, Emery hinted at Villa Park’s ability to achieve success at home, stating:
“Fans hold great significance. We were talking about how every team typically scores more points at home than away
“Playing with your supporters makes you feel stronger, which is one reason. It is evident to us that we are at ease in our own home. Our fans are interacting with us and sending us their energy in return. The situation is the same for other teams, and in a long run, I’ve never heard of a team scoring more points away than at home. It’s really challenging. The fans are the cause.”
However, considering that Aston Villa has only lost once in their last six road games across all competitions, their away form has also emerged as a testament to their tenacity in recent years. When January arrives, Emery and NSWE may be eager to trim his roster to make sure that pressing issues are resolved. This will help his team maintain the amazing consistency they have shown since he started at Villa Park, and the Spaniard is currently keeping an eye out for a new midfield player.
Alex Baena, a midfielder for Villarreal who played occasionally under Emery while the two were teammates at the Yellow Submarine, is reportedly being targeted by Aston Villa, according to reports in Spain via Sport Witness. According to the report, the 22-year-old’s current contract at the La Liga team includes a €60 million (£51.4 million) release clause.
Villarreal is open to negotiations, though, at about €40 million (£34.2 million), a price the Villans might be able to match during the winter transfer window. Torres moved to the West Midlands from Villarreal in the summer, and although both teams are thought to get along well, Barcelona is also keeping an eye on Baena’s circumstances.
Averaging about 2.2 crucial passes and 2.2 shots on goal per La Liga game, Baena has been a creative presence in the middle of the park for his current employers this season, earning the designation of “impressive” from talent scout Jacek Kulig (Baena statistics – WhoScored).
Since Aston Villa already has a wealth of talented options available to them, Emery’s team may have made another wise move by adding Baena to the squad in January.
