Aston Villa are now closing in on a £35m double deal to boost Unai Emery’s ranks ahead of the second part of the Premier League season as they look to qualify for the Champions League once more next season.
Aston Villa in European race
Though they fought back from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in their most recent outing, Aston Villa still dropped down the Premier League over the weekend.
Wins for Bournemouth and Manchester City saw them slip to eighth, though they remain just two points outside the top four and are part of a gaggle of clubs looking to grab a spot in next season’s European competitions.
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The Villans have acted once again…
As things stand, just five points separate Manchester City in third and Fulham in 10th as the sides challenge for what is likely to be eight European spots available, including five in the Champions League.
With teams so close, every point is vital and Aston Villa have already moved to strengthen their ranks this winter with the arrival of Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund, who has replaced Jaden Philogene in Unai Emery’s ranks after the latter completed a move to Ipswich Town.
Though there has been significant speculation around Jhon Duran once more, no deal seems likely this winter. The same cannot be said for Diego Carlos though, who, like Duran, was strongly linked with a move away from Villa Park in the summer but now seems set to exit six months later with a deal to join Fenerbahçe now in its final stages in a move set to net Villa in excess of €10m.
Meanwhile, Villa have lined up two more signings of their own in a bid to bolster their ranks in the wake of his exit.
Aston Villa close in on £35m deals
That is according to a report from The Boot Room, who claim that Aston Villa are closing in on the signings of Sevilla defender Loic Bade and Levante defender Andres Garcia in deals totaling £35m.
The Villans are “in advanced talks” to sign Bade in a deal worth “£30m including add-ons” as they look to plug the gap left by Carlos’ impending exit. The Frenchman has shot to prominence with Sevilla, helping them to European success and seeing his stock rise since.
|
Loic Bade for Sevilla 24/25 |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
16 |
|
Pass Accuracy |
85.3% |
|
Tackles and interceptions per 90 |
3.16 |
|
Clearances per 90 |
4.41 |
|
Aerial Duels % won |
66% |
Dubbed “fantastic” on the ball by members of the media, Bade has emerged as a target for Aston Villa and now a deal could be close after they failed to find a route to signing Oscar Mingueza.
Meanwhile, the Villans are set to sign Garcia from Levante in a separate deal worth £5m, and Villa are “hopeful of both transfers being completed before the weekend”, when they play host to West Ham.
The two deals will take Villa’s spending this month to close to £60m, having also shelled out just over £6m to sign Yasin Ozcan from Turkish side Kasimpasa, though he will not join up with Unai Emery’s side until the summer. Will it be enough to see them land a spot in the Champions League for next season?