Aston Villa manager Dean Smith could sign a dream teammate for Emi Buendia in Argentina starlet Julian Alvarez.

What's the story?

Having clinched the signing of Buendia from recently-promoted Premier League side Norwich, it appears that Villa have their eye on another Argentine, with Alvarez on their radar.

Reports in recent days have claimed that Fernando Hidalgo, the agent of the 20-year-old, is set to meet with Villa's representatives over a possible summer move to the Midlands.

Dribbles more than Buendia

One of the main things that has marked Alvarez out at club level has been his sheer versatility, with the 1.7m (5 foot 7) dynamo playing on the right, the left, up front and even having a stint as a number 10 as well.

His directness and willingness to make things happen has earned praise from Marcelo Gallardo, his manager at River Plate, who said that the 21-year-old is "a player that every coach would love to have".

When you compare his performances in the league with what Buendia produced in the Championship with Norwich last season, you can see someone who could potentially link up quite well with Villa's new signing.

His average of 1.7 dribbles per game is actually higher than Buendia (1.6), while he has also shown an ability to provide an end product, averaging 1.6 key passes and 1.3 shots per match - Villa's new boy managed 3.1 key passes and 2.8 shots per game in 2020/21.

Alvarez could hit the ground running at Villa Park thanks to the presence of Argentine colleagues Buendia and Emi Martinez, and given his age and versatility, he should slot right into the young squad that Smith is building at the club.

If Villa are looking to sign a young talent who is on the rise, then they should look no further than Alvarez.

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