Journalist Pete O'Rourke has floated the idea of Boubacar Kamara and a potential new signing playing together at Aston Villa...

What's the talk?

O'Rourke has suggested that Matteo Guendouzi could be a superb partner for the Villans' current defensive midfielder if he arrives at Villa Park before the end of the January transfer window.

When asked about his thoughts on a deal for the former Arsenal man, the reporter told Football FanCast: "I think he could be a good signing for Aston Villa if you put him and Boubacar Kamara in midfield. It has an exciting partnership possibly there for Aston Villa going forward.

"Unai Emery is obviously trying to reshape that squad at Villa right now as well."

Journalist Ryan Taylor recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Midlands club have a "genuine interest" in Guendouzi, who has been valued at €50m (£44m) by Marseille, but they are not in advanced talks to sign the France international.

Imagine him & Kamara

Kamara and Guendouzi could complement each other well in the middle of the park and, as O'Rourke said, form an excellent duo in midfield for Unai Emery.

In the Premier League this season, the current Villa enforcer has caught the eye since making the move from Marseille in the summer.

The 23-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 in the top flight whilst averaging 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match, also winning 57% of his individual duels.

He is a ball-winning tackler who offers excellent protection to the back four and is not a creative type who will regularly threaten at the top end of the pitch, with 0.3 key passes per game and zero goals this term.

Kamara also made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per match, winning 58% of his duels, in Ligue 1 for Marseille in the 2021/22 campaign. This duly freed up Guendouzi, who Alan Shearer once dubbed a "warrior", to excel as a box-to-box midfielder.

Last season, the former Arsenal gem averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 as he produced four goals and six assists in 38 appearances in the French top flight.

After 17 league matches in the current campaign, the 23-year-old has just one goal and three assists whilst averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.93, which suggests that Kamara's exit may have impacted his ability to get forward.

These statistics indicate that Guendouzi thrived alongside the current Villa battler and was able to showcase his ability in possession due to the security of having Kamara alongside him.

Therefore, the France international could be an excellent signing for the Villans, as he could reunite with his former team-mate and form a superb partnership in midfield in the Premier League.