Aston Villa are slowly shaping into a fluid outfit of head coach Unai Emery's crafting, and could further bolster the squad with the signing of Matteo Guendouzi before the culmination of the January transfer window...
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Having tied up deals for left-back Alex Moreno and young forward Jhon Duran already this winter, Emery is now looking to inject a vigorous boost into the centre of the park, and Olympique Marseille maestro Matteo Guendouzi has indeed been distinguished.
An earlier report from 90min stated that the French ace has been of firm interest to Emery as he looks to reunite with a star he previously had under his wing at Arsenal, with the outlet continuing to state that his outfit value him at €50m (£44m), which could prove to be a stumbling block at the season's midpoint.
Recently speaking to the GIVEMESPORT, prominent transfer insider Fabrizio Romano recently sparked further fire onto the rumours by confirming that the Midlands outfit are indeed awaiting an opportunity to pounce on the former Premier League gem.
Romano said: “For Guendouzi, Marseille are still waiting for Aston Villa to make an official proposal to them, but they are pursuing the player.”
Emery's new warrior
Guendouzi made 82 appearances for Arsenal when he last played in the Premier League - 66 of them under Emery - but failed to stake his claim for a regular starting berth in the Gunners' outfit, taking a series of loan moves before departing for Marseille on a permanent transfer in 2022 for £9m.
Since then, the seven-cap France international has cemented his position as a regular presence in his outfit's system, blending robust physicality with passing prowess to earn the attention of the likes of Aston Villa, whose hierarchy view him as the ideal fit to orchestrate the play from the centre.
As per Sofascore, the 23-year-old "warrior" - as he was once lauded by Robert Pires - recorded an average rating of 7.00 in Ligue 1 last term, boasting a solid rating of 6.93 this time out.
And this season, his 88% passing accuracy and 0.8 key passes per match highlight his creative flair and assurance in recycling possession, with the 1.2 tackles per match vital in snuffing out danger before it seeps into the defensive third.
Villa's technical director will be pushing with all of his might to secure Guendouzi, who is swiftly asserting his authority on the major stage, and with the player ranking among the top 15% of positional peers across Europe's big five leagues for rate of assists and the top 11% for progressive passes, the impact he would have on the collective offensive efforts is a clear illustration of the talent that he would instil.
Guendouzi is the fiery presence that every midfield needs, and should the Villans prove to be successful in a bid for his signature, that aura would only flicker into a roaring furnace, providing Emery with that unflinching, inflexible 'warrior' that can spearhead the charge to the dream of silverware and European endeavours once again.