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Per a report from French outlet Le Quotidien Du Foot, Aston Villa are one of the teams interested in Nantes midfielder Valentin Rongier.

What's the word?

After achieving promotion to the Premier League the Villans aren't hanging around in an attempt to bolster their squad ahead of the new campaign.

In midfield, Harry Arter has already been the subject of interest from Dean Smith's men but now they're also eyeing up a move for a similar player from overseas.

Le Quotidien Du Foot report that they're showing an interest in Rongier, who was a consistent figure in Ligue 1 during 2018/19.

A number of clubs are interested in his services, however, so it might not be easy to obtain his signature.

Southampton are sniffing around the player whilst Lyon and Saint Etienne are also in the mix according to the publication.

Villa not learning from past mistakes

On paper the addition of Rongier looks as though it would be a solid acquisition. In the league last season the 5 ft 8 midfielder scored four goals whilst also laying on five assists for his teammates.

The Frenchman is a well rounded player but if Villa did move for him, it would be a sign of how the club haven't learnt from their previous mistakes.

When they were last in the Premier League, they completed a similar move for Jordan Veretout.

He also made the switch to England from Nantes but was nothing short of a flop, failing to find the back of the net as they were relegated. The 26-year-old is now highly rated but his time in the Midlands was somewhat of a disaster.

Villa have links in France with Olivier Monterubbio who is now a scout for the club, but they need to be careful when buying from Ligue 1.

Their previous acquisitions from France have been incredibly hit and miss.

Jordan Amavi and Idrissa Gueye were both brilliant captures but Yacouba Sylla and Jordan Ayew didn't have the same success. The latter rarely convinced, scoring just seven goals as Villa were relegated.

Veretout's signing didn't go well either and it remains to be seen how Frederic Guilbert adapts. After achieving promotion, Villa need to be far more considerate in their approach and ideally target players with Premier League experience.

Rongier feels like a risk at the moment and should he arrive, it could upset the settled midfield Smith already has.

That being said, it would add depth ahead of what will be a massive season for Villa.