Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, as Unai Emery continues to chase his long-term target.
The Spaniard, along with Monchi, has earned praise already this summer for his movements in the transfer window, capturing Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby.
Adding star-studded names has significantly bolstered the Villans’ outlook ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2023/24 campaign, with more signings expected to be made.
What is the market value of Giovani Lo Celso?
Links between Lo Celso and Villa span back to October following Emery’s appointment, when Football Insider named the Spurs midfielder as a potential target for the Spaniard.
Rumours have re-emerged regarding Villa’s chase for the 27-year-old, with reports from Spain claiming that the Midlands side are ‘very interested’ in the talent.
Valued at €18.1m (£15.6m) by FootballTransfers, Monchi could snatch a bargain in a move for the Argentine, who cost Spurs around £42m in total following an initial £15m loan fee before signing permanently in 2020.
How good is Giovani Lo Celso?
Although life in the Premier League hasn’t gone as anticipated for the 27-year-old star so far, Villa could hand the midfielder a second lease on life and a chance at redemption following his struggle at Spurs.
Despite venturing on loan to Villarreal, Lo Celso managed to show glimpses of his talent in north London, seeing him hailed as “technically gifted” by former teammate Harry Winks.
Across 84 appearances for Tottenham, the Rosario-born gem only managed to score eight times and register six assists playing in central midfield, as he struggled to adapt to the method of play at the club.
There’s far more to the midfielder’s talents than his presence in the final third, making him a potentially positive capture for Villa, considering Emery’s free-flowing style of play in the middle of the park, and the quality of those already in the squad.
The signing of Tielemans could be an exciting prospect for the Villans should Lo Celso follow suit and arrive in the Midlands, with the club potentially obtaining two players expertly progressive in nature.
As per FBref, the Villa target averaged a monstrous 7.75 progressive passes per 90 over the past year, ranking him in the top 10% of midfielders in this area in Europe's top five leagues.
Like the Argentine, Tielemans showed a high rate of progressive passes with an average of 6.95 per 90 in the Premier League last term for Leicester City, making the pair a positive outlet to have in midfield to dictate the state of play ahead of them.
Averaging an impressive 2.48 key passes per 90 in La Liga last season, the 27-year-old could be a strong addition to take a more advanced central role alongside the Belgian, arming Emery with added creativity for the benefit of those around him.
Having once been hailed as a “phenomenon” by former Anderlecht star Par Zetterberg, Tielemans is a firm presence to have in the middle of the park and could be the perfect figure to partner Lo Celso with the two possessing an innate eye for a pass.
The Spaniard has wanted the £100k-per-week Spurs outsider for a while, and could finally land his expertise this summer in a move that could further Villa’s claim to progression alongside other summer captures.
