Aston Villa: Clement Lenglet has surely forced Unai Emery into an exit U-turn as transfer update emerges at Villa Park.
According to a recent transfer update, Clement Lenglet may have salvaged his career at Aston Villa this month and forced Unai Emery to make a U-turn on his departure.
On Saturday, January 20, the Italian news site Calciomercato stated on its website that Lenglet, a Frenchman who wishes to leave the team, has contacted AC Milan over a possible January signing.
There have reportedly been talks about a possible transfer, but there are still two major obstacles standing in the way of the Italian powerhouses signing the Villa center-back.
Lenglet’s high wages are believed to be an issue for Milan and Unai Emery is also keen to keep the 28-year-old at Villa Park for the remainder of the season and these two “knots” make a deal very difficult to complete.
Due to his lack of Premier League involvement during the initial portion of his loan stay in England, it appeared nearly certain a few months ago that Lenglet would leave the club at the start of the January transfer window.
In lieu of Tyrone Mings, Emery’s go-to center-back duo of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa established themselves, and the Frenchman was reduced to a bit part role in the UEFA Conference League.
As per SofaScore, Lenglet has started all five of their European games so far this season, recording 92.8 touches per game, completing 95 per cent of his passes, recording 0.4 key passes from centre-back, averaging 1.2 tackles per game, 5.4 balls recovered, completing 100 per cent of his dribbles and 64 per cent of his total duels.
In terms of what he offers Emery in terms of ball progression and retention from deep, the Frenchman has proven effective in that regard.
Lenglet is tied for second in the Europa Conference League this season for successful take-on percentage, sixth in progressive carry distance, and ninth in touches among all players.
He is in the 99th percentile for pass completion percentage per 90, 90th percentile for progressive passes, 92nd for progressive carries, and 93rd percentile for successful take-ons among positional peers in the top five leagues in Europe.
Emery felt the Frenchman was a fantastic addition because of his amazing skills on the ball, and he has proven it. However, Lenglet will undoubtedly feel that there haven’t been enough opportunities for him to do so on a regular basis.
But more than a month has passed, and Lenglet—a Barcelona loanee—has impressed and is already starting ahead of the returning Pau Torres in Emery’s lineup. Things have definitely improved for the Frenchman.
In a wild environment on Merseyside, he played a major role in a much-needed assist during the 0-0 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on January 14. That was undoubtedly his most remarkable performance.
Lenglet took to those intimidating surroundings like a duck to water, winning 100 per cent of his ground duels, 100 per cent of his aerial duels, completed 100 per cent of his dribbles and 84 per cent of his passes in a dominant display.
Emery and Villa will need strength in depth going forward, especially with European games still to come in the second half of the season. Lenglet’s injury would be devastating at this point in the season, especially with Mings down.
Lenglet, who appeared to be out of it a few weeks ago, has under Emery entirely turned around his Villa Park career in a matter of games, and it should undoubtedly compel the Spaniard to make a January exit U-turn.
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