When Aston Villa takes the field against West Ham United in their Premier League opener, they might not look quite the same as they did in the season finale.
This is because, in order to avoid facing any penalties, the club needs to sell players by June 30 in order to comply with the profit and sustainability guidelines (PSR).
Given that Douglas Luiz, Omari Kellyman, and Tim Iroegbunam are either leaving or have already left the Midlands team in recent weeks, Unai Emery is obviously making a lot of effort to prevent such penalties.
With several more in the works for the upcoming weeks, the manager will be able to close a deal for players like Ian Maatsen, who is expected to arrive from Chelsea, thanks to these sales.
Even if he has already raised some money, is Emery going to be able to profit this summer from yet another valuable asset? especially since it’s possible he’ll be paid a sum of money that would be difficult for him to refuse.
Ollie Watkins may be sold by Aston Villa this summer.
Why would Emery want to offload Villa’s top scorer from the previous campaign? A player with a ton of unfinished business who is now in England’s Euro 2024 team.
Well, there are a couple of them. First of all, the center forward seems to be receiving a lot of attention.
Chelsea was considering making a late-year move for the Englishman, but Arsenal has been expressing a lot of affection for the player in recent months as Mikel Arteta looks to expand his offensive options.
Midway through the 2024–2025 campaign, he will turn 29, suggesting that he may not improve much from where he is right now. Does Emery now have permission to sell him during this window?
Football Transfers estimates that Watkins’ market value is at €52.6 million (£44 million), and it has been progressively increasing since the beginning of the last campaign.
If Watkins continues to draw attention over the next few weeks, Emery will undoubtedly demand a bigger price—especially considering his performance from the previous campaign.
In fact, the 28-year-old scored 27 goals and provided 13 assists in the previous campaign, making him one of Villa’s biggest players as the team finished fourth in the Premier League.
In addition to his familiarity with the league, his ability to finish may be a game-changer for teams like Arsenal and Chelsea.
If Emery receives an offer, he must act quickly to seize the opportunity. especially in light of the possibility that the ideal substitute might be accessible…
The dream of Aston Villa Ollie Watkins’s substitute
Villa is one of the English teams considering a summer deal for LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David, according to i News.
As they have already been in touch with his representatives, Manchester United is presently leading the race, but may Villa’s prospects improve now that they will be playing in the Champions League?
It looks like he might be leaving the French side this summer, as he just has one year left on his present contract. Prior to the 2024–2025 season, bids of about £25 million might be sufficient to retain Lille president Olivier Letang.
Without a doubt, the Midlands team needs some more talent, and adding David to the team in the summer might greatly improve them.
The reasons why Aston Villa should consider signing Jonathan David
The Canadian is among the best center-forwards on the continent, as seen by his stats from the previous campaign.
In 47 appearances in all competitions in 2023–24, the 24-year-old not only grabbed nine assists but also scored an amazing 27 goals.
When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, David scored in the top 17% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.58) and the top 3% for pass success rate per 90 (82%). These results demonstrate that David is more than capable of connecting plays with players playing behind him, which could be helpful for Emery the following season.
The Lille striker was hailed as “one of the best strikers in the world” by Canadian journalist Tony Marinaro, who also praised David for being “absolutely insane” when it came to his scoring record. This is no small accomplishment in the modern game.
David excelled in many categories last season in the French top flight, ranking first among his teammates in terms of goals and assists (23), shots on target per game (1.4), and penalties won (two). He also ranked fourth in terms of key passes per game (0.9) and third in terms of big chances created (eight), demonstrating his versatility.
In addition to being a reliable presence in the final third for Villa the following season, David can also drop a little bit deeper to link up well with teammates and create opportunities for them going forward.
Although supporters may not be thinking about cashing in on Watkins, David can undoubtedly provide a well-rounded game.
The Canadian center striker is becoming more and more appealing to move for when you consider that he would only cost £25 million and is still young.
He is currently competing for his country in the 2024 Copa América. Canada defeated Peru 1-0 and scored the game’s winning goal to go to the quarterfinals.
If he keeps up his impressive play in the competition, Villa might have to compete with more teams than only Man United to acquire the gifted striker, since there are many other elite teams in Europe who could use a player with his caliber.
There’s little doubt that Emery would be making a major statement of purpose if he could get him into the Premier League.
Read more on;https://sportupdates.co.uk
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