The summer transfer window was a frustrating one for Aston Villa.
Despite Villa reaching the Champions League, the club pretty much instantly had to battle with Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
It rocked Aston Villa’s boat because key players had to depart and the powers that be couldn’t breathe as easily as they wanted to in an inflated transfer market.
The headline was Douglas Luiz leaving Villa for Juventus, and whilst other key players left, including Moussa Diaby joining the Saudi Pro League, there were some transfers that just couldn’t be concluded.
As fans have noticed this season – and this stems from the previous campaign – another right-back and centre-back was needed.
Whilst teenager Kosta Nedeljkovic joined last January as a right-back, he is only 18 and is still finding his way in the game.
Apart from that, the right side of the defence or the centre-back wasn’t added to, and it has proven to be costly this season.
Villa have already shipped 23 goals in the Premier League, including three at Stamford Bridge and four at Tottenham.
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They face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday night and there is a face in the opposition ranks, who could have been donning the claret and blue colours.
Aston Villa’s summer pursuit of Lutsharel Geertruida
If Villa could add a player of Ezri Konsa’s quality and versatility to their squad, then it would be brilliant, but that hasn’t been the case.
Lutsharel Geertruida was heavily linked with Villa and he was supposed to be that guy.
He was at Feyenoord – their club captain – and showcased the ability to play across the back four, just like Konsa does when he is shifting between right-back and centre-back.
Surprise, surprise, Geertruida has been doing that since moving from his boyhood club to Leipzig in the summer.
Lutsharel Geertruida of RB Leipzig in action during the DFB Cup round of 16 match between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt at Red Bull Arena on D...
Photo by Luciano Lima/Getty Images
Express & Star reporter Matt Maher reported in the summer about a possible £30 million deal for the Dutchman, but it never materialised.
Geertruida’s stats for Leipzig ahead of Aston Villa clash
As expected, Geertruida has been used in several roles by Marco Rose – ten games as a right-sided fullback, four at centre-half, including being deployed as a number six and left-sided full-back for a few matches.
Just what Villa needed, but couldn’t get, with the financial rules playing a part.
WhoScored have rated Geertruida’s performances at 6.51 in Germany’s top-tier and 6.25 in the Champions League – you don’t expect anything fancy in Europe given Leipzig’s struggles.
And now Villa fans will be hoping their struggles will continue on Tuesday night.
Tournament Apps Mins Goals Tackles Inter Clear AerialsWon AvgP Rating
Bundesliga 8(2) 747 1 1.5 0.9 2.6 0.9 49 6.51
Champions League 4(1) 350 – 0.8 1.4 0.8 0.2 30.4 6.25
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