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Unai Emery | AFP via Getty Images
Unai Emery has the chance to bolster his Aston Villa ranks in the January transfer window this winter
Aston Villa will get the opportunity to freshen up their ranks this winter ahead of the second half of the Premier League season. The Midlands outfit delved into the market this past summer to bring in the likes of Evann Guessand, Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho, among others, to bolster their ranks. They also cut ties with players such as Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey and Alex Moreno to free up space and funds.
Unai Emery’s side are having to juggle their league duties with Europa League football in this campaign. They beat Manchester City 1-0 last time out at Villa Park. Right-back Matty Cash scored their winner against Pep Guardiola’s men to secure an impressive three points.
Aston Villa should eye Wilson Isidor alternative
AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun is someone who has played in England before and has now gone abroad and boosted his development. At the age of 24, he still has potential and will get better over the next few years. Therefore, he is worth monitoring ahead of a potential future swoop.
The USA international, who has 21 caps to his name, will be eager to catch the eye at the World Cup next year. He joined his current club back in 2023 and has since caught the eye in Ligue 1. The New York-born man has scored 14 goals in 57 games so far and is a useful option for Sébastien Pocognoli to have available.
Balogun found the net on 22 occasions in 39 outings on loan at Stade de Reims before his switch to the south of France. He is under contract at Monaco until June 2028 meaning they are under no pressure to sell him anytime soon and can wait for the right offer to come in for his services before they consider letting him go. Aston Villa would need to fork out a fee if they were to land him.
Why Folarin Balogun would suit Aston Villa?
He started his career at Arsenal and rose up through their academy ranks. The attacker was a regular for the Gunners at various different youth levels before going on to play 10 first-team games during his time at the Emirates Stadium, scoring twice. He was also loaned out by the London giants to Middlesbrough and Stade de Reims to get some experience.
Balogun would be a shrewd alternative option for Aston Villa if they can’t get Isidor. He is quick, likes to get in behind and has proved at Monaco that he can score goals when confident. The fact he has played in England before means that he wouldn’t take too long to settle in either and would be relatively familiar with his surroundings.
Speaking last year, former OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who now plays for West Ham, said: “He is a pain to play against. He was very sought after in the summer, maybe he needs time to adapt. Once he has adapted and when his time comes, he’ll do great things."
Aston Villa will be in good spirits ahead of this weekend after beating City. They face a tricky away trip to Anfield to play Liverpool. Their upcoming opponents have seen their form slump over recent times.
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