Unai Emery could reunite with a former player he managed at Arsenal.placeholder image
Unai Emery could reunite with a former player he managed at Arsenal. | Getty Images
Aston Villa have been linked with a Serie A star who was once managed by Unai Emery at Arsenal
Aston Villa have European ambitions once again this season and have made a solid start to the campaign on multiple fronts, with their current prospects looking significantly better than they did last time we reached the international break.
The Villans regained what they will feel is a deserved place in the top six with a 4-0 victory over Bournemouth last time out, rising above the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United on goal difference after the often-outstanding Cherries were put to the sword in some style.
Unai Emery’s side have been especially strong in defence throughout the campaign so far, but saw arguably their best attacking display of the season so far in the victory. In addition, the Birmingham outfit kept their third clean sheet in four matches following clean-sheet victories over Manchester City and Maccabi Tel Aviv, with defeat at Anfield a rare blot in between.
The January transfer window is fast approaching for the Villans to add some extra quality to Emery’s squad, with one intriguing transfer possibility resurfacing in recent days.
Aston Villa linked with Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi
Lazio would consider selling the 26-year-old for an offer in the range of €25m - €30m (£22m - £26.5m), after interest from both Aston Villa and Sunderland ‘resurfaced recently’.
The report adds that France international Guendouzi’s performances have dipped in recent weeks, meaning that the midfielder is no longer viewed as ‘untouchable’ by boss Maurizio Sarri. A possible return to England has been touted.
Emery praised Guendouzi during his time at Arsenal
Guendouzi signed for Arsenal under Emery as a 19-year-old in 2018, and was a prominent figure under the Spaniard as he made 48 appearances in his first season at the Emirates. He would ultimately fall out of favour after issues under Mikel Arteta and left the club for Marseille and then Lazio.
"The first impression of him is very good," Emery said in 2019. "Since the first weeks in pre-season when he arrived here and started to train.
"For example, he made a very big decision because in the pre-season he decided that he did not play with his national team in the summer because he wanted to stay and work with us. He wanted to show his capacity in the pre-season - very important - and in pre-season he earned the possibility to take a lot of minutes in the first XI because he played very well and his adaptation was very quick. And now, his progress is very good.
"He needs to work every day with ambition like he is doing now. Every training, every match, he shows us his ambition and his motivation to be an important player. But it's the same spirit for all players. Their career is a very short career and they need to use all the motivation and all the ambition to have the best career, to take titles and to earn money for his family and for his future. I think Matteo is showing us that."
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