Unai EmeryUnai Emery
Unai Emery | AFP via Getty Images
Aston Villa have the chance to bring in some new faces this summer
Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football in the last campaign. Unai Emery’s side were beaten away at Manchester United on the final day of the season. The Midlands outfit weren’t able to achieve their target in the end and were left disappointed.
They have the chance to bring in some new signings this summer. They also have the opportunity to let some players head out the exit door. That would help free up space and funds to pave the way for reinforcements to arrive.
Aston Villa given boost in Jaka Bijol pursuit
Agent Claudio Pasqualin has opened the door for Udinese defender Jaka Bijol to move to the Premier League in this window. The centre-back has been linked with a potential £21million switch to Aston Villa over the next couple of months. Rivals Nottingham Forest have also been credited with an interest.
In this latest update, Pasqualin has said, as per a report by Messaggero Veneto: “It’s true that Lucca has the characteristics that (Antonio) Conte likes, but you can’t have everything in life. We’ll see. Solet has made a great impression and would also be good at Inter and Juventus, but in general there’s more money in the Premier League, so the target market for the two defenders doesn’t surprise me.”
When asked whether £21m will be enough to land his services, he said: “I would definitely say yes, especially for Lucca, who can access a higher level in Serie A, and Solet, while for Bijol I have a few more reservations because the Slovenian has taken a few too many breaks.”
Would Jaka Bijol suit Aston Villa?
Aston Villa could see Bijol as someone to boost their defensive department. If they signed him, he would provide more competition and depth at the back. Emery could do with adding some more bodies to his squad to ensure it can deal with the large workload of fixtures.
The Slovenia international, who has 61 caps to his name, has been on the books at Udinese since 2022. He is a key player for the Serie A outfit and has become one of their most valuable assets. However, they could face a real battle to keep hold of him in the near future amid attention from elsewhere.
Bijol made his name at CSKA Moscow from 2018 to 2022 and broke into their first-team as a youngster. He became a hit in Russia and was also loaned out to Hannover in Germany to boost his development. His current team then came calling and he hasn’t looked back since.
Aston Villa need to ensure that they get their recruitment right as they look to reach the Champions League again. They are an attractive proposition for players and play some impressive football under the guidance of Emery. He has done an eye-catching job since he was picked as their head coach back in 2022 and he has significantly boosted his reputation in England again after his tough stint at Arsenal in the past.
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