Aston Villa Are Close To Recruiting This Atletico Madrid Ace: Should Emery Snap Him Up? | OneFootball

In a recent report, AS stated that Aston Villa are close to recruiting Atletico Madrid ace Mario Hermoso this summer. It has been claimed that the Villans are eyeing a move to land the Spanish defender later this year.

The 28-year-old has been a rock at the back for Diego Simeone’s team as he has put in a run of dominant displays for them during this La Liga campaign. Hermoso has taken part in 41 matches for Atletico Madrid this season, scoring two goals and picking two assists in multiple competitions.

The Spanish talent has caught the eye when defending inside his half and deserves credit for averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has also been careful with his ball distribution based on his pass completion rate of 87.3% in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).

Hermoso is under contract at the Madrid club until the end of this campaign which could open the door for the Villans to sign on a free transfer later this summer.

Atletico Madrid’s Spanish defender #22 Mario Hermoso celebrates the 1-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid in Dortmund, western Germany on April 16, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Should Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery Snap Hermoso Up This Summer?

Hermoso loves a tackle and usually works hard to clear the danger when the opposition are on the offensive. He can read the danger well and is a good interceptor of the ball when he is playing well on the pitch.

Standing at 1.84m, the Spaniard can be a strong presence in the air as well. He can even play his way out from the back. Hermoso mainly functions as a centre-half but can also play as a left-back if told to do so.

We can expect him to inject more quality and depth into Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery’s defence. He might even help the Villans challenge across all fronts over the next few years. At 28, Hermoso is playing in his prime and could play an important role in Emery’s squad next season.

Thus, the West Midlands outfit would be wise to try and snap the Atletico Madrid defender up when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. However, it remains to be seen whether he can make a smooth transition to life in England.