Aston Villa: £44m star now 'would be keen' to make move to Villa Park | OneFootball

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GiveMeSport

·28 January 2023

Aston Villa: £44m star now 'would be keen' to make move to Villa Park

Article image:Aston Villa: £44m star now 'would be keen' to make move to Villa Park

Aston Villa have been boosted in their pursuit of Matteo Guendouzi as the Marseille star ‘would be keen’ to complete a move to Villa Park, talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has told GiveMeSport.

Having already added Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran to his squad during the January transfer window, Villans head coach Unai Emery could still welcome further fresh faces to the Midlands ahead of the fast-approaching deadline.


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Article image:Aston Villa: £44m star now 'would be keen' to make move to Villa Park

Aston Villa transfer news – Matteo Guendouzi

According to Football Insider, Villa have set their sights on sealing a deal which would see Guendouzi head back to the Premier League during the final days of the transfer window.

The report suggests the central midfielder has been identified as a top target by Emery and talks have been held with Marseille.

It is understood that the Ligue 1 giants have slapped a £44million valuation on Guendouzi, but Villa are expected to offer less than that figure when they open the bidding.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently told GiveMeSport that Emery is a ‘big fan’ of the France international, but Marseille’s resolve has not been tested yet.

A number of Premier League clubs have enquired over Guendouzi’s availability during the January transfer window, meaning Villa are not his only admirers.

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Article image:Aston Villa: £44m star now 'would be keen' to make move to Villa Park

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What has Alex Crook said about Guendouzi?

Crook believes Guendouzi would be open to completing a move to Villa if the Midlands outfit are successful in negotiations.

The talkSPORT reporter feels Emery is in the market for a new central midfielder after Morgan Sanson has joined French outfit Strasbourg on loan for the remainder of the season.

When asked about Villa’s interest in Guendouzi, Crook told GiveMeSport: “If they can agree a fee, I think he would be keen.

“Morgan Sanson has left, which was a move that didn’t work out for anybody, so they’re a bit light in that area as well.”

Would Guendouzi be a good signing for Villa?

According to FBref, Guendouzi boasts a better pass completion ratio than Villa midfielders Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz, while he has also averaged more shots per 90 minutes this season.

That emphasises the 23-year-old is comfortable in possession and could make Emery’s side more threatening in the final third of the pitch, while the fact he enjoyed 57 Premier League outings during his time with Arsenal will be an additional attraction.

Guendouzi worked with the current Villa chief at the Emirates Stadium and was handed 66 appearances in the process, so a reunion may pay off.

Sofascore statistics show the Frenchman has been averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 0.5 clearances per Ligue 1 outing this term, which emphasises that he would give the Midlands side’s backline added protection.

Jonathan Clauss is the only Marseille teammate to have racked up more assists than Guendouzi this season and Villa should pounce if a deal is possible.

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