Aston Villa enquire about signing 21-year-old Barcelona flop | OneFootball

Aston Villa continues to express interest in securing the services of former Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli, according to football transfers.

Head coach Unai Emery is reportedly keen on acquiring the Moroccan international from Real Betis during the January transfer window. The top priority at Villa Park is to strengthen the squad with a left-sided forward.

The former La Masia wonderkid is recognised as the primary target for the left-sided forward role at Aston Villa, per football transfers.

During the previous transfer window, Aston Villa had verbally agreed on personal terms with the 21-year-old Abde, but a disagreement in valuation with Barcelona resulted in his transfer to Betis.

Aston Villa considers Abde one of their main targets for the upcoming transfer window as they aim to capitalise on their superb start to the season, currently occupying fourth spot.

However, potential obstacles may arise due to opposition from Real Betis owners, stemming from a rift with sporting director Monchi during his previous role in Seville.

Monchi faced backlash in 2022 for celebrating on the pitch after a derby match, leading to strained relations with Los Verdiblancos.

Even though Barcelona considered him ‘raw’ during his time at the Nou Camp, the recruitment team at Villa believes that securing Ezzalzouli could potentially bring in a future star.