Aston Villa Join The Race For This Spanish Midfield Prospect: What Should Emery Do? | OneFootball

In one of his recent posts on X, Italian journalist Daniele Longo has shared an update on Valencia star Javi Guerra. AC Milan have been tracking him for a while, but the Serie A giants must compete with Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid to secure his services in the summer window.

The 22-year-old Spain U21 international progressed through the academy ranks of Villarreal and Valencia before breaking into the latter’s reserves in the lower leagues of the Spanish football pyramid. He was sporadically involved in first-team action, and his presence in the middle of the park earned him a regular status over the past two seasons.

Although he penned a contract with the Che until the summer of 2027, an offer of around  €25m is expected to be entertained. Milan have reportedly opened talks to snap him up from Mestalla, and Aston Villa, therefore, must step up their interest if they are keen to have him in their ranks next season.

Despite missing out on Champions League football following a controversial final gameweek defeat against Manchester United, Villa have been a resurgent Premier League force under Unai Emery. Not only did the club tie down several high-profile names in the recent past, but they also promoted some top-notch talents from their youth setup.

VALENCIA, SPAIN – MARCH 30: Javi Guerra of Valencia CF shoots and misses during the LaLiga match between Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca at Estadio Mestalla on March 30, 2025, in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

However, Villans are under scrutiny for breaching the Premier League’s PSR, and they must act carefully this window to avoid heavy fines or even a points deduction. A few high-profile exits could work in their favour, and so is the offloading of fringe loaned-out stars, to free up some funds for summer reinforcements.

Why Aston Villa Must Not Give Up On The Youngster

Villa are well equipped in midfield with John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley challenging each other in the centre of the pitch. Emery has tried various ‘double pivots’ in his 4-2-3-1 setup. Also, the return of Enzo Barrenechea from a successful season-long loan with Valencia has further bolstered them deep down the midfield.

Guerra, who partnered with Barrenechea all season, could still be a smart coup for various reasons. Tielemans and Kamara are drawing interest from Saudi Arabia, and the English side could reluctantly sell them to fall in line with the PSR guidelines. Barrenechea has plenty of suitors in Spain, even though Monchi played it coy while discussing the Argentine’s future at Villa Park.

The young Spaniard has a very high ceiling, as his maturity and composure allow him to slot in either as a deep-lying or a more advanced playmaker. His passing range, vision, concentration, as well as work rate should see him flourish in the Premier League under Emery’s guidance.