Aston Villa have been linked to a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his high-achieving squad this summer.
The Spaniard has transformed Villa since his arrival, directing the club to European football which has raised the stakes going into the transfer period with a host of top talent linked.
It has been reported that the 51-year-old will be handed a £150m kitty this summer, however, the latest talent reported to be wanted at Villa Park won’t dent the budget.
What’s the latest on Youri Tielemans to Aston Villa?
As reported by The Athletic this week, Villa have ‘joined the race’ to sign Leicester City star Youri Tielemans, who will become a free agent this summer.
Valued by CIES Football Observatory at €40m (£34m), the Spaniard could get an absolute steal in obtaining the midfielder with no fee.
What could Youri Tielemans bring to Aston Villa?
Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former Anderlecht player Par Zetterberg, Tielemans has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening midfielders.
Such claims are supported by his 42 goal contributions in his four-and-a-half-year stay in the top division, ending with Leicester City in relegation to the Championship after an abysmal season for the Foxes.
Despite Leicester’s failures, the Belgian managed five goal contributions and could be a huge asset to Emery’s plans to take Villa to new heights.
One player that may benefit from the introduction of the 26-year-old is Jacob Ramsey, who could be provided with a new outlet from central midfield in an accomplished ball player.
When playing at Anderlecht, Tielemans was deployed in an identical formation to how Emery plays, starring in the centre of a midfield trio behind the striker.
Ramsey has shone in the Spaniard’s free-flowing system, scoring six goals and registering seven assists this campaign from the right wing – as per Sofascore.
For Ramsey, the £120k-per-week Tielemans could be the perfect instalment to the squad, highlighted through his advanced number of progressive passes he averages per 90, with 6.95 in comparison to Emiliano Buendia’s 5.15 per 90, showing he could be a better outlet for the winger.
The 22-year-old enjoys to run onto passes, as signified by his rate of progressive passes received, averaging 4.06 per 90 via FBref.
That certainly makes the potential arrival of the creative midfielder an exciting one.
Villa’s main supply of creativity in midfield is Buendia, who could be significantly upgraded by Tielemans this summer, who is accustomed to feeding wide players in the Premier League, as highlighted through his partnership with Harvey Barnes.
The duo contributed heavily to Leicester’s season, being the club’s standout performances alongside James Maddison this campaign.
Only time will tell if the deal can come to life this summer, however, there is little to wonder about the influence the Belgian could have on the squad.
