Aston Villa are gearing up for one of their most important seasons in recent memory. Not only does Unai Emery have the momentum behind him after a fourth-place finish in the Premier League last term, but he is able to look forward to taking his team into the Champions League next season.
This wonderful campaign has allowed the Spaniard to strengthen his squad with some excellent signings. The likes of Ian Maatsen, Jadon Philogene and Amadou Onana could all take the club to the next level.
Could it be a sign of things to come? As it appears this could be the beginning of what might turn out to be one of the finest eras in the club’s recent history.
Such is their current stature, the Midlands outfit are now looking at signing a midfielder who was most recently playing for Barcelona…
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Aston Villa's search for a midfielder
According to Catalunya Radio, reporting via ‘Tot Costa’ X account, Villa are reportedly one of the clubs that are best positioned to make a move for midfielder Sergi Roberto.
West Ham United and Ajax are the other two frontrunners mentioned in the pursuit of the 32-year-old gem, yet Villa are the only club to be able to offer Champions League football next season.
His contract expired at the end of last season and while Deco wishes for him to stay with Barcelona, it looks like he is ready to try a new challenge.
Might the Premier League await in the coming days? Especially considering that he could be an ideal replacement for Douglas Luiz.
How Sergi Roberto compares to Douglas Luiz
The Brazilian midfielder departed Villa for Juventus a few weeks ago as Emery needed to sell players in order to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations.
Luiz made a total of 53 appearances last term, registering 20 goal contributions – ten goals and ten assists – in all competitions, becoming a key player for the club.
As such, this level of performance led to plenty of interest in the former Manchester City starlet, and it was clear he was going to be on the move this summer.
Roberto is the first-most comparable player to Luiz, according to FBref, which suggests that he could be an ideal replacement for the Brazilian next season.
Player
Club signed from
Appearances
Pau Torres
Villarreal
39
Alex Moreno
Real Betis
48
Jota Peleteiro
Birmingham City
16
Pepe Reina
AC Milan
12
Borja Baston
Swansea City
2
Adama Traore
Barcelona
12
Jose Crespo
Córdoba
2
Carlos Gil
Valencia
34
Antonio Luna
Sevilla
18
Carlos Cuellar
Rangers
121
Via Transfermarkt
Indeed, the pair registered similar statistics with regard to shots per 90 (1.05 vs 1.32), pass success rate (89% vs 85.7%), goal-creations per 90 (0.31 vs 0.30) and successful take-on percentage (50% vs 51.1%).
These figures clearly show just how alike they are statistically, indicating that signing the Spaniard could be a logical transfer this summer in order to fill the void left by Luiz.
He may be nearing the end of his career, but the 32-year-old could add some vital experience to the Villa starting XI in the Champions League next season.
Sergi Roberto’s season in numbers
Roberto played just 14 times in La Liga during the 2023/24 campaign, with only ten starts, yet he still managed to showcase his abilities during his time on the pitch, hailed as "extraordinary" by then-boss, Xavi Hernandez.
Not only did the midfielder score three goals and grab two assists, but he also finished the season with a 90% pass success rate, averaged 0.6 key passes per game and completed 75% of his dribble attempts.
Defensively, Roberto won over 50% of his total duels, recovered 3.1 balls per game and was dribbled past on just 0.6 occasions per match.
Capable of contributing both going forward and defensively, his presence at the heart of the Villa midfield would give Emery another option to call upon, thus improving his squad depth.
Could he even form a partnership with Onana in the Villa midfield?
Amadou Onana and Sergi Roberto could shine together
Onana arrived at Villa Park in a deal worth around £50m, a significant outlay for the club, but one that Emery will hope can take his side to the next level in Europe.
The Belgian machine showed exactly why Emery splashed the cash on him during Euro 2024, starring as one of Belgium’s better performers.
Indeed, he won a staggering 78% of his total duels – 5.3 per game – while also losing possession just 6.3 times per game, making two tackles and recovering 2.8 balls per game as the nation went out at the last 16 stage.
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Onana ranks in the top 8% for tackles (3.06) and the top 6% for aerials won (2.24) per 90 over the previous 365 days. These defensive statistics clearly show what the 22-year-old could offer Villa next season.
Adding in a player like Roberto, who possesses a wealth of experience for one of the biggest clubs in the world, could be a solid piece of transfer business.
There is no doubt he brings a winning mentality to the Premier League, having won seven La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns, making a total of 307 appearances in total across both competitions.
Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique praised Roberto previously, dubbing him “marvellous” and his attacking qualities could see him shine alongside Onana as Luiz 2.0 in essence.
Indeed, compared to his positional peers, Roberto ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals (0.25), top 5% for assists (0.25) and 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.22) per 90 across Europe’s top five leagues.
Considering how often he played domestically last term, these statistics are certainly impressive. Emery would surely utilise him more than what Xavi did last term, meaning he could improve on these numbers during the 2024/25 campaign.
While he may demand a high wage, signing Roberto on a free transfer would add some steel to the heart of the midfield, especially since Luiz has departed for Turin.
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