Aston Villa have held "talks" with a "big character" ahead of a summer move to the club, according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.
Aston Villa transfer news
Villans supporters are still basking in the glory of their fourth-place finish in the Premier League, booking them a place in the Champions League in the process. It could give the club a fantastic opportunity to become a real force again, not least in terms of enticing brilliant players to Villa Park.
One eye-catching player who has been linked with a summer move to Villa is Conor Gallagher, who was one of the few bright sparks for Chelsea during an otherwise underwhelming 2023/24 campaign. The 24-year-old is now preparing for Euro 2024 with England, where he could even start alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield.
Gallagher isn't the only Premier League player who the Villans are believed to be looking at, however, with Fulham's Andreas Pereira also appearing to be on their list. The 28-year-old started 34 of his side's 38 league matches in 2023/24, proving to be a key figure at Craven Cottage.
A reunion with Jack Grealish has even been mooted in some quarters, with the 28-year-old struggling to impress at Manchester City of late, leading to him being left out of England's Euro 2024 squad. He was a hugely popular player at Villa Park during his first stint, and his performances earned him a £100m move to the Etihad, so his return could be met positively by the fanbase.
Aston Villa hold "talks" with "big character"
According to Galetti on X, Aston Villa have begun "talks" with Matteo Guendouzi over a move from Lazio this summer, and Unai Emery has spoken to him, he said in his story for TEAMtalk.
Guendouzi could be an excellent signing by Villa, and the fact that Emery knows him well from their Arsenal days suggests that he will already be fully aware of the quality he could add to his team.
Still only 25, the £52,000-a-week Frenchman has reportedly fallen out with Lazio manager Igor Tudor, possibly increasing the chances of him moving on this summer, while Gary Neville once heaped praise on him at Arsenal, saying:
"Since the moment he came into the team, Guendouzi, he has looked like a big character and a leader. He gets on the ball all the time, he shows great courage to play and he’s always demanding from his teammates."
Appearances
33
Starts
27
Goals
2
Assists
3
Tackles per game
1.0
Key passes per game
0.7
Clearances per game
0.7
Interceptions per game
0.6
Since those comments, Guendouzi has matured further as a footballer, and he could add both bite and technical ability to Villa's midfield, helping fill the possible void left by Douglas Luiz, should the current Villans hero move on.