Unai Emery will look to bolster the defence at Aston Villa this summer, with one potential target now named.
For everything that Aston Villa have celebrated over the 2023/24 campaign, Unai Emery’s defence has been an area for concern.
The Villans secured Champions League qualification with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League despite leaking goals towards the end of the season.
Villa conceded 61 goals in the Premier League, more than relegation-threatened Everton and far more than the other sides that made up the top four.
This summer, Emery and Monchi will surely consider their options in defence to improve the unit as a whole, with one target said to be a player the Midlands club could eye.
Aston Villa could sign Gent defender Archie Brown this summer
Villa have been named as one of the clubs interested in Gent left-back Archie Brown, who is rumoured to sport a price tag of around £15m, according to the Guardian.
The 22-year-old, who is a product of Derby County’s academy, made the move from Derby to Switzerland in 2021 to join Lausanne-Sport before being snatched up by Belgian side Gent last summer.
Other Premier League clubs are said to admire the defender, putting pressure on Villa to act fast if they are to acquire the Birmingham-born talent, with Champions League football being a major advantage for Emery’s side.
Not only could Brown offer depth at left-back, the Belgian Pro League ace could provide the manager with an upgrade on his current options.
Archie Brown would be the perfect upgrade to Lucas Digne
With PSR something Villa must consider when heading into the 2024/25 season, the club will be eager to cut down their wage bill where possible, with Lucas Digne being one of Villa’s highest-earners.
The Frenchman, who looked destined to leave Villa Park last summer, picks up a hefty £120k-a-week in wages and could be a player whose future is questioned in the transfer window.
While Digne had a solid season under Emery, bringing in a talent as fresh as Brown could see the former Everton ace usurped at left-back, with the former Derby starlet possessing a more rounded approach to play on the flank.
Described as a ‘complete’ player by Gent’s head of scouting Samuel Cardenas, the 22-year-old could provide the Spaniard with an outlet who is capable of defending and driving forward, a tactic that works for so many in the Premier League nowadays.
As seen in the table above, Brown offers a far more progressive edge to his game than Digne without jeopardising his role as a defender, something that could attract Emery.
For less than £20m, Monchi and Emery could welcome a searing-hot talent to Villa Park, and one who is attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, telling of his calibre.
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