Despite the transfer window not opening until 14th June, Aston Villa are working hard behind the scenes to ensure their squad is ready for next season.
With the incredible achievement of a fourth place Premier League finish last season, Aston Villa have the Champions League to look forward to.
With that comes the need to strengthen the squad, with manager Unai Emery undoubtedly wanting to make an impact in the competition.
Financial constraints as a result of both Premier League and UEFA spending rules complicate Villa’s business this summer, with one or two key players likely to have two depart to balance the books before Villa can spend.
However, latest reports from Italy suggest the Villans have already made a bid for a player Emery knows well.
Aston Villa bid for Matteo Guendouzi revealed
Douglas Luiz is one of the players expected to leave this summer, with Villa looking to capitalise on interest from the likes of Arsenal and Juventus to secure a sizeable fee for the Brazilian.
He will need replacing given his importance to the side, with Ross Barkley looking set to join from Luton Town on a cut-price deal following their relegation.
Barkley will not be enough to replace Luiz on his own, though, and Emery appears to be keen on setting up a reunion with Matteo Guendouzi; a player he handed his Premier League debut whilst Arsenal manager.
According to Italian news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Villa have ‘proposed’ a bid of around £21 million for the France international, but could now face competition from Newcastle United for his services.
Another potential spanner in the works is the fact that Lazio’s incoming manager Marco Baroni wants to make Guendouzi central to his project after he fell out of favour under former boss Igor Tudor.
Guendouzi would fill Douglas Luiz void
When Guendouzi was thrown in for his Premier League debut against Manchester City on the opening day of the 2018/19 season it was obvious he had real talent.
Despite being just 18, Emery trusted the midfielder to play against Pep Guardiola’s City and the Spaniard could use his past relationship with Guendouzi to tempt him to return to England.
Now 25, the player himself could well be keen to reunite with his former boss who he clearly still has a lot of respect for.
When Emery’s Villarreal side won the Europa League following both player and manager departing Arsenal, Guendouzi took to ‘X’ to post: ‘What a journey! This football…so smart and elegant!
You made the dream of an entire city, of a club, a team, and of all the fans come true!
You did it! You know how to win trophies! Hats off Monsieur Emery. You are so unique.’
With this in mind, Emery’s presence at Villa could be a deciding factor in Guendouzi’s future and if a deal can be done for close to the £21 million the Midlands club have proposed then it would be a no brainer.
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