As Aston Villa look ahead to next season, with or without Champions League football, they’ve already turned their attention towards potential incomings, which could hand Unai Emery an upgrade on Nicolo Zaniolo.
Aston Villa transfer news
Currently on loan from Galatasaray, it’s uncertain whether Aston Villa will make Zaniolo’s deal a permanent one come the end of the current campaign. The midfielder has struggled to break into Emery’s first 11, starting just seven times in the Premier League all season and now looks likely to end his time at Villa Park with a whimper.
The attacking midfielder’s recent goal against West Ham showed the player that Villa could have got, but after a mix of injuries and poor form, things just haven’t worked out in the Midlands for Zaniolo.
That begs the question of what next for Aston Villa, however, who must find a replacement this summer. Whilst they do have Emiliano Buendia returning, it will be some ask to throw the Argentine into the deep end fresh from such a long-term injury, which would see them turn to the transfer market instead.
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According to Dean Jones of GiveMeSport, Aston Villa have sent scouts to watch Lewis Ferguson ahead of a potential move. Bologna’s attacking midfielder has enjoyed an excellent season in Serie A, where he has more than played his part in a Thiago Motta side on course to qualify for the Champions League in similar fashion to Aston Villa.
What’s more, the Scot’s decision about his next move reportedly depends on the future of Motta. If the Bologna manager left this summer amid links with Juventus, then Ferguson could follow suit with Villa, Newcastle United, Fulham, Brentford and Everton all supposedly interested in making a move.
“Incredible” Ferguson is better than Zaniolo
As Villa look to find a player for the job they believed Zaniolo would do, Ferguson should be the man they turn to. The 24-year-old is more than ready for the Premier League after helping to take Bologna into Serie A’s top four, bettering the numbers of Zaniolo at Villa along the way.
23/24 League Stats (via FBref) | Lewis Ferguson | Nicolo Zaniolo |
|---|---|---|
Goals | 6 | 2 |
Assists | 3 | 0 |
Key Passes | 30 | 8 |
Progressive Passes P90 | 4.67 | 3.33 |
It’s no surprise, then, that Ferguson has earned such high praise in Italy, including from Rome-based journalist Alasdair Mackenzie, who told the Scottish Football Podcast via BBC Sport: “When you look at the league stats, he’s got the second highest average distance covered.
“Even if you look at a team sheet and he’s down as a number 10, he’s not really sitting as a number 10 throughout a game, he’s covering every area of the pitch. He’s really been the all-around package because he’s been scoring goals, he’s been creating goals, he’s been working in both phases, defensively and in attack.
“He’s been incredible really, considering this is only his second season playing in an entirely new league, and in a quite a sophisticated style of football under Motta. It’s been an incredibly successful move for him.”
