- According to reports, Aston Villa are competing Barcelona for the signing of a La Liga midfielder whose contract is coming to an end
Unai Emery already has a solid midfield option in the form of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey, Leander Dendoncker, and Boubacar Kamara. On the other hand, Ramsey has hardly played in a classic central midfield role recently, since Emery prefers to use his excellent attacking abilities by playing him further up the pitch as a winger.
Despite the fact that McGinn and Luiz were instrumental in Villa qualifying for next season’s Europa Conference League during the previous season, Emery believes he needs one new player at the position. This is to ensure Villa have the midfield depth to compete in Europe and to attack the top six next season.
The Villa manager would prefer to bring in a midfielder with lots of big-game experience. Dani Parejo of Villarreal comes into play here.
According to recent reports from Spain, Emery has instructed Villa to try to sign Parejo this summer. They’ve known each other since Emery was in charge of Villarreal.
Emery also likes the fact that Parejo has previously played in both the Champions League and the Europa League, as well as four caps for Spain.
Sport Witness has received an update on the situation from Spanish source El Periodico Mediterraneo. Parejo’s contract with Villarreal expires in June 2024, and the Spanish club is said to have offered him a new three-year contract. Due to his extensive experience and the way he commands games from midfield, club executives regard him as a “fundamental player.”
However, Villarreal are in danger of losing the 34-year-old. This is because Villa and Barcelona have both expressed interest in him.
Aston Villa must compete with Barcelona to recruit a player.
Emery is aiming to exploit his Villarreal ties to help his team win the race for Parejo. Villa are also in a far better financial position than Barcelona, so they should be able to make a higher offer to Villarreal for the star.
However, due to Barcelona’s massive influence, they can never be completely ruled out of a transfer race.
According to the report, Villarreal president Fernando Roig Negueroles met with Parejo’s agent to try to iron out his new terms in order to deter mounting interest.
Interestingly, Negueroles has denied that negotiations are taking place. In an interview with AS, he stated that no player is “irreplaceable,” giving Villa and Barcelona optimism for a summer deal.
“He has a year left on his contract, and we have yet to meet.” “We’re all aware of what he provides for us,” Negueroles remarked of Parejo.
But we also know that the team’s game has revolved around other extremely good and essential players, and that no one is forever or irreplaceable. Hopefully, he will be able to stay with us for a long time.”
Villa supporters may be concerned about signing a 34-year-old like Parejo. However, as Villa seeks European glory next season, he could prove to be a crucial component in the dressing room. While Parejo will not start every game, if he does go to Villa Park, he will most certainly put in some strong performances.
Emery may also be looking ahead by considering Parejo as a possible mentor for Kamara. The Spaniard may help his younger teammate improve and emerge into a Premier League force.
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