Aston Villa in talks to sign £60m star

Aston Villa’s rise under Unai Emery over the last few years has been nothing short of remarkable and one that very few supporters would have predicted upon his appointment in November 2022.

The Spaniard arrived at Villa Park with the club languishing above the relegation places, but he’s made the Villans a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.

His side have now finished in the top seven in each of the last four top-flight campaigns, subsequently finishing in the Champions League places in two of the aforementioned seasons.

The Europa League triumph at the end of May was the icing on the cake for a phenomenal 2025/26 campaign – subsequently ending the club’s 30-year wait for a piece of silverware.

However, such an achievement has only whetted the appetite of the supporters, with a huge expectation for the Villans to be competing for trophies on a consistent basis.

Aston Villa enter talks to land £60m attacking talent

Over the last couple of weeks, Villa have been touted with a move for a whole host of talent who have massively caught the eye across Europe in recent months.

Como winger Martin Baturina is just one player who’s emerged on their shortlist, even leading to a bid being submitted for the Croatian international in recent weeks.

Whilst the first offer for the 23-year-old was rejected by the Italian outfit, it would be no surprise to see Emery’s men once again return to the tank with another offer.

Baturina isn’t the only forward-minded player who’s appeared on the club’s transfer shortlist of late, with Lille winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo another thing considered.

According to Sky Sports, Villa have already entered talks with the French outfit over the possibility of securing a move for the 21-year-old attacker this summer.

The report states that a move could well be accelerated in the coming months, with the youngster currently away at the World Cup with Belgium.

However, any deal for the forward could prove to be an expensive one this window, as his current employers are said to be demanding €70m (£60m) to offload the youngster.

Why Fernandez-Pardo would wipe the floor with McGinn at Villa

Despite the rapid rise to success in recent seasons, Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has remained a crucial part of the squad and often featured in a variety of different roles.

The Scottish international has often featured on the left-hand side of the club’s attack in recent months – often popping up in key moments for Emery’s outfit.

His greatest contribution in the 2025/26 campaign undoubtedly came in the Europa League semi-final – subsequently scoring twice in the 4-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

The 31-year-old’s £2.5m transfer from Hibernian back in 2018 has undoubtedly been one of the club’s best in recent times, as he’s racked up 331 appearances for the Villans.

He’s even taken his career to the next level on the international stage, subsequently scoring Scotland’s first goal in a generation at the World Cup against Haiti last week.

However, McGinn may struggle to nail down his starting role in West Midlands next term – especially if the hierarchy complete a deal for Fernandez-Pardo in the months ahead.

The Belgian winger may only be 21 years of age, but he’s already established himself as a top-level performer and one who’s undoubtedly ready-made for the Premier League.

His stats from the 2025/26 campaign highlight his superb quality within attacking areas – with many of his figures way above those produced by McGinn at Villa Park.

The Lille star, who’s been dubbed “explosive” by talent scout Antonio Mango, netted more league goals last term – subsequently highlighting his incredible goal-scoring ability.

His 44% shot on target accuracy rate and tally of 1.2 shots on target per 90 are both higher than the Scotsman – which reaffirms his clinical edge over the current Villa star.

Fernandez-Pardo also managed to create a staggering 1.4 chances per 90 throughout 2025/26, whilst also achieve an impressive 22% cross success rate.

Both of the aforementioned figures are higher than those produced by the 31-year-old, which could arguably make him a more all-round talent for Emery next campaign.

Spending £60m on the 21-year-old would be a staggering piece of business and one that would be a club-record for the Villans, but it could set them up for added success in the future.

He’s already proved in his short career that he’s capable of outperforming McGinn, with a move for the Belgian potentially seeing the fan-favourite drop down the pecking order in 2026/27.