Aston Villa are now closing in on the signing of Dion Lopy, with it being revealed Almeria are being forced to cash in on their midfielder.
Lopy is a five-cap Senegal international, but he hasn’t travelled out to North America for the World Cup, where the African side just about made it through the group stages, finishing in the eighth and final third-place spot.
That is despite the 24-year-old being lauded as an “exciting” player by scout Ben Mattinson, and remaining a key player for Almeria across the past three seasons, since moving to Spain from French side Reims.
Almeria plying their trade in the second division may have something to do with it, and they recently came up short in the play-offs for a second year on the spin, losing 2-1 against Malaga on aggregate.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Villa are well-known to be keen on signing a new central midfielder this summer, having endured an injury crisis in the middle of the park during the latter stages of the season, and they recently received the green light to sign Ilaix Moriba, who plays for Celta Vigo. However, the La Liga star is valued at £25m, and Lopy could be a more affordable option for Villa, who are still struggling on the FFP front, given that he plays in the second tier. |
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Finances |
Just €15m (£13m) could be enough to tempt Almeria into a sale, and given that Unai Emery‘s side have now returned to the Champions League, a deal should be possible. |
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Scouting |
The African midfielder is particularly impressive from a defensive point of view, averaging 2.7 tackles per 90 in the La Liga 2 last season, which was the most of any Almeria player. |
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Impact |
Villa could shelve plans to sign Moriba if they get a deal for the Almeria star over the line, but it could be difficult to force his way into Emery’s midfield from the off, considering Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara and Lamare Bogarde are already available to Emery. |
Why Aston Villa are likely to sign Dion Lopy
According to a report from Cadena Ser (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are now likely to win the race for Lopy and a move is ‘practically a done deal’.
Indeed, Almeria believe his departure is inevitable, given that they were unable to achieve their goal of promotion to La Liga.
Villa are currently in pole position, having lodged a €15m (£13m) offer for the 24-year-old, although there is rival interest from some unnamed clubs in the Premier League and the Bundesliga.
Lamare Bogarde may have to fight for his spot if Lopy signs
Bogarde was very much a utility player last season, often featuring as a right-back or as a late substitute in central midfield, across 44 appearances in all competitions, and he could be pushed further down the pecking order if a deal for the La Liga 2 star is completed.
The 22-year-old averaged 3.7 recoveries and 0.4 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League last season, compared to 5.6 recoveries and 0.8 interceptions per 90 from Lopy in the La Liga 2, a stark contrast, albeit Bogarde was playing in a much stronger division.
Although the Senegalese maestro has spent the last three seasons in the second tier of Spanish football, he has proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues in the past, making 55 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.
With that in mind, Lopy could be ready for a chance to prove himself at Villa, but his recent exodus from top flight football means it may take a while to get to grips with life in the Premier League.
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