Following Amadou Onana’s ACL injury in Belgium’s last 16 victory over America, Aston Villa have been forced into the transfer market for a midfield reinforcement.
It has instantly become Unai Emery‘s new priority and those in the Midlands have already set their sights on a number of key names, including Leeds United target Mandela Keita.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Before Onana’s injury, Aston Villa were happy with their midfield options. Now that he’s set to miss a large part of the campaign, however, things have changed. They’re now firmly in the market for a reinforcement and Mandela Keita, who’s already been on Premier League radars, makes perfect sense. |
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Finances |
A deal for Keita wouldn’t break the bank in the Midlands. Parma are reportedly demanding just £26m to sell the Belgian this summer and that’s important for Villa, who are still battling some SCR problems. |
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Insight |
The midfielder featured 40 times for Parma last season and has become a traditional defensive midfielder. His most impressive moments come out of possession, where only 11 midfielders made more recoveries than the 153 that Keita completed in Serie A last season. |
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Impact |
If Aston Villa can solve their Onana problem whilst getting one over on Everton, then they will be the absolute winners in this situation. At 24-years-old, Keita wouldn’t just be a short-term solution, either. |
Now that they’re in the market for a midfielder, Aston Villa would be wise to turn their interest into an offer for Keita as soon as possible.
Aston Villa plotting Mandela Keita hijack
As reported by TeamTalk, Aston Villa are now plotting a move to sign Keita ahead of Leeds and Everton this summer. The Merseyside club have been particularly advanced, opening club-to-club talks over a deal with Parma, but could now be forced to watch on as Villa come swooping in.
The midfielder is reportedly valued at just £26m and that should entice Aston Villa even more. Whilst they’ve also got options like Lamine Camara on their shortlist, the Villans would be wise to push ahead for Keita this summer.
£26m Keita could replace Onana
When losing one Belgian, the best next step is sometimes to welcome another Belgian. That’s exactly what Aston Villa would be doing by signing Keita after losing Onana to injury.
The Parma star would be a solid replacement for several other reasons too, and at a bargain price, Villa should make a deal happen ahead of rivals Everton.
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25/26 P90 |
Keita |
Onana |
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Minutes |
2,991 |
1,764 |
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Tackles |
2.23 |
2.45 |
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Duel success |
62.4% |
63.9% |
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Recoveries |
4.63 |
3.67 |
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Goals (total) |
1 |
2 |
The similarities between the two become clear when looking at last season’s numbers. Like Onana, a lot of Keita’s best work came out of possession. The Parma star even made more recoveries per game than his compatriot and those numbers could increase with a move to Aston Villa this summer.
