Aston Villa are thought to be interested in signing Valencia midfielder Andre Almeida this summer and could make an offer in the region of €30m (£26.8m).
What’s the latest transfer news from Villa Park?
It could well be a busy summer in the transfer market ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge at Villa Park, with owners NSWE ready to back the Spaniard with a ‘huge’ spending spree.
The club could even smash their transfer record, however, a new star striker is no longer wanted after Ollie Watkins’ recent form in the Midlands.
A new midfielder could well be on the club’s wishlist, though, with links to Almeida emerging in the last 48 hours. Caught Offside relayed an update from Spain regarding Almeida, claiming that Villa and Premier League rivals Brighton are keen on the midfielder.
The report states that both sides could pay around €30m (£26.8m) for the midfielder at the end of the season, however, it remains to be seen whether Valencia will sanction an exit.
What would Almeida bring to Emery’s side?
Almeida is 22 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder, although he can also turn out in an attacking midfield role or on the right.
The Portuguese ace appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €15m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure that has rocketed after he joined Valencia from Vitoria de Guimaraes last summer.
Almeida has gone on to establish himself as a regular for Valencia this season, making 35 appearances in all competitions, contributing to eight goals. As per WhoScored, the midfielder has been the club’s second-best performer this season with an average match rating of 6.77/10, ranking highly for tackles and dribbles per 90.
Therefore, you could say that he may provide a real box-to-box midfield option for Emery next season, potentially rivalling the likes of John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey. It looks as if it could be one to keep an eye on, and you’d like to think that Almeida has room for improvement at the age of 22 before hitting his prime, which could make him an exciting signing wit Emery currently working wonders in the Midlands.