Aston Villa have got the ball rolling in recent days after winding around PSR sticking points in recent weeks. Douglas Luiz's transfer to Juventus has yet to be concluded but is edging toward completion, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea headed to Villa Park.
Circumnavigating financial issues has left Unai Emery unable to enjoy the kind of thrilling start to the transfer window that last season's top-four Premier League finish called for, though a deal in excess of £35m has also been agreed for left-back Ian Maatsen and Everton's Lewis Dobbin is in advanced negotiations with the Lions.
All told, there's a lot going on. Staying within spending regulations and preventing a damaging points deduction next season is paramount, yes, but Villa need to ensure competitivity in the Champions League, with a centre-forward now being considered.
Villa eyeing new striker
As per i news, Aston Villa are among the clutch of Premier League clubs interested in signing LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David, though currently trail Manchester United, who have made contact with the player's representatives.
Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed last week that the Canada international is available for transfer with just one year left on his current deal – offers in the £25m ballpark will be met with consideration.
Why Villa are interested in Jonathan David
Aston Villa boast one of the best forwards in the Premier League in Ollie Watkins, but Chelsea's efforts to sign Jhon Duran would leave Villa Park a little light up front, so signing a replacement is paramount.
It goes without saying that Champions League football will bring thrill to Villa Park but it will also bring rigours that a lack of depth will succumb to, leaving Emery's squad leached and lethargic in the later stages of the campaign. Duran is young but he's been highly effective as Watkins' understudy, with talent scout Jacek Kulig claiming that he has "the potential to become a top striker".
David, who scored 26 goals and added nine assists from 47 matches for Lille in 2023/24, would be the perfect replacement. Still only 24, he's been hailed an "unbelievable finisher" by journalist Austin Ditlhobolo, ranking among the top 17% of strikers across Europe's top five leagues last season for non-penalty goals scored per 90 (FBref).
1.
Kylian Mbappe
27
2.
Jonathan David
19
2.
Alexandre Lacazette
19
4.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
17
5.
Wissam Ben Yedder
16
Not just a sharpshooter, the Canadian also ranks among the top 3% for pass completion, speaking highly of his technical, staccato-fired distribution, combining and conducting in attacking phase to maintain a fluent, all-together kind of advance.
For Villa, who ranked 16th in the Premier League last season for long balls, this kind of snappy, straightforward passing would prove to be a welcome addition to the build-up structure.
By selling Duran to Chelsea, Villa Park would frankly lose some raw power, and prodigious gusto, that scant few targets could effectively imitate upon arrival, but David is a refined and polished goalscorer who would bring some maturity and experience needed for the forthcoming European campaign.
Duran, aged 20, scored eight goals in all competitions last term and notably dissembled Liverpool's defence in the penultimate game, bagging twice to all but confirm a seat at Europe's elite table.
But starting just three top-flight fixtures, he's clearly still got much to learn. David's 84-goal return from 183 matches for his French club highlights the kind of attacking prowess Emery would be adding to his team, providing Villa with the finished article as opposed to a talent such as Duran, who will likely need several seasons yet before offering the full package.
David would be an excellent replacement for Duran, taking 2.3 shots per game in Ligue 1 last season and missing only 15 big chances despite scoring 19 goals. That's the mark of a clinical striker.
The Aston Villa transfer target is also wonderfully two-footed, with 22 of his 71 Ligue 1 goals scored by his weaker left foot (44 with his right, five with his head). Duran, conversely, bagged all five of his Premier League strikes with his left, suggesting David would offer a greater sense of fluidity and more angles in his attacking game.
For a bargain £25m fee, Villa must surely move to snap David up and bolster their frontline with his clinical qualities – especially if Duran is sold to Chelsea for the mooted £40m price.
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ByAngus Sinclair
