According to The Athletic, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is already planning potential summer deals for Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams and Las Palmas wonderkid Alberto Moleiro.
If Nottingham Forest’s January window is an A-plus, and Everton’s is a stinking F, Aston Villa’s is probably a C. Not bad, but not outstanding. Passable.
Alex Moreno, one of Europe’s most underappreciated left backs, and the exciting Jhon Duran were brought in. A number of rarely-seen fringe players were let go. Villa, on the other hand, sold their top Premier League goalscorer, Danny Ings, to West Ham United.
And, despite their best efforts, Emery’s calls for a dynamic wide player went unanswered, with Arnaut Danjuma joining Tottenham, Luiz Henrique committing his future to Real Betis, and Gerard Deulofeu suffering a crippling knee injury.
As a result, Aston Villa will have to wait until the summer to resume where they left off. Don’t be surprised if the Midland giants make a bid for 20-year-old Spain international Williams in June.
Williams has been a revelation in La Liga this season, and he was named to Luis Enrique’s Qatar World Cup squad.
Before the current campaign began, there were concerns raised about Williams’ finished product. Six goals and five assists have since responded emphatically.
NICO WILLIAMS OF ASTON VILLA AND ALBERTO MOLEIRO OF SPAIN U21
“He’s practically unstoppable in one-on-ones,” athletic teammate and older brother Inaki Williams explains. “(His rise) has been incredible. He is demonstrating that he is (improving) and gaining experience. He is making significant progress in front of the goal.
“He has talent, like a rough diamond that needs to be polished. He has a lot of room for improvement, and hopefully, he can keep it up.”
Williams, who compares himself to Kylian Mbappe for his blistering pace and delicious directness, is almost certain to set a club record fee for Aston Villa. According to The Mail’s Dominic King, Villa failed with a £45 million bid last month.
In addition to Williams, The Athletic reports that Emery, the former coach of Villarreal, Valencia, and Sevilla, is a fan of another of Spain’s rising stars. Alberto Moleiro, 19, looks like Pedri, plays like Pedri, and came up through the ranks at Las Palmas. Pedri, for example.
“Little Alberto Moleiro plays at an incredible level for his age,” Nuke Mfulu, a Las Palmas teammate, tells Tinta Amarilla.
Moleiro has seven assists in 24 games this season in Spain’s second division. Aston Villa will almost certainly face competition from Pedri, a Barcelona for Spain U21 international with a £26 million release clause in his Las Palmas contract.
