Aston Villa’s capture of Enzo Barrenechea came as a part of Douglas Luiz’s exit however, the midfielder can be so much more than a figure to fill a void.
On Monday, Aston Villa welcomed three new faces to the squad, as Samuel Iling-Junior, Ross Barkley and Enzo Barrenechea arrived at Bodymoor Heath.
The trio represent the invaluable experience of Barkley and the dazzling potential of the two players who docked from Turin after great speculation.
While Iling-Junior’s career path is more known after rising through the ranks at Chelsea’s academy, Barrenechea’s profile is more mysterious however, the figures only reinforce just why Unai Emery wanted his signature.
What Aston Villa arrival Enzo Barrenechea did better than Manchester City ace Rodri last season
The 2023/24 campaign was crucial for the 23-year-old, as he spent the season on loan at Frosinone where he flourished in Serie A.
Deployed as a defensive midfielder, the Argentine showcased the combative strengths of his game, seeing him described as a “defensive monster” by scout Antonio Mango.
The 2001-born star excelled in an array of areas relevant to his position in Frosinone’s squad, with one of his strengths seeing him prevail as one of Serie A’s best.
As per FBref, Barrenechea averaged a mammoth 7.40 ball recoveries per 90 last season, an average that ranked him within the top 2% of midfielders in the Italian top flight.
To reiterate how impressive the Argentine’s performance level is in such decimal, Manchester City star Rodri scored a lesser average of 7.22 per 90 in the Premier League.
Barrenechea capture defines what Unai Emery needs at Villa
While the 23-year-old has a lot of work to do before he reaches the level of Rodri, the fundamentals show exactly why Emery was keen to capture his talent.
Barrenechea is not a like-for-like replacement for Douglas Luiz’s technical creativity, but does represent what Emery’s squad was severely lacking last term.
After Boubacar Kamara suffered a season-ending injury, Villa’s options in defensive midfield shrunk, with Luiz’s defensive frailties coming to light.
As portrayed by Barrenechea’s eye to regaining possession last season through his superb rate of ball recoveries per 90, the Argentine has the minerals to act as a sweeper in front of Villa’s back line.
Considering that Kamara will be out of action for a chunk of the start of 2024/25, hiring the former Juventus starlet may prove to be a stroke of genius from Monchi and Emery.
It was an interesting and crucial deal for the Villans to finalise, with the midfielder now handed a platform to show his worth in the Premier League.
