Aston Villa are among several Premier League clubs under pressure to sell before June 30th and after offloading Douglas Luiz, there’s another ‘top class’ talent who could be on his way out.
Fabrizio Romano revealed on Thursday evening that Douglas Luiz had agreed personal terms with Juventus ahead of his move to the Italian giants.
In the other direction, Aston Villa are prepared to accept the deal to include midfielder Weston McKennie and highly-rated winger Samuel Iling-Junior, who Unai Emery has wanted in the past.
Villa must show they’re compliant with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) by June 30th and the proposed £40 million sale of Jhon Duran to Chelsea would help matters.
The 20-year-old isn’t the only player on the chopping block, though, with reports linking another Villa player with a move out of the club.
Galatasaray are interested in Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans
According to reports in Turkey, Galatasaray are looking to rekindle their interest in Youri Tielemans.
Emery captured the Belgian on a free transfer last summer, beating a whole host of clubs to a deal, including Galatasaray.
Now, it appears they want a second bite at the cherry as they aim to compete across all fronts next season after winning the league title ahead of Fenerbache.
The report states that Galatasaray wanted to sign Barcelona star Ilkay Gundogan however, talks with the German midfielder have stalled, quickly turning their attention to Tielemans.
Youri Tielemans importance to Aston Villa analysed
Villa completed the shrewd capture of Tielemans on a free transfer last summer following his release from Leicester City.
The 27-year-old recorded seven assists in 46 games in all competitions and was a vital cog in Emery’s Champions League-chasing machine.
Tielemans showcased his versatility by operating as a defensive midfielder, a number eight and a second striker behind Ollie Watkins across the campaign.
Previously hailed as ‘top class’ by Pep Guardiola, the Belgian’s mastery in possession of the ball and ability to pick out a pass were showcased in the big games, grabbing assists in wins over Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Tielemans was often the linking player between midfield and attacking, occupying pockets of space to receive the ball and unloading his creative juices against some of the league’s best.
As highlighted by FBref, the former Leicester playmaker ranked in the top 1% of midfielders across Europe for assists per 90, and the top 14% for progressive passes, evincing his invaluable technique on the ball.
In terms of his importance to Emery, there aren’t many, if any, players in the Villa squad who can thread neat passes through the thirds quite like he can and if Luiz does complete a move to Juventus, they can ill afford to lose another vital cog in their engine room.
