Unai Emery could finally get the opportunity to sign one of his long-term transfer targets at Aston Villa this summer as Barcelona confirm he will depart the club.
Aston Villa have had a busy summer, with Unai Emery overseeing a number of arrivals and departures at Villa Park.
The sales of Tim Iroegbunam, Omari Kellyman and Douglas Luiz were all necessary for Villa to comply with Premier League spending rules early in June, whilst the £60 million Saudi offer for Moussa Diaby proved too good to turn down.
Emery wants Villa to make an impact as they compete in the Champions League this season and will still feel his squad is one or two signings off being ready to do that.
Joao Felix is one player that the Spanish coach is keen to bring in, but he could now pounce to sign a free agent he has long admired.
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Aston Villa could move for Sergi Roberto following end of Barcelona contract
Emery is never one to stand still and his constant desire to improve has been the driving force behind Villa’s recent success.
He also likes to have players who are tactically flexible and can perform multiple roles and Villa could now tick both those boxes for free.
- READ MORE: How Unai Emery can kill two birds with one stone if Aston Villa seal ‘sublime’ £26m transfer
That is because Barcelona have now confirmed that 32-year-old Sergi Roberto will now leave the club following the end of his contract.
Able to play at full-back as well as anywhere across the midfield, Roberto has been a valuable servant to Barcelona as he has spent the entirety of his career at the Catalan club so far.
Villa are one of the clubs interested in the Spaniard’s signature this summer, with reports last month suggesting Emery was ‘close’ to convincing Roberto to swap the Camp Nou for Villa Park.
Xavi a big fan of Aston Villa target Roberto
Whilst never really a key player at Barcelona, Roberto has always been viewed as a very capable deputy who can perform a number of roles effectively.
You do not play 373 games for Barca’s first team if you are not a talented player, but Roberto’s work has often gone under the radar with bigger names stealing the headlines.
Ex-team-mate – and more recently manager – Xavi certainly understood Roberto’s importance to Barcelona, calling him an “example” in the dressing room after a brace in a win against Almeria before adding: “He [Roberto] is tremendous captain whether or not he plays. I am very happy for him”.
A technically gifted graduate of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, Emery could finally be set to manage Roberto in claret and blue this season.
