Aston Villa and Manchester United are locked in a transfer battle to sign a Europa League-winning midfielder as Unai Emery eyes a replacement for Douglas Luiz.
Aston Villa kick off their Premier League campaign away at West Ham on Saturday evening but supporters still have concerns over their transfer business.
Whilst Unai Emery has captured eight new signings, Villa have still arguably not replaced Douglas Luiz, who completed his move to Juventus.
Enzo Barrenchea, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley have all arrived as central midfield options attempting to fill the Brazilian’s void but Emery still lacks a stand-out player, the sort who can produce a moment of brilliance in an instant.
Luiz, who contributed nine goals and as many assists in 2023/24, was the individual who supplied that magic centrally and now Emery is eyeing a perfect replacement for the 26-year-old.
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Aston Villa and Man United want to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson
According to AS, Manchester United are in ‘constant talks’ to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, while Emery also wants him for their debut in the Champions League.
As per the report, the Serie A giants value Ederson at €60 million (£51 million) and accept that several clubs will attempt to prise him out of Italy before the window slams shut.
Described as a ‘dominant force’ by Football Italia, the defensive midfielder enjoyed an incredible campaign last time out, as he helped his side lift the Europa League trophy and qualify for the Champions League.
The 25-year-old appeared 53 times in all competitions, scoring six goals, while his domineering midfield displays were described as ‘sensational’.
For Villa to land his signature this summer, as mentioned, they’d have to pay over £50 million for the Brazil international however, the statistics prove he could be the ideal Luiz successor.
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How Ederson compares to Douglas Luiz
Ederson is an intelligent footballer who shows great awareness and vision to monitor and nullify threats when defending, intercepting effectively and pressing with high intensity.
He’s also accomplished at distributing the ball, short and long, with the midfield machine sharing similar attributes to the former Villa creator.
As highlighted by FBref, Ederson actually offers more of a defensive presence than Luiz, something they’ve missed without Boubacar Kamara in the side, while his ball retention and passing skills are arguably an improvement.
| FBref statistics per 90 (past year) | Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) | Ederson (Atalanta) |
| Non-penalty goals | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Shots total | 1.24 | 1.17 |
| Progressive passes | 4.96 | 6.56 |
| Successful take-ons | 0.71 | 0.74 |
| Tackles | 1.77 | 2.47 |
| Interceptions | 0.68 | 1.40 |
| Aerials won | 0.78 | 1.09 |
The above table highlights how Ederson can become an incredible defensive screen for Aston Villa, averaging more tackles, interceptions and aerials won than Luiz while his ball progression is also an upgrade.
Emery will miss his midfield lynchpin next term but if they’re able to fork out around £50m for Ederson, the Champions League-level talent can be the sort of player they crave at the base of midfield.
