Unai Emery has made it clear who he wants to target this summer however, is it the right decision?
The summer transfer window has been exceptionally busy for Aston Villa, who have sanctioned several deals seeing players depart and arrive.
Seven new faces have walked through the doors of Bodymoor Heath so far, with plenty more movement expected before deadline day.
The latest transfer was the departure of Moussa Diaby, who joined Al-Ittihad after just one year at Villa, with the race to find a replacement ongoing.
Aston Villa handed transfer warning as Unai Emery prioritises Joao Felix
Aston Villa are targeting Joao Felix, who is believed to be considered a top target for Unai Emery to capture this summer.
The Atletico Madrid outsider is searching for a new place to call home after spending the past year and a half on loan away from Madrid.
While pulling off the signing of the former Benfica sensation would be impressive, Villa have been warned of one key concern that comes with the 24-year-old.
Discussing Villa’s interest in Felix on ESPN FC, pundit Shaka Hislop called the Portugal international a “liability”.
“Joao Felix is an incredibly talented footballer, I don’t think anybody argues that. When he’s at his best, he really is a good footballer.
“It’s just you don’t see that often enough with any kind of consistency. So, when you are banking on him to do things and he doesn’t, he becomes a liability because he really doesn’t offer an awful lot.”
Given that Villa are willing to pay £51m to sign Felix, it’s hoped that the 24-year-old can rediscover his past quality if the Midlands club are to take hold of his future.
Can Felix really offer more than Moussa Diaby?
The concern with signing Felix is that the reason that Villa have been linked to the forward is due to the exit of Diaby.
The Frenchman will need replacing after contributing to 19 goals in claret and blue last season, which should come as a concern to Emery.
Yes, Felix is an incredibly talented footballer with astronomical potential however, for the position he plays and the price he’s worth, his contribution to goals has dried up over the past few years.
| Joao Felix – La Liga | Moussa Diaby – Premier League | |
| Goals | 7 | 6 |
| Assists | 3 | 8 |
| Key passes per game | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Big chances created | 6 | 13 |
You’d have to go back to the 2018/19 campaign to relive the last time that Felix hit the numbers that Diaby reached in 2023/24 for Villa.
The Portuguese forward’s skill set should see him contribute to far more goals than he has been, which was thought of about Diaby last term, although he contributed to 19 in all competitions.
It is alarming that there is no guarantee that Felix will be able to find his former consistency, particularly as Emery’s priority must be replenishing the goals that will be lost following Diaby’s exit.
Felix’s potential isn’t the issue, but his attention to progressing beyond his stagnant few years could be a point of concern for Villa.
