Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios ahead of the summer transfer window, according to German news outlet SportBILD.
Aston Villa are already assessing their options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, according to reports in Germany.
Unai Emery’s side are currently leading the race for 4th place, sitting ahead of Spurs and Manchester United in the quest to secure Champions League football next term.
Last summer proved to be pivotal to the Villans’ growth throughout this season, with the signings of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby particularly strong additions.
Now, it seems that the Spaniard is eyeing another midfielder in the summer, a player that has been one of the Bundesliga’s best in the 2023/24 calendar.
Aston Villa rumoured to have interest in Exequiel Palacios
As relayed by Sport Witness, a report coming from SportBILD outlines Villa’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen dynamo Exequiel Palacios.
The Villans aren’t the only Premier League side wanting to sign the Argentine, with Newcastle United also said to be ‘dealing with’ the combative midfielder.
It’s claimed that only offers above €40m (£34m) would be entertained by the Bundesliga leaders, who have greatly benefitted from the emergence of the 25-year-old this season.
How good is Aston Villa target Exequiel Palacios?
Averaging a Sofascore match rating of 7.64 in the Bundesliga this campaign, the World Cup winner has shone in Xabi Alonso’s daring midfield alongside former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka.
When it comes to being able to do everything in the engine room, the “outstanding” talent, as lauded by U23 scout Antonio Mango, would be a significantly strong signing for Villa to pull off.
The numbers that the Argentine averages per game this season tell the story of how influential he is in midfield, averaging 1.3 key passes, a 92% passing accuracy rate and 2.7 tackles per game for Leverkusen, via Sofascore.
With six goal contributions in 17 appearances, Palacios could provide Emery with a mirror of Douglas Luiz, whose presence in the Villa squad has been unmatched over the years.
Statistically comparable to £105m Premier League ace Declan Rice, the former River Plate whiz has all the tools to flourish in the Premier League, with the Villans said to be one of the sides in contention to secure his signature.
Considering the potential timeframe of Boubacar Kamara’s absence, the manager could pull off a genius move by employing Palacios, who could certainly restore the dynamism that the midfield misses without the Frenchman.
For now, the Argentine’s focus will be on aiming to win the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, with the summer transfer window set to be an interesting one at Villa Park.
