The reason Unai Emery is so keen to secure the signing of Giovani Lo Celso could become more clear by looking back at the pair’s time together at Villarreal.
It has been a strange summer for Aston Villa fans.
After the jubilation of securing a Champions League spot via a remarkable fourth-place Premier League finish they were quickly brought back down to Earth by the fact the 30th June PSR deadline meant sales were required.
This saw a key player from last season leave in Douglas Luiz, as well as academy duo Tim Irogebunam and Omari Kellyman.
Since the PSR deadline passed, it had been primarily about incomings with six players signed and Amadou Onana expected to complete a £50 million deal from Everton shortly.
- READ MORE: Potential Aston Villa XI with Amadou Onana after £50m transfer with key squad member axed
However, there is now talk of a swap deal that has left many Villa fans unsure.
Aston Villa ‘in negotiations’ for Jacob Ramsey and Giovani Lo Celso swap deal
Fan never like seeing talented academy players sold, but Villa have so far sanctioned the sales of Iroegbunam and Kellyman for a combined £28 million.
This has been seen as astute business that has helped the club avoid a breach of Premier League spending rules without impacting the first-team.
The only significant first-team departure so far has been Luiz moving to Juventus, but that deal was necessary and the club effectively received Juve duo Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior in return.
- READ MORE: Aston Villa have now enquired for another Juventus talent after Iling-Junior and Barrenechea
Now, Villa are linked with a swap deal involving their most exciting recent academy graduate in Jacob Ramsey in a move that could be far less palatable for the Villa Park faithful.
That is according to Argentinian outlet TyC Sports, who posted on ‘X’: ‘The Argentine National Team became champion of the 2024 United States Copa America after defeating Colombia 1-0 in the final.
One of the keys to Lautaro Martínez’s great goal that won a title was the entry of Giovani Lo Celso, who provided the assist. The Tottenham midfielder is close to changing teams in the Premier League and could emigrate to Emiliano Martínez’s Aston Villa.
The Spurs and the Villains are in negotiations and a swap will soon be agreed: Jacob Ramsey, 23, would move to the London team while the former Rosario Central would go as part of the payment to Birmingham, in addition to a sum of £19 million’.
History may suggest why Emery wants Lo Celso at Aston Villa
This move seems a strange one.
Villa would receive £19 million in addition to Lo Celso in exchange for Ramsey, but the 23-year-old is an academy graduate who has previously been described as ‘very important’ by Emery and is clearly a huge talent.
Lo Celso, meanwhile, has failed to ever really earn a consistent run in the Tottenham side despite being at the club for five years and has scored just ten goals whilst registering eight assists in that time.
However, this would be the third time Emery has signed the 28-year-old which suggests he is a player the Spaniard rates highly.
Having signed him for PSG, Emery took Lo Celso on loan at Villarreal in the second half of the 2021/22 season as well as the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign.
Here, Lo Celso was part of the side that went on a run to the Champions League semi-final and the role he played in that side may be a clue as to why Emery wants him at Villa.
In his time at Villarreal, Emery predominately used Lo Celso as a second striker in a 4-4-2 shape which is the position that was primarily occupied by Moussa Diaby at Villa last season.
With Villa expected to allow Diaby to leave for Saudi Arabia, Emery looks to have earmarked this role for Lo Celso.
Villa fans have learned to trust their manager wholeheartedly, but this swap deal is one that could test that unwavering faith.
