Aston Villa could be in for a busy summer in the transfer window, with one potential target identified if Unai Emery’s side can secure Champions League football.
It’s braced to be another busy summer for Aston Villa ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, which could present Villa with Champions League football.
The Villans have three games to secure qualification for next season’s tournament in what has been a remarkable term for Unai Emery’s side.
With the end of the 2023/24 calendar in sight, attention will soon start to turn to the summer transfer window, in what will be an interesting time for Villa.
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After welcoming five new faces last summer and smashing the club’s record transfer fee by acquiring £51.9m Moussa Diaby, Emery secured the signatures of some top-quality talent to bolster his squad, something that could be repeated this year.
If Villa are to play among Europe’s elite next term, it’s vital that more star quality is pumped into Emery’s squad however, the Villans may not need to break their record fee to sign one rumoured target.
Aston Villa could approach Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams this summer
Speaking exclusively to Aston Villa News, HITC journalist Graeme Bailey explained that the Villans are admirers of Athletic Bilbao winger, Nico Williams.
Bailey described the saga surrounding the 21-year-old ‘fascinating’, adding that a move for the Spaniard shouldn’t be ruled out.
“Nico Williams is a fascinating one, we know Villa tried to get him before, and he’s available this summer for less than £50m.
“If Villa finish top four, it just opens up so many avenues, they’ll know that.
“Monchi will have his list of summer options and there’ll be a list of options if they finish fifth, and another list if they finish fourth and it could look quite different, with some bigger star names on there.
“Nico Williams is one of those, I think if he leaves Bilbao this summer which I think he will, he will want a Champions League team.
“If Villa pursue him, they have to finish top four so I wouldn’t rule that out.”
While before, Williams’ future at his boyhood club was unknown, it’s now clear that the forward has a €50m (£42.5m) release clause in place with Athletic Club, an affordable price for the Villans to potentially pounce on.
Aston Villa could sign a huge talent in Nico Williams
As highlighted by Bailey, signing Williams will be more of an option for Villa if they secure Champions League football for next season.
At 21 years old, the dynamic winger has had an impressive season with Bilbao, winning the Copa del Rey and contributing to 12 goals so far in La Liga.
Earlier this campaign, talent scout Jacek Kulig praised the forward’s progress in the Spanish top flight, saying that he’s ‘turning into a top-class player’.
| Per 90 stats: | Nico Williams | Leon Bailey | Moussa Diaby |
| Successful take-ons | 3.61 | 2.43 | 1.17 |
| Progressive carries | 5.56 | 4.77 | 3.88 |
| Key passes | 1.85 | 2.34 | 1.96 |
| Goal-creating actions | 0.93 | 0.52 | 0.37 |
Kulig’s praise of the winger is correct, with him demonstrating monstrous numbers in Spain this season, with averages that see him both up there with and above Villa duo Diaby and Leon Bailey, as seen above.
Signing Williams would undoubtedly hand Emery a jewel in his project however, with a fairly slim release clause considering his talent, there’s expected to be a considerable battle to land the Spain international’s signature.
