Monchi could make a swoop for one Aston Villa target this summer to provide competition for Moussa Diaby.
Unai Emery will be eager to bolster his squad in the summer transfer window, with several top talents already linked to Villa Park.
Aston Villa could target all positions in preparation for next season’s Champions League, with work to be done to polish the squad.
Emery could implement some competition within his side to promote a higher standard, which could be achieved with one signing in particular.
Aston Villa learn transfer stance of target Federico Chiesa
Last year, Federico Chiesa was linked with a move to Aston Villa, as Sky Italia claimed the Villans were ready to offer Juventus €60m for the forward.
Interestingly, rumours linking the player to Villa Park have resurfaced, as Football Italia relayed speculation from pundit Giovanni Albanese.
Albanese said that Monchi had been in Turin to discuss possible purchases this summer, with Chiesa being one of the players in question.
Most recently, journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported that Chiesa’s future at Juventus is ‘not certain’, as he nears the final year of his contract.
Di Marzio claims that the winger is not thought to be part of Thiago Motta’s plans, and could be ‘sacrificed’ in the transfer market however, no negotiations are underway.
Chiesa could provide added competition for Moussa Diaby
While many Villa fans would be ecstatic to see a player as impressive as Chiesa added to Emery’s squad, not everyone would be excited at the prospect of his arrival.
Moussa Diaby is one player who could be at risk of slipping down the pecking order if another winger arrives at Villa Park this summer.
The Frenchman was signed in a club-record deal last year from Bayer Leverkusen however, struggled to fully impose himself in his debut campaign in the Premier League.
Emery dropped the 24-year-old towards the end of the Premier League season as he went 10 games without scoring, seeing his spot taken by others at the club.
| Per 90 statistics | Moussa Diaby | Federico Chiesa |
| Progressive carries | 3.89 | 4.55 |
| Successful take-ons | 1.20 | 1.43 |
| Shot-creating actions | 3.31 | 4.79 |
| Key passes | 1.95 | 2.29 |
| Carries into penalty area | 1.61 | 2.38 |
In Chiesa, Diaby could have another battle to overcome for minutes, as the Italian has shown over the years in Italy just how potent he can be in attack.
Once described as ‘unstoppable’ by journalist Matteo Bonetti, the 26-year-old would be a versatile addition to Emery’s squad, with the capability to play in attacking midfield or on either flank.
As seen in the table above, Chiesa’s 2023/24 statistics suggest how he could test Diaby even further at Villa, something that could be both beneficial and detrimental to the France international.
Competition is healthy to prevent complacency depending on how the player handles it, although in Diaby’s case, the 24-year-old has displayed that he has the means to battle for his place.
It would be interesting to see just how Villa approach the latest instalment of transfer news regarding Chiesa, who could be a smart capture this summer.
