Unai Emery is keen for Aston Villa to find a way to secure the signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid this summer.
Aston Villa had a remarkable campaign last season as they secured Champions League football via a fourth place finish in the Premier League.
Now, Unai Emery is trying to build a squad capable of challenging amongst Europe’s elite and with seven signings already through the door he is certainly wasting no time in doing just that.
With Moussa Diaby having left for Saudi Arabia, Emery is keen on Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix to elevate his attack; with the Spanish coach believing he can get the man signed for £113 million in 2019 back to his best.
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Unai Emery agrees with Joao Felix on his best position
Diaby operated as a second striker for much of last season under Emery, with the freedom to link the play as well as use his pace to stretch teams alongside Ollie Watkins.
The Frenchman’s £60 million departure could now open the door for Villa to try and convince Felix to make the move to Villa Park, with the opportunity to play in his favoured role likely to be attractive after years at Diego Simeone’s regimented Atletico.
According to The Athletic: ‘Joao Felix views his best position as a No 10, despite recent years playing as a false nine or on either flank’.
The Athletic go on to say how this could make him the ideal signing for Emery, explaining: ‘With Emery being a manager who has a highly defined remit for his No 10s — one source close to a player who plays in that position, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, describes the precision the manager expects out of possession as “detailed beyond belief” — Joao Felix would have a firm backer’.
Villa Park could be perfect place for Felix to re-find form
When Felix made the move to Atletico for nine figures in 2019, it would have been had to believe that five years on he is arguably no better than he was as a 19-year-old.
For a player so creative to sign for a club with a manager so stifling appears, on reflection, to have been a terrible decision for the now-24-year-old.
However, under Emery, Felix could have the perfect mentor to help him return to his best if a deal can be agreed and Villa can convince the Portugal international to compromise on his wage demands.
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A flare for the unexpected in the final third, Watkins could benefit enormously from the playmaking abilities of Felix who would take the Villa attack to the next level ready for the Champions League.
