It has been a busy summer time up to now for Aston Villa. The Midlands membership have a giant season forward in 2024/25, as they return to the Champions League and can play within the competitors for the very first time since its rebrand.
Certainly, they’ve up to now made eight summer time signings, though Cameron Archer has since left the membership, and Samuel Iling Junior is ready to depart on mortgage. Nevertheless, Unai Emery has nonetheless introduced in six primary additions to his squad, notably signing Amadou Onana from Everton in a deal value £50m. The Belgian bought the dream begin to his Villa profession, with a debut aim in opposition to West Ham United.
There have additionally been some main outgoings at Villa Park. Two key males have left the membership, with French winger Moussa Diaby becoming a member of Saudi aspect Al-Ittihad and midfielder Douglas Luiz making the transfer to Italian giants Juventus.
With the switch window set to close on Friday, the Villans may but look so as to add to their squad forward of their enormous season amongst Europe’s elite. They’ve just lately been linked with one participant who may add high quality and European pedigree to their aspect.
Aston Villa goal Premier League defender
The participant in query right here is Chelsea’s English centre-back Trevoh Chalobah. The 25-year-old has been made into one thing of an outcast beneath new Blues boss Enzo Maresca and it appears doubtless that he’ll depart the membership earlier than the deadline on the finish of the week.
Now, in accordance with a report from Ben Jacobs, in dialog with GIVEMESPORT, the Villans are one membership that would swoop in and look to signal the Chelsea academy graduate. Jacobs experiences that Emery’s aspect are one of many ‘extra viable locations’ for the 25-year-old to finish up at this summer time.
Nevertheless, they won’t be alone of their quest to signal him. Jacobs additionally names Crystal Palace as an alternative choice for Chalobah, which may see him hyperlink up with a fellow Cobham graduate Marc Guehi. Nevertheless, whether or not he finally ends up at Villa Park, Selhurst Park or elsewhere, Jacobs does affirm he’ll doubtless keep within the Premier League.
By way of a worth, the 25-year-old is believed to be valued at round £35m, in accordance with a report earlier within the window. Nevertheless, with a sale needing to occur quick, the Blues may nicely drop their worth to make sure he undoubtedly leaves the membership this summer time.
Why Chalobah can be a very good signing
Since breaking into the primary group at Stamford Bridge in 2021/22, the 25-year-old has made 80 appearances for his boyhood membership, though final time period he featured for the Blues simply 13 occasions within the Premier League.
Frustratingly, this is because of a long-term damage, which stored Chalobah out between the beginning of August and the tenth of January. He missed a complete of 192 days and 32 video games with that damage, though it’s the solely long-term damage of his profession, and shouldn’t be an excessive amount of of a priority to Villa.
The Villans would even be including European pedigree into their squad, forward of their thrilling European enterprise subsequent time period. The 25-year-old, who has had three loans together with one at Ipswich City, has gained the UEFA Tremendous Cup and the Membership World Cup with the Blues.
Though he was not a part of the squad that gained the Champions League in 2020/21, Chalobah has nonetheless been concerned in a squad with nearly all of these gamers and certain could have picked up invaluable nuggets of expertise which could possibly be useful in claret and blue. He has performed in Europe’s premier competitors, that includes 9 occasions and getting on the scoresheet as soon as.
Ought to the previous England youth worldwide make the change from Stamford Bridge to Villa Park, it could possibly be a repeat of Villa’s latest signing Ian Maatsen. Like a proposed transfer for Chalobah, the Dutchman was purchased from the West London outfit, having additionally come by way of the esteemed Cobham academy. He value £37.5m from Chelsea.
Not solely that, however he additionally has Champions League expertise, just like the English defender. Throughout a mortgage to Borussia Dortmund final time period, he was a part of the aspect that reached the ultimate at Wembley earlier than they fell to defeat by the hands of Actual Madrid.
Not solely would there be similarities between the signing of Chalobah to that of Maatasen, however he may be an ideal accomplice for Ezri Konsa. The England worldwide has grow to be a key participant beneath Emery and has featured 78 occasions beneath the tutelage of the Spaniard.
Why Chalobah can be good alongside Konsa
The pair are very comparable on the subject of their stats by way of FBRef, with each defenders glorious on the ball and good defensively, too. For instance, final season, the Chelsea defender averaged 4.34 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, with Villa’s quantity 4 averaging barely much less at 4.16.
A ball restoration is outlined by the variety of unfastened balls recovered by a participant.
They’re additionally neck and neck when trying on the tackles and interception stats from the 2023/24 marketing campaign. The Cobham graduate averaged 2.26 per recreation, though the Villa defender averaged barely extra, at 2.4.
|
Chalobah & Konsa defsnive stats in contrast |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Chalobah |
Konsa |
|
Ball recoveries |
4.34 |
4.16 |
|
Tackles and interceptions |
2.26 |
2.4 |
|
% of dribblers tackled |
66.7% |
85.2% |
|
Clearances |
4.81 |
2.14 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
By way of their numbers on the ball, Chalobah averaged 2.92 progressive passes final time period, which is much fewer than Konsa, who averaged a powerful 3.99 every recreation. Apart from being progressive on the ball, the pair take care of the ball nicely, with the Chelsea defender averaging an 89.4% go accuracy, and the Villa defender a 91.1% go accuracy.
It definitely appears as these they’d be two complementary defenders in Emery’s Villa system, which requires his centre-backs to be good on the ball and progress play forwards. They may grow to be a dream pairing for the Spaniard.
Chalobah was described as a “significantly gifted” defender by soccer scout Antonio Mango and given the Champions League pedigree he would carry, mixed with the actual fact it will replicate the Maatsen transfer, which has already proven to be a very good value-for-money signing, this could possibly be a shrewd addition for from Villa.
