Aston Villa will be required to make at least one sale during the summer transfer window, otherwise they could fall foul of the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Douglas Luiz has been earmarked for a move away from Villa Park due to his wonderful displays in the top flight last season – registering 14 goal contributions – and it appears as though Arsenal are keen on luring him to London, although it will cost them around £50m to do so.
The Brazilian may be one of Unai Emery’s most prized assets, yet might the Spaniard move on someone else who has been attracting interest recently?
Aston Villa could now sell 15-cap international
Due to a stunning 2023/24 campaign which saw the Midlands side secure a spot in the Champions League next season, it is only natural that several first-team players have attracted some interest.
While clubs have shown obvious admiration for someone like Luiz, Matty Cash’s displays weren’t exactly at the same sort of level.
Yes, he may have scored five goals and grabbed three assists for the club last term, but his lack of consistency could give Emery the perfect opportunity to move him on without much of an afterthought.
According to reports in Italy (via Caught Offside), Emery is more than happy to let the English-born Poland international depart the club this summer, looking for a fee of around £17m from any prospective buyer.
AC Milan are the team that appear to be showing the most interest in the right-back, and it could be the perfect time for Villa to cash in – pardon the pun – on the player.
He does have three years left on his contract, but with a point deduction looking possible if Villa don’t raise funds via player sales, a deal to move him on may be welcomed in the coming weeks.
Metric
Premier League
Conference League
Goals
2
1
Assists
2
1
Key passes per game
0.4
0.7
Big chances created
6
0
Pass success rate (%)
84%
88%
Tackles per game
1.9
1.1
Total duels won per game
3.6
2.6
Via Sofascore
With tougher challenges awaiting the club in Europe’s premier club competition next season, it is clear that the manager must strengthen his team accordingly, which means an improvement on the right side of the defence.
As a result, Emery could target a swoop for a Dutchman who has made 30 appearances in the Champions League during his career.
Who could replace Matty Cash at Aston Villa
According to Inter Live last week, Villa are getting ready to make an offer for defender Denzel Dumfries in a bid to bolster their squad this summer.
With his contract expiring next year, the Serie A side could allow him to leave for a fee of around £25.5m, which could turn into a bargain should he replicate his form for Inter in the Premier League.
Dumfries would be a huge step up at right-back compared to Cash, and he is exactly the sort of signing Emery will be keen to make during the transfer window.
At 28 years old, the former PSV Eindhoven dynamo is in the peak years of his career. Having won several trophies with both Inter and PSV, Dumfries could bring an elite mentality to Villa which may just see them end their near 30-year wait for a major trophy during the 2024/25 campaign.
Denzel Dumfries’ season in numbers
Last season, Inter won their second Serie A title in three years, finishing 19 points ahead of their city rivals AC Milan.
It was a stunning campaign by the club and Dumfries certainly contributed well. In 31 league matches, not only did he score four goals, but the Netherlands international registered five assists, chipping in with vital goal contributions as the club romped to another league crown.
He has played all of his matches on the right side of the midfield, yet he has operated as a right-back over 200 times during his career to date, meaning Emery should have no problem playing him as part of a four-man defence should he join the club.
His main asset is his attacking abilities, which the Spaniard will be keen to utilise at every given opportunity.
When compared to his teammates, Dumfries ranked sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.5) along with ranking eighth for big chances created (six) and for key passes per game (0.8), solid enough stats for a midfielder.
It wasn’t just in his own squad that the player shone, however, also impressing when compared to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues.
Indeed, the 28-year-old ranked in the top 3% for non-penalty goals (0.18) and touches in the attacking penalty area (3.85) per 90, while also ranking in the top 7% for total shots (1.37) per 90 and for progressive passes received (7.65) per 90, clearly evidence of his regular forays into the final third of the pitch.
According to WhoScored, Dumfries’ main strengths are key passes and aerial duels, which indicate that he can tear open the opposition's defence with a single pass while also being able to hold his own when faced with a one-on-one aerial battle. These strengths will allow him to shine in the physically imposing Premier League, no doubt about that.
Rio Ferdinand praised the defender during the 2022 World Cup, a tournament in which he shone for the Netherlands, saying:
“He’s not putting balls in willy-nilly, he’s picking people out, those cutbacks have been ever so dangerous. He doesn’t mind working at the other end of the pitch, as well. He’s been a breath of fresh air for them and a very important player.”
High praise indeed from a Premier League legend and if Emery could secure his signature for a fee around the £25m mark, then it could be a wonderful piece of transfer business.
With plenty of experience at winning trophies and playing in the Champions League, Dumfries is the ideal signing in order to take Villa to the next level.
First, Emery will need to move on a player or two. With Milan leading the chase for Cash, selling the former Nottingham Forest defender is the first step to making a more concrete effort at luring Dumfries to the Midlands in the next few weeks.
What Aston Villa’s starting XI could look like after £105m spending spree
Aston Villa will be looking to build on their momentous 23/24 campaign, having qualified for the Champions League.
ByAngus Sinclair Jun 6, 2024