Aston Villa are making headway in the transfer market this summer, expertly circumventing the Premier League's PSR restrictions, sacrificing Douglas Luiz but engineering a series of incomings to counter the blow.
But it was a blow. The Brazilian midfielder was one of the centrepieces of Unai Emery's success over the past few years, but Juventus' proposal mitigated the financial issues considerably – along with a couple of sales of academy talents (Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman).
Now, though, Villa have shown their ambitious hand by agreeing with Everton a deal to sign Amadou Onana for £50m, as per David Ornstein. The tough-tackling Belgium international has been described as a "real midfield powerhouse" by journalist Antonio Mango and could prove to be a significant investment down the line.
Matches played
4
Pass completion
90%
Touches per game
69.3
Key passes per game
0.3
Tackles per game
2.0
Clearances per game
1.0
Ball recoveries per game
2.3
Duels won per game
5.3 (78%)
Now, though, on to the next. Villa aren't resting on their laurels this summer; Onana's transfer hasn't been finalised but already efforts are being made to secure an exciting new forward to provide competition for Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa transfer news
Turkish journalist Ertan Suzgun has recently revealed that Villa have submitted a bid for Besiktas striker Semik Kılıçsoy, who is only 18.
The Midlands club offered cash plus left-back Alex Moreno for the fast-rising forward's services, with the Spaniard expendable after the £35m addition of Ian Maatsen from Chelsea – albeit with the proposal having been turned down.
Fulham are also known admirers of the teenage sensation, having tabled a €20m (£17m) bid themselves this summer. Emery and Co will hope that Champions League football sways the odds in their favour.
What Semik Kılıçsoy would bring to Aston Villa
Kılıçsoy is in the maiden period of his senior career but has blitzed his way into the ascendancy, scoring 12 goals and adding three assists across 35 matches in all competitions.
The prodigious talent was called up to the Turkish national team for the 2024 European Championship but only played one minute of action – against the Netherlands in the quarter-final. Still, this is a feat of development that makes a big comment on the regard the teenager is held in.
Principally a centre-forward – though competent performing on either flank – Kılıçsoy is an adept dribbler and a sharp finisher, silky on the ball and combative off it. To illustrate that point: as per Sofascore, he averaged 1.7 dribbles and won 4.7 duels per game in the Turkish Super Lig.
Centre-forward
15
6
3
Left winger
13
5
0
Right winger
7
1
0
Adding to a youthful sheen at Villa Park, the Turkish talent could be the kind of dynamic sharpshooter to forge a strong partnership with Jaden Philogene, who is on the cusp of being re-signed from Hull City for £13m.
Philogene, 22, took the Championship by storm last season, scoring 12 goals and supplying six assists across 32 appearances and being praised for his "ridiculous" ability by then-Tigers manager Liam Rosenoir.
A versatile winger, Philogene is usually found on the left but has proven himself valuable on the alternate too, and this could play into Kılıçsoy's hands as he fights to create a fluent base at Villa, entering a state of flux with his would-be attacking partner.
The Englishman completed 83% of his passes in the second tier last season while averaging 1.6 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, which further suggests that he could provide the crisp support to ensure that Kılıçsoy is never left isolated, enjoying a steady flow of playmaking complement.
He also ranked among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Championship last season for progressive carries, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for tackles per 90, as per FBref. This suggests that he will stretch Premier League defences and chip in with tackles to enrich the all-round vigour of the side; Kılıçsoy would only benefit from this.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
Emery must now return with a second bid for the talented striker, especially with Jhon Duran the subject of a transfer offer from West Ham United. The Villans were perhaps slightly overreliant on Watkins' goalscoring last season – with the England international bagging 27 goals across all competitions.
Duran's sale would definitely call for an apt replacement, and the Besiktas man could certainly stake a claim for the role of understudy, young enough not to bemoan a secondary role and talented enough to make a positive impact when called upon.
And with Watkins earning the Premier League's Playmaker of the Season last year after notching 13 assists, he's in good company indeed.
For that matter, so is Philogene. Aston Villa are fast on the rise and the club have navigated around potential stumbling blocks over these past few weeks with aplomb.
With Champions League nights to look forward to, there's every belief that Monchi and the powers that be have the wherewithal and tactical acumen to forge a path toward even more exciting heights.
The stones are being set for a lasting position of power at the forefront of English football. The 'big six', perhaps, might just be starting to splinter, shards flying as a new behemoth grows in size and status, ready to take its place at the head of the table.
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