Aston Villa’s victory over Manchester City at the weekend means they head into Christmas occupying sixth place in the Premier League table, just three points outside the top four.
It is no secret that Unai Emery wishes to secure a place in the Champions League again for next season, especially given how well the club have performed in the competition so far.
The Spaniard wishes to see more glorious European nights at Villa Park and it is clear that he must bulk up his squad during the January transfer window.
The question is, what positions will he aim to strengthen?
Aston Villa showing interest in Serie A star
In the attacking midfield slot, Emery has been able to call upon the likes of Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia this term, with the former really beginning to demonstrate his class since the campaign began.
According to reports from Caught Offside last week, however, it looks as though Villa are keeping tabs on Atalanta midfielder Charles De Ketelaere ahead of making a potential swoop during the winter window.
The Italian side value the player at around £40m, which shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for Emery, especially if he can sell a player or two during the same window.
He will face plenty of competition for the Belgian, as Premier League clubs such as Liverpool, West Ham United, Arsenal and Manchester City are just a few teams who are keeping tabs on the situation regarding the player.
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Atalanta currently sit at the top of the Serie A table, which means it may be difficult for any club to prise away their star players when the window opens.
Morgan Rogers
Middlesbrough
Kosta Nedelkovic
Red Star Belgrade
Joe Gauci
Adelaide United
Lino Sousa
Arsenal
Jhon Duran
Chicago
Alex Moreno
Real Betis
This might not stop Emery, especially as he could make Jhon Duran unplayable by bringing the midfielder to the club.
How De Ketelaere could make Duran unplayable
The Colombian has been in sublime form this season, managing to find the back of the net 12 times across 25 appearances in all competitions, despite starting only six times for the club all season.
Duran was a wanted man during the summer transfer window, but Emery will be glad that he remained in the Midlands.
The South American has started the previous three Premier League fixtures, justifying Emery’s faith by scoring in all three games.
Rogers has been supplying the centre forward with the goods throughout the campaign, but might a deal to sign De Ketelaere give Duran even more opportunities in the final third?
For example, in the Italian top flight this term, the Belgian maestro has not only created nine big chances in 16 games, but he has also averaged 1.8 key passes per match and succeeded with 1.1 dribbles each game, underlining how impressive he is in the final third.
When compared to positional peers in Serie A this season, the 23-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% for assists (0.41), the top 3% for progressive passes (6.18) and in the top 10% for touches in the attacking penalty area (5.19) per 90, which is yet more evidence of how devastating he is in the opposition third.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
These statistics indicate that he would be a dream signing for Duran, being able to link up well with the Colombian by operating just behind him in a number ten role under Emery.
After a stunning display for Atalanta against Young Boys in the Champions League earlier this season, where he scored twice and registered three assists, football talent scout Jacek Kulig said: “A truly magical European night for the 23-year-old Atalanta attacker”
It is clear that the biggest stage doesn’t faze the youngster, which could be yet another quality which would help him settle in well at Villa.
Furthermore, De Ketelaere is also similar to a Premier League superstar who is arguably one of the finest attacking talents in Europe; Bukayo Saka.
If Emery can somehow pull off the signing in January, he could have his very own version of Saka at his disposal, which would bolster their chances of finishing in the top four.
How De Ketelaere compares to Bukayo Saka
Ask any manager in the Premier League and they would love to be able to call upon the services of Saka in their starting XI, including Liverpool and Manchester City.
So far this season, the Englishman has already scored nine league goals along with registering 13 assists for the Gunners as they aim to end their two-decade wait for a league crown.
Even more impressive is the fact he has created 19 big chances in the top flight while averaging 2.7 key passes per game and succeeding with 2.1 dribbles each game, terrorising defences up and down the country.
According to FBref, Saka is the third-most comparable player to De Ketelaere in Europe’s top five leagues, which suggests Emery would be signing an extraordinarily talented player should he land the Belgian.
Indeed, the pair have even registered similar statistics across a range of metrics this season, including goals and assists (17 vs 21), shots on target per 90 (1.19 vs 1.27), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.94 vs 1.32), touches in the final third (88 vs 143) and successful take-on percentage (43.9% vs 42.3%).
These statistics prove that the Atalanta midfielder is certainly on par with Saka in a wide range of attacking metrics, which suggests he would be an excellent addition to the Villa squad from January onwards.
Emery might be looking to sell at least one player to raise some funds for any future transfers, but given their Champions League form, money shouldn’t really be an issue, especially as the fee quoted is around £40m.
For this price, Emery will be able to sign someone who is performing at a level similar to Saka this season, and the move could turn out to be a wonderful piece of business for the club. That’s a certainty.
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