Transfer roundup: Mattéo Guendouzi a target for Aston Villa; Alex Moreno announced
Aston Villa are targeting midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi as their second signing of the January transfer window after completing a deal for left back Alex Moreno on Wednesday.
Guendouzi is reportedly eager to reunite with Villa manager Unai Emery having played under the Spaniard at Arsenal in 2018/19. At his current club, Olympique de Marseille, Guendouzi has reinvigorated his career and appeared once for France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Fabrizio Romano said on Wednesday that Guendouzi was “appreciated” by Villa, but Marseille was yet to receive an offer for the 23-year-old.
On Thursday, Tom Collomosse — the Daily Mail’s Midlands football reporter — revealed that Guendouzi is “open to joining” Villa and could cost around £30 million.
Guendouzi spent the 2021-22 season on loan at Marseille where he played alongside Villa’s Boubacar Kamara and scored five goals in 56 appearances across all competitions.
He completed a permanent move to the French club in the summer and has scored three times in 22 appearances this season.
Aston Villa complete signing of Alex Moreno
Villa announced on Wednesday that Moreno joined the club on a permanent transfer from La Liga’s Real Betis. Romano said the deal is worth €13 million.
The Spaniard has been with Betis since the start of the 2019-20 season and has made 122 appearances for the club across all competitions. He scored five of his six career goals with Betis in 30 matches last season.
ÁM15. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/UYzOVIdvB5
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 11, 2023
Moreno becomes a fourth option for Emery at left back having joined the likes of Lucas Digne, Ludwig Augustinsson, and Ashley Young in the squad.
Digne joined from Everton last January and will be Moreno’s direct competition. Young has appeared at right back since Boxing Day, and Augustinsson could very well see his loan-spell cut short this month.
Aston Villa transfer tidbits
- Villareal forward Arnaut Danjuma is reportedly available for loan this window. Villa are thought to be one of the English clubs interested in the player. He scored 16 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions under Emery last season.
- Gerard Deulofeu’s agent stated that “there has been an interest from Aston Villa, but nothing concrete,” in response to recent rumors that the club was interested in the Udinese forward.
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