Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is reportedly keen to add defender Mario Hermoso to his squad this summer, with a potential free transfer swoop touted.
The 28-year-old Spanish international joined Atletico Madrid from Espanyol in July 2019, and has since gone on to make 170 appearances for the club.
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With the versatility and quality to play either as a centre-half or on the left side of a back three and perhaps even as a left-back, Hermoso has added 10 goals and six assists to go with his defensive duties as he has been a key figure for Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital.
However, his current contract with Atleti is set to expire this summer, and it’s reported by Mundo Deportivo that the more likely scenario at this stage is that he will move on, as opposed to renewing and extending his stay.
Further, Villa are said to be ‘best placed’ to sign him and that Emery not only wants to add him to his squad, but he’s also already informed him of his desire to do so, and so it remains to be seen if we can fend off the competition and add Hermoso to the group over the summer to bolster our defence.
Clement Lenglet is expected to return to Barcelona at the end of the season when his loan spell comes to an end, while Tyrone Mings is still working his way back from a serious injury. He’ll be targeting pre-season as his opportunity to step up his work and put himself back in contention ahead of next year.
Nevertheless, there could be the need to strengthen in that area of the squad as we prepare for another gruelling campaign that hopefully involves Champions League football, and so Hermoso could be an astute signing on a free transfer to compete with, and provide cover for, the likes of Pau Torres and whoever emerges as first-choice at left-back.
Time will tell if an agreement can be reached on personal terms, if Hermoso is indeed a priority target for us this summer, but should a move materialise, it will further strengthen the Spanish contingent as Emery continues to build – and mould – the squad into his own to hopefully take us to the next level.
