Aston Villa are reportedly monitoring Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez as a potential option to strengthen our attack this summer.
The 19-year-old made 32 appearances at senior level for the La Liga side last season, scoring three goals and providing two assists, while he’s expected to feature for Spain’s U21s at this summer’s European Championship.
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Having come through the youth ranks at Betis, Rodriguez looks as though he may well have a bright future ahead of him, and it appears as though he is already attracting plenty of interest from elsewhere.
According to Estadio Deportivo, Villa’s President of Football Operations, Monchi, is keeping tabs on the attacking prospect with Villa said to be interested in acquiring him and potentially set to put forward a proposal this summer to try and sign him.
However, it’s added that RB Leipzig have already made an offer while there’s interest from other English clubs and from Italy, and so if we consider the starlet to be a top transfer target, we may well have to move quickly to ensure that we don’t miss out on his signature.
That said, with our PSR issues in mind, our focus up until June 30 is on outgoings to avoid breaching the financial regulations and facing a sanction, and so any incomings may well have to wait until that is addressed.
Nevertheless, Rodriguez looks to have a lot of potential to go on and enjoy a successful career, and with his natural position being on the left wing, that is certainly an area of the Villa squad that needs to be improved, as we tend to lack balance when Jacob Ramsey is unavailable.
That in turn forces the likes of Morgan Rogers or John McGinn to shift across with loanee Marcus Rashford’s stint with us set to end this month, and so it’s clear to see why Villa might be in the market for a player to feature in that role.
Time will tell if it’s Rodriguez who fits the bill and we step up our pursuit, but what is clear at this stage is that Monchi, Emery and our recruitment team will have assessed countless potential transfer targets for this summer, and with that meticulous planning and analysis, it’s hoped that we continue to not only sign talented players, but individuals who can adapt and become a great fit for the squad on and off the pitch.
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