Aston Villa boss Unai Emery reportedly considers Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu as a transfer target in January.
The 28-year-old has been in good form so far this season for the Serie A outfit, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 17 appearances across all competitions.
READ MORE: How Villa could line up vs Tottenham: Key decision for Emery, two possible changes
Villa have managed just 17 goals in 16 Premier League games so far this season, and so it could realistically be an area of the squad that Emery is looking to strengthen next month.
According to the Daily Mail, Deulofeu is on Villa’s transfer radar as Emery eyes a reunion with his fellow Spaniard having previously worked together at Sevilla, and so it remains to be seen if talks between the two clubs develop in the coming days and weeks to facilitate a move.
It’s added in the report that Emery will be backed by the Villa hierarchy to stamp his mark on the squad, and so it will be fascinating to see how many signings he feels he needs, and who we can bring in to address his concerns.
While it may not necessarily be as exciting a transfer target as some Villa fans might have hoped for, at this stage it’s arguably more about bringing in players who are well suited to Emery’s system and style of play and who can make the biggest impact for him to help us progress.
Deulofeu has plenty of experience at a high level and is coming into the peak years of his career, and combined with his form so far this season, it could perhaps be an underrated signing that turns out to be a crucial addition for us.
Emery does of course have plenty of options in the final third already, and so if a move for Deulofeu was to materialise, it will be interesting to see who would slip down the pecking order as a result and possibly even move on in January if they don’t fit into the plans of the Villa boss moving forward.
With his movement, creativity, technical quality, eye for goal and versatility to play across the frontline, Deulofeu could be a smart reinforcement, but based on the report above, there is still some way to go before a move comes to fruition.
