Aston Villa appear to be on the track toward weaving past Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, with Douglas Luiz expected to join Juventus.
Homegrown product Tim Iroegbunam is also expected to join Everton for around £10m, with certain other deals being worked toward beneath the surface.
Fears that have been bubbling away over recent months have no doubt been allayed by the exciting news that a deal has been agreed with Chelsea for Ian Maatsen, expected to cost around £35-40m.
Strengthening further is key though, with Unai Emery masterminding a top-four finish that has rolled out the carpet for Champions League football. Signs are positive heading into a crunch period.
Aston Villa transfer news
Luiz's transfer to Juventus has been in the pipeline for some time now but a hitch has arrived in the form of Weston McKennie, one of two players – along with Samuel Iling-Junior – expected to head to Villa Park in a part cash, part player swap deal. The USMNT midfielder, however, now looks unlikely to be involved.
However, according to Fabrizio Romano, Villa are in negotiations to bring Enzo Barrenechea instead, with positive talks between all parties suggesting a deal could be concluded soon.
Romano continues to state that the Argentinian midfielder wants the move, and now it is simply up to Villa to close the deal.
Enzo Barrenechea's style of play
Born in Cordoban-province city Villa Maria (a good omen, perchance?), Barrenechea has been on Juventus' books since signing from Newell Old Boys for €3m (£2m) in the summer of 2019, with the 23-year-old only featuring five times for the senior squad but flourishing out on loan last season.
Matches played
36
Matches started
32
Goals
0
Assists
1
Pass completion
87%
Touches per game
63.9
Key passes per game
0.7
Tackles per game
1.8
Clearances per game
1.6
Ball recoveries per game
6.4
Duels won per game
4.9 (56%)
Frosinone might have been relegated last term – finishing 18th with 35 points, one fewer than 17th-placed Empoli – but Barrenechea successfully showcased his skills and used the experience to announce himself to the major stage.
Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed him as "one of the most intelligent prospects in Italian football", with his notable defensive skills marking him as a top-tier player in the making. As per FBref, the imposing midfielder ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for blocks and the top 17% for aerial duels won per 90.
He's less impressive than Luiz in regard to attacking play but 0.7 key passes per game for a lowly team that scored more goals than nine divisional rivals despite falling speaks of his impact, maintaining a measure of fluency that kept the team competitive.
The 6-foot Juve star would perhaps benefit Villa greatly in that regard. Luiz has already been replaced to a degree by Ross Barkley, who notched nine goal contributions from 30 Premier League starts for Luton Town last season, while the multi-purpose Conor Gallagher remains on the radar, albeit holding his reservations.
Luiz, while combative, tasked with holding the engine room together, proved to be a devastating attacking outlet under Emery's wing, clinching ten goals and adding ten assists in all competitions as Villa qualified for the Champions League.
The 26-year-old, to further evidence this point, ranks among the top 16% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90.
But, moreover and more pertinently, Luiz is a brilliant all-action player, with The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell even describing him as "one of the Premier League's most complete midfielders."
As per Sofascore, the Brazil international completed an average of 1.7 tackles, 5.3 ball recoveries and 4.2 successful duels per game in the English top flight last season. Indeed, the absence of his presence at the anchor of the midfield calls for a player of equal – or perhaps, even, superior – athleticism, calls for Barrenechea.
While the Turin-based talent wasn't Emery nor Monchi's first pick, he may well prove to be a bona fide success at Villa Park, surpassing any impact that McKennie would have made.
McKennie, firstly, is not a holding midfielder. The American has a range of skills but frequented the right flank with regularity during the 2023/24 campaign, with his creative qualities seeing him play in a more advanced position. With the aforementioned Barkley signing and John McGinn and, possibly, Gallagher on the books, is this the best move?
Or is, in fact, it wise to strengthen the defensive department? Not least because Boubacar Kamara is recuperating from a knee injury and will not be available until the latter months of the year.
McKennie, secondly, flattered to deceive during his loan spell at Leeds United across the second half of the 2022/23 term, starting 16 top-flight matches but being branded "terrible" by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, spiralling into the second tier with Elland Road.
Barrenechea could be that perfect figure, still raw and unrefined but blessed with all the requisite traits for a prosperous Premier League career, even hailed as a “physical specimen” by journalist Antonio Mango.
Villa Park boasts a healthy squad of different talents, but Barrenechea has the skills to cement a starring role and could prove to be a masterful addition in a few years.
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