Aston Villa Eyes World Cup Standout Ounahi to Bolster Midfield

Since his arrival in October, Emery has been implementing major changes at Villa Park, both on the pitch and off it. After strengthening the defensive and offensive ranks with players like Alex Moreno (Real Betis) and Jhon Duran (Colorado Rapids), he could now focus on the midfield. According to Italian journalist Ciro Venerato, Villa are interested in one of the revelations of the 2022 World Cup. He said: "These days are decisive for the Moroccan midfielder. The president of Angers has gone to England and it seems he is in discussions with Aston Villa."

With a price of around €25 million (£22m), Azzedine Ounahi would bring creativity and assurance to Aston Villa’s midfield, establishing fluidity and perhaps becoming one of the most prominent midfielders in the English championship. He has played 48 matches with his team, scoring two goals and two assists, and has impressed with his ball skills and ease with the ball.

This season, the player with 17 caps for Morocco has played 15 matches with his struggling team, which currently occupies the last place in Ligue 1 and is going through a bad patch, having lost 11 consecutive league matches.

Would Ounahi thrive at Aston Villa? According to Sofascore, he has averaged 1.5 shots and 1.1 key passes per league game this season, with an 88% pass success rate, while also making 1.3 tackles and 1 interception per match. He has therefore been essential in preventing his team from sinking further towards relegation.