Unai Emery’s Aston Villa will have to fork out £25 million to sign Celta Vigo midfield sensation Ilaix Moriba this summer.
Aston Villa are preparing a £15 million opening bid for midfielder Ilaix Moriba, but Celta Vigo value him at £25 million, leaving a £10 million gap as negotiations are set to get underway, according to Football Insider.
Manager Unai Emery is keen to strengthen midfield depth. Moriba, a Guinea international who can operate across multiple midfield roles, offers defensive discipline and ball-carrying ability.
The 23-year-old’s performances at Celta, 48 matches and over 3,500 minutes last season, have caught Villa’s attention, particularly as he has revived his career since joining the Spanish outfit from RB Leipzig.
Emery already has a strong midfield core with Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana, but he wants to strengthen rotation options, and Moriba fits that profile.
The Guinean international’s impressive performances have attracted a lot of interest, amidst Celta Vigo’s need to raise funds to balance their books. While he is a key figure at the club, the Spanish club are open to negotiations because of their financial situation.
Once regarded as a bright prospect from Barcelona’s academy, Moriba has shown signs of rebuilding his reputation in recent La Liga performances, and that resurgence has caught Villa’s attention.
Villa’s offer is nowhere close to Celta’s valuation
Villa have positioned themselves as ambitious operators under Emery and continue to seek players capable of elevating their squad. However, any deal hinges on Villa’s willingness to close the £10 million valuation gap.
While Celta Vigo are under pressure to sell, they have little intention of accepting a reduced fee. Having signed him for just £5 million, they are looking to make a significant profit on the youngster, who is a box-to-box midfielder with great tactical intelligence.
Villa wanted to strike a deal between £10-15 million, making the most out of Celta’s situation. They are hoping the lure of Champions League football will convince the player. However, the Spanish club are not ready to accept a cut-price fee. The dispute now hinges on Villa’s willingness to bridge the £10 million gap and Celta’s financial pressure.
