Aston Villa have opened talks over a new contract for utility man Lamare Bogarde, as Unai Emery values his presence in the squad.
Lamare Bogarde is one of those players who may not be spectacular but is equally useful for a team like Aston Villa. Unai Emery recognises that, and as per Football Insider, the club have opened contract talks with the utility midfielder as they prioritise improving their depth ahead of the new season.
Aston Villa had a wonderful season, finishing fourth in the Premier League while clinching the Europa League title. As part of the latter, Lamare Bogarde made eight starts in their European campaign and has largely proved himself to be a useful member of this squad under Unai Emery.
He may not be a regular starter, but his 28 appearances in the Premier League proved important as Villa missed a host of their first-team midfielders for large parts of the season. He has shown himself worthy of a new contract, as Emery wants to prioritise depth ahead of the new campaign after guiding them back to the Champions League.
Aston Villa to keep Lamare Bogarde?
Brighton were reportedly interested around January, and it appears they could rekindle their pursuit ahead of the summer. Aston Villa had no interest in entertaining talks then and are certainly set to block any move for the promising talent, as he has continued to make his case as a key member of the first-team setup.
Villa do not want to lose a player who has been improving steadily since coming through their youth ranks and breaking into the first team. The 22-year-old did not score or assist across all competitions, but as a defensive midfielder, his numbers have been solid.
Apart from being an effective presence in the middle of the pitch, the midfielder maintains a pass accuracy close to the 90% mark while winning more than 50% of his duels. He also made 2.23 tackles per 90 minutes during the campaign. Overall, Aston Villa have many reasons to keep him, as his development trajectory continues to rise.
Aston Villa chasing new midfielders?
Aston Villa do view players like Bogarde as important for squad depth and the future, but they are also looking to sign strong first-team players in the summer. Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara is a key target, while free agent Hidemasa Morita remains heavily linked with a move following his departure from Sporting CP.
Emery also wants to retain key man Youri Tielemans, with Aston Villa reportedly set to open talks over a new deal. Overall, the manager is prioritising depth, retention, and new additions as the team gears up for an important season both domestically and in Europe.
