Aston Villa are interested in signing UD Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy during the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is an admirer of the Senegal international, and he has urged the West Midlands club to get the deal done for him in the coming months.
The player could cost around €25 million, but Villa are hoping to sign him for a fee of €18 million. So, there is a gap in the valuation that must be plugged through negotiations in the coming weeks.
The Villans need more physicality and defensive steel in the middle of the park. Aston Villa will be competing in the UEFA Champions League next season, and they need to improve defensively. Lopy will not only protect the defensive unit but also allow the attacking players to operate with greater freedom. He will help them tighten up at the back and improve them going forward as well. The player was heavily linked with a move to Everton last season.
Lopy will be tempted to join Aston Villa
The opportunity to join Aston Villa will be quite exciting for the Senegal international. He is 24, and this is the right time for him to take on a bigger challenge. The opportunity to move to the Premier League would be a huge step up, and he will find it difficult to turn it down in favour of playing in the Spanish second division.
The Senegalese midfielder will want to reach the highest level. Aston Villa could provide him with Champions League football and the opportunity to push for trophies. Additionally, Emery has quality players at his disposal.
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The Spaniard could help bring out the best in the 24-year-old midfielder and help him establish himself as a key player for club and country. The player has recorded five goal contributions this season, and he could be an asset for Aston Villa. The reported investment seems quite nominal for a player of his potential, and he could easily justify the outlay in future. The deal could prove to be a masterstroke in the long-term.