da imperador bet： Aston Villa face the real possibility of ending a near 30-year trophy drought this season as the club are fighting on three fronts.
da heads bet： Unai Emery has transformed the team, and they are currently enjoying the fruits of their labour. With Europa Conference League progression secured and a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup achieved, Villa could face some fixture congestion over the coming months.
This could lead to the Spaniard bolstering his squad this month by making a new signing or two across a few positions.
One key area which could be improved in the January transfer window is Emery’s forward line, as aside from Ollie Watkins, Villa don’t really have anyone else able to score on a regular basis.
One name that has been linked with a move is Jonathan David, as the striker is looking for a move away from Lille in the near future.
Aston Villa transfer news – Jonathan David
According to a report from Football Transfers earlier this week, Villa are keen on making a move for David during the current January transfer window as Emery looks to strengthen ahead of what could be an important few months ahead.
The Midlands outfit face stiff competition from Manchester United, however, as the Canadian international looks to have his heart set on making the move to the Premier League, despite additional interest from AC Milan.
The forward is currently valued at €44.8m (£39m) according to Football Transfers and with 18 months left on his current contract, this month could represent the final chance for the Ligue 1 side to secure a top offer for their prized asset.
Aston Villa could land a £43m Diaby rival who "loves to score"
Unai Emery is keen to bolster his attacking options.
ByTom Lever
Villa have enjoyed some success by doing their transfer dealings in France recently, with Boubacar Kamara emerging as one of their key players under Emery since making the move to England in the summer of 2022.
Boubacar Kamara has been a success at Aston Villa
Ahead of Steven Gerrard’s first full season in charge, the former Liverpool captain aimed to assert his influence in the squad as he looked for top-tier talent from across the continent.
The likes of Robin Olsen, Leander Dendoncker and Philippe Coutinho were all unveiled as permanent arrivals, yet it was the signing of Kamara – who didn’t cost a penny – that was the most intriguing.
The midfielder arrived with plenty of pedigree, making 170 appearances for Marseille across a six-season spell and, emerging as one of the finest French talents in the process.
This led Gerrard to secure him on a free transfer after his contract expired at the French club, and it has since proven to be a shrewd acquisition indeed.
The 24-year is currently valued at €47m (£40m) which suggests the club could pocket a massive profit should they sell him in the next year or so, but Emery will be keen on keeping one of his prized assets.
Injury problems restricted Kamara to just 26 games in all competitions last season, but he has more than made up for that during the current campaign.
The Frenchman has missed just five games during 2023/24, with four coming due to suspension, and he has impressed when on the pitch.
Indeed, he currently ranks fifth among the squad for accurate passes per game (46), while also ranking first for tackles (2.3) and interceptions (1.1) per game, showcasing his wonderful defensive acumen in the heart of the midfield.
Kamara can dictate the play from deep and, when compared to his positional peers over the previous 12 months, he ranks in the top 11% for pass completion percentage (88.3%) per 90, indicating just where his talents lie.
His importance to the team is critical to any success they go on to have this term and Emery could repeat this blinder by luring David to Villa Park this month.
Jonathan David’s career statistics
The forward began his career and posted decent numbers during the embryonic stages of his professional life in Belgium, scoring 37 goals and chipping in with 15 assists in 83 matches, and this type of form was always going to see him leave Gent.
Lille managed to secure his signature ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, and he has since shone in France, already scoring 68 goals in just 160 matches, working out at a goal every 2.3 matches, and this sort of strike rate could benefit Villa.
The forward has also had a positive impact on Canada, leading them to qualification for just their second-ever World Cup in 2022 and netting 26 goals across just 45 appearances, a wonderful return on the international stage.
His former national team boss, John Herdman, even lauded David, describing him as “fearless” and judging by his recent statistics over the previous couple of years, he is spot on.
Last season, the 5 foot 11 machine ranked first in the squad for goals and assists in the French top flight (28) along with finishing first for shots on target per game (1.5) and goal frequency (a goal every 132 minutes), underlining his importance to the French outfit.
Although his goal output has dropped this season, he still ranks first for goal contributions this term (six), yet he also tops the pile for big chances missed (six) and perhaps this is an area that will need to be improved should he wish to remain clinical if he joins Villa.
Watkins has been in sublime form during 2023/24, contributing to 44% of Villa’s total goals in the Premier League, but should he suffer an injury or dip in form, Villa may struggle.
Their next top goalscorer is winger Leon Bailey, who has nine goals so far this season, but Emery can’t afford to rely on wide players to score on a regular basis.
This makes a move for another centre-forward imperative this month if the club aim to achieve some sort of success and a swoop for David – who has been hailed as a "phenom" by Canadian podcaster Tony Marinaro – makes perfect sense.
He has scored at the highest level and could offer something different in the Villa attack, and he might just be the catalyst from which the club could finally end their nearly three-decade major trophy drought.
It's over to you now Emery.