Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini is disappointed to lose Alex Moreno to Aston Villa after the left-back completed his £13 million move to the Premier League outfit, speaking to Yahoo Deportes.
Moreno was a lick of paint away from marking his farewell appearance with a goal. During Sunday’s 2-1 La Liga win at Rayo Vallecano, the swashbuckling full-back popped up in the penalty area and slammed a left-footed firecracker off the underside of the bar.
This was a little snapshot of what Aston Villa fans can expect from the first signing of the Unai Emery era. One-time Barcelona youngster Moreno began his career as a winger, and those attacking instincts still form a hugely important part of his game.
Moreno scored or assisted 10 goals in 2021/22 alone. And while he will compete with Lucas Digne for a starting spot under Emery, he is a very different type of left-back to the £25 million France international. Digne prefers to stay wide and deliver teasing crosses from deep, while Moreno’s game is all about darting runs into the penalty area.
As La Liga expert Terry Gibson points out, there are more than a few similarities between Moreno and Barcelona’s Jordi Alba.
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa sign Alex Moreno from La Liga outfit Real Betis
“It’s a big loss,” Pellegrini sighs with Moreno’s exit now confirmed. “He was in great form, and he gave us a lot both defensively and offensively.
“I also said at the beginning of the season that, if there is an important sale that can partly solve the club’s financial problems, most likely it will have to take place.”
Aston Villa pay £13 million for Moreno. The one-time Espanyol ace turned down Nottingham Forest over the summer. He could now make his Premier League debut against Leeds United on Friday night at Villa Park.
“Alex is a good player that can help our squad,” Emery beams. “He has been one of the top left-backs in La Liga over the past few seasons. We are delighted to have him here.”
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