Aston Villa have now contacted Udinese to make an enquiry into the availability of Gerard Deulofeu for a transfer. Manager Unai Emery has made the forward one of his top targets.
That is according to Birmingham Live, which reports Emery has told the Villa Park hierarchy to sign at least one attacking option in January. The Spaniard is determined to improve his offensive ranks and has funds to use to revamp the team he adopted from Steven Gerrard.
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Aston Villa have tracked Deulofeu’s form in Serie A this season as a potential option to add new attacking impetus. Talks have also now started between the Premier League team and his Italian side. But the claret-and-blue club are yet to advance from launching an enquiry.
Deulofeu has offered two goals and six assists in his 15 Serie A appearances, starting each, so far this term. The 28-year-old also penned one goal and one assist over two Coppa Italia ties. But he would not help I Bianconeri avoid a 3-2 loss to AC Monza in the second round.
Udinese also sit eighth in Serie A after 16 games and are only five points shy of the Europa League places. Yet the Dacia Arena natives are without a win in eight league fixtures, over which Deulofeu has hit two goals. He missed their 1-1 draw with FC Empoli on Wednesday.
Emery has asked Aston Villa to secure a transfer for Udinese star Deulofeu
Udinese coach Andrea Sottil was without Deulofeu at home to Empoli due to an injury. The Bianconeri boss has also confirmed the forward will not return for their trip to Juventus on Saturday. But he noted the four-cap Spain star is ‘completing the last step’ of his recovery.
In the meantime, Aston Villa are advancing their interest in the transfer of Deulofeu from Udinese. 90min and Foot Mercato had already cited the Birmingham outfit as a suitor for the forward. The latter also noted that Emery had told Villa to sign the attacker in January.
Emery previously worked with Deulofeu on loan from Barcelona whilst in charge of Sevilla. They won the Europa League title together during the 2014/15 term, as well. While Emery later admitted in 2019 during the tactician’s spell in charge of Arsenal that ‘I like him a lot’.
Deulofeu was playing for Watford at the time but left Vicarage Road for Udinese in 2020. He initially joined the Serie A squad on loan before completing a €17m (£15m) permanent deal in January 2021. The attacker also played for Everton in 2013/14 and from 2015 to 2017.
Everton initially hired him on loan from Barcelona before securing a permanent deal after Deulofeu’s spell at Emery’s Sevilla. Roberto Martinez even described the forward as ‘what a special talent’ following the Riudarenes native’s £4.25m return under the Spanish coach.
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