Arsenal transfer news: Emery wants to bring ‘luxury’ Gunners player to Aston Villa in £6m move

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Aston Villa want Mohamed Elneny with Unai Emery allegedly chasing a surprise reunion with the Arsenal defensive midfielder.

That’s according to the Sunday Mirror (08/01, p78), who report that Villa are looking to snap up Elneny this month.

It’s suggested that Arsenal are willing to do business and would be seeking around £6million for Elneny’s signature.

The Egyptian midfielder is out of contract in the summer and Arsenal could cash in before he leaves for nothing.

The report claims that Villa boss Emery wants to reunite with his former Arsenal man, believing that he can bring more steel to the Villa side.

Elneny, hailed as a ‘luxury player’ and ‘incredible’ by Dani Ceballos just month, has played just 111 minutes of Premier League football this season.

We’re going to assume that Ceballos means luxury in the sense of being top quality, rather than in the less-positive sense…

Mohamed Elneny rejoining Emery at Aston Villa would be a huge surprise

It’s fair to say that Elneny didn’t really enjoy his time under Emery at Arsenal.

Elneny only played 17 times under Emery with only eight appearances in the Premier League.

The 30-year-old admitted in 2021 that he was frustrated at barely being given a chance by Emery and that he was much happier under Mikel Arteta.

Elneny even temporarily left Arsenal to join Besiktas on loan as he didn’t figure in Emery’s plans at the Emirates Stadium.

This new report claims that Emery and Elneny have patched things up now and the Villa boss wants to work with him again.

That would be quite the turn of events and one we’re not sure we can really see happening.

Boubacar Kamara is now fit again and looks like a quality midfielder with Douglas Luiz and John McGinn still in the ranks too.

If Kamara continues to shine, Elneny may be stuck out of the team under Emery once again – and that wouldn’t work.

It’s also hard to see Arsenal letting Elneny go right now, even if a summer exit seems likely.

Arsenal need squad depth for their unexpected Premier League title chase and with limited competition for Thomas Partey in holding midfield, Elneny will be needed.