If Unai Emery had a number of difficult decisions to make regarding the future of some of Aston Villa’s fringe players, the nature of Sunday’s calamitous FA Cup third round defeat to fourth-tier Stevenage may have helped to make up his mind.
Subbed off with just over an hour gone, Philippe Coutinho’s dramatic decline could hardly have been more pronounced against League Two opposition as rumours of a return to Brazil continue to swirl. Jan Bednarek, meanwhile, did little to suggest that Emery should be fighting tooth and nail to prevent an early return to parent club Southampton.
And was this the last we see of Ludwig Augustinsson in claret-and-blue? Making only his fifth and potentially final appearance in Aston Villa colours, the Sweden international left-back frustrated the home support with a series of misplaced crosses. Few will be too disappointed to see him go.
Aston Villa could sign Real Betis’ Alex Moreno amid doubts over Ludwig Augustinsson
The Birmingham Mail believe Augustinsson could bring an early end to his short-term loan spell at Villa Park. Four months ahead of schedule. And the impending arrival of Alex Moreno from Real Betis feels like something of a ‘final straw’ situation.
Moreno, AS says, has been left at home as Betis jetting out to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup. Aston Villa have reportedly agreed a £13 million fee with the La Liga outfit; an announcement understood to be close. One of Europe’s most underrated left-backs, Moreno scored five goals and set up five more for Betis in 2021/22. And his all-action, adventurous approach makes the former Espanyol speedster a good fit for a coach – in Emery – who tends to demand a lot of thrust and creativity from his full-backs.
“Wing-backs give us the opportunity to get wide,” Emery told Arsenal Player back in 2019. “They give control with the ball when you have players inside. They can go outside, keeping wide and going deep for the last attacking moment.
“Maybe they can be runners and have the capacity to add the attacking moments when the team needs it. They can offer a surprise with attacking moment.”
Moreno typifies Emery’s approach better than most left-backs currently on the market. He is quicker and provides more a threat in the final third than Augustinsson. Since the start of 2021/22, Augustinsson has just one assist and no goals.
Alex Moreno in, Augustinsson out?
Moreno’s arrival could see Lucas Digne – a big money arrival from Everton just 12 months ago – shunted onto the bench; the Frenchman’s form at Villa Park leaving a lot to be desired. As for Augustinsson? Well if the former Werder Bremen stalwart was frustrated with life as Aston Villa’s number two left-back, then it’s unlikely he will respond all that positively to the addition of further competition the shape of Alex Moreno.
Two of Augustinsson’s three Villa starts have come in cup competitions. With Villa out of the FA and the EFL Cup, it’s hard to see where the next game’s coming from.
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