La Liga expert Terry Gibson is ‘surprised’ to see Aston Villa close in on a £13 million deal for Real Betis’ Alex Moreno, telling talkSPORT (10 January, 1am) that the Premier League outfit already have their fair share of left-backs.
Just 12 months ago, France international Lucas Digne swapped Everton for Villa Park for a fee of around £25 million. Ludwig Augustinsson, meanwhile, has half-a-season remaining on the short-term contract he signed when joining from Sevilla over the summer.
The seemingly-imminent arrival of Alex Moreno, then, has understandably left Gibson somewhat taken aback, with left-back one of the stronger areas of the Villa squad on paper.
“I’m surprised because Aston Villa have got some left-backs already,” says the former Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United forward. “It will be interesting to see where they play him, whether at left-back or further up the pitch. He can do both.”
Aston Villa are close to signing Alex Moreno from La Liga outfit Real Betis
Moreno scored five goals and set up five more for Copa del Rey winners Real Betis in 2021/22. As Gibson points out, the 29-year-old former Espanyol flyer is capable of thriving in a more attacking role; his speed and energy potentially allowing Unai Emery to adopt a wing-back system if required.
There is also a chance that Augustinsson could depart some five months ahead of schedule. The Swede has featured only three times in the Premier League. Augustinsson was also part of the much-changed Aston Villa side stunned in the FA Cup by fourth-tier Stevenage on Sunday.
According to El Desmarque, Moreno could triple his wages with that £13 million move to the Midlands, while potentially signing a long-term deal until the summer of 2027. Clearly, Aston Villa believe in the longevity of a player who celebrated his 29th birthday in June.
“He’s your classic Spanish full-back (who) started out as a winger,” Gibson adds. “Maybe three or four inches taller than (Barcelona’s) Jordi Alba. But that’s exactly what he’s like.”
Moreno was left out of the Real Betis squad for this week’s Spanish Super Cup. He turned down a summer move to Nottingham Forest prior to Renan Lodi’s arrival from Atletico Madrid.
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