Villarreal playmaker and Unai Emery favourite Dani Parejo is on Aston Villa’s radar as the Premier League outfit looking to bring a new midfielder to Bodymoor Heath, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
It’s not exactly uncommon for a recently-appointed head coach to dust of his contact book and touch base with some familiar faces as he looks to put his stamp on a new team. And the list of players linked with January moves to Villa Park reads like a who’s who of former Emery footsoldiers.
Parejo, one of the modern era’s most underrated midfielders, is the latest member of the Villarreal squad linked with an Emery reunion at Villa Park, following on from Pau Torres Arnaut Danjuma and Nicolas Jackson.
The four-time Spain international is the Yellow Submarine’s very own internal navigation system; his radar-like passing helping Villarreal defeat Bayern Munich and Juventus en route to the semi-finals of the 2021/22 Champions League.
A reunion between Emery and Parejo – who also worked together at Valencia a decade ago – is on the cards.
And, with Matteo Guendouzi, Mikel Merino and Weston McKennie seemingly unconvinced about the prospect of a January move to the Midlands, the one-time QPR and Real Madrid prospect can maybe expect a call from Emery over the next few weeks.
Aston Villa could reunite Unai Emery with his former Villarreal playmaker Dani Parejo
Parejo has just 18 months or so remaining on his Villarreal contract. At 33, he would hardly be a long-term addition. But Aston Villa do have a habit of signing experienced players capable of adding genuine strength in depth. Ashley Young, Philippe Coutinho, Robin Olsen, Lucas Digne and Danny Ings for instance. Alex Moreno, the £13 million addition from Real Betis, will celebrate his 30th birthday in June.
“Such a top player technically,” Gary Neville tells The Athletic, having spent a brief spell alongside Parejo during that doomed stint at Valencia in 2015/16.
“He’s an exceptional player. Dani is the type of player who could play for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. (He) could have played for Luis Enrique at Barcelona. He could play in a Pep Guardiola team. He’s that good.”
Parejo may be the wrong side of 30 these days. But he’s ageing like a bottle of wine as deep a shade of claret as Aston Villa’s home shirt. Parejo’s 90 per cent pass completion rate is one of the best in La Liga (WhoScored).
The admiration between Parejo and Emery, meanwhile, is more of a two-way street than a cul-de-sac.
“He is a great coach because of how he prepares, how he studies the oppositon,” Parejo tells Goal. “I have always said that for me the best coaches I had had were (Ernesto) Valverde and Marcelino. And I would like to add Emery.
“I had many coaches, and I have seen how they work. Unai is one of the best, of course. I think he is several steps above as a coach.”
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