Former Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi admits he would be ‘open’ to re-joining the Premier League high-flyers as Unai Emery’s side prepare to take on Ajax in Europe this week.
Having represented both Ajax and Aston Villa during his career on the pitch, Thursday’s intriguing Europa Conference League clash between two former continental champions takes on extra significance for Anwar El Ghazi.
He’ll certainly be watching closely. Not that he’s got much else to do at the moment, of course, El Ghazi currently a free-agent after his spell at Bundesliga outfit Mainz ended in very controversial circumstances back in October.
It remains to be seen where El Ghazi ends up next. A return to Aston Villa feels unlikely – Unai Emery’s attack is so stocked these days that even £50 million summer signing Moussa Diaby has found starts hard to come by – but should the opportunity arise, it is one the 28-year-old would definitely consider.
Anwar El Ghazi open to Aston Villa return
“Maybe in the future. I am always open to these clubs,” El Ghazi tells Ajax Showtime. “(Aston Villa) will always remain in my heart, and I would always enjoy a position within the club. If I can help the club, I am certainly open to it.”
The former Everton, PSV Eindhoven and Lille man will forever remain a key figure in Villa’s modern history. He scored the opener, after all, in the 2-1 victory over Derby County at Wembley back in 2019, that play-off final triumph the springboard for the club’s current success under Emery.
“Ahey returned to the Premier League partly thanks to me. I scored an important goal against Derby County in the final. That is also called the £200 million goal!” El Ghazi laughs.
“I am still loved there. I still have good interaction with the fans. That’s why these two clubs are really in my heart.”
El Ghazi hit double figures in the Premier League back in 2020/21 but fell out of favour under Steven Gerrard, sold to PSV for just £2.5 million.
Emery’s side backed to knock out Ajax
“I’ll tell you, I was there with Steven Gerrard,” El Ghazi explains. “At that time, he already bought quite a few players who are still there today (such as Leon Bailey). I think there have only been a few new players since then.
“I think it really depends on the coach, on the way he plays. We already had a good team at the time with almost the same players as now.
“I hear – I still have a lot of contact with the players – that the coach (Emery) is a football fanatic, who watches a lot of videos and gives training sessions that you dread! Sometimes there are meetings for I don’t know how long.
“He is tactically strong and knows how to get the best out of his players. A lot has to do with the trainer, that’s for sure.”
El Ghazi, meanwhile, is backing the European-specialist Emery to knock Ajax out of the Conference League on Thursday.
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