REPORT:Aston Villa  has signed Ajax midfielder who is four clubs target and perfect in football aspects

REPORT:Aston Villa  has signed Ajax midfielder who is four clubs target and perfect in football aspects 

According to Football Insider, Premier League side Aston Villa are keen on signing Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto in the ongoing summer transfer window.

The Midlands-based outfit are currently enjoying a renaissance of sorts under Unai Emery and are a team on the rise. They are also eyeing deals for promising young talent and now appear to be zeroing in on the young Elland Road star.

The 19-year-old spent many years in the Inter Milan academy before earning his senior stripes with FC Zurich. He moved to Elland Road last summer, making 28 appearances and scoring four goals and assists apiece.

Primarily a left winger, Gnonto is capable of playing anywhere along the frontline. This versatility should give Emery options on how to deploy the Italian star in several contingencies.

The youngster is a full Italian international and was one of Leeds’s few shining lights in an otherwise forgetful season. He now looks likely to return to the Premier League and once again continue his development in the English top flight.

Despite his potential, Gnonto remains a raw talent with much fine-tuning needed. Working under a strict tactician like Emery should aid him more in fulfilling his potential than staying on in the Championship with Leeds.

Villa currently faces competition from Everton and other foreign clubs for the 19-year-old. Given their standing in the top flight and lofty ambitions, the Villians have a real chance at attracting the youngster by pitching their project.

With Philippe Coutinho’s future at Villa Park far from certain, Leon Bailey remains the club’s lone recognizable option on the left wing. The Bayer Leverkusen star is a handful on his day but has the tendency to go missing at times. Bringing in Gnonto will give Emery options and also add depth to an otherwise number-light position.

The Italian ace’s ceiling is certainly high and he is at a position in his career where proper guidance is needed. Elland Road is far from a stable place at this moment in time and he is better off making the switch to Villa Park.

Pau Torres blows journalist away as ‘outstanding’ Aston Villa transfer update shared by Fabrizio Romano on Wednesday
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…

Dan Bardell claims Aston Villa’s signing of centre-back Pau Torres shows how far the club has come while praising the Spaniard as an “outrageous” addition to Unai Emery’s squad.

Torres comes from Emery’s former club Villarreal in a deal worth up to £35million [Daily Mail] and will link up with his ex-boss to join the vastly-improved Villa defence.

The Villans ended that Premier League campaign by conceding just six goals in their last eight games to make a significant improvement from the beginning of the campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell claimed that both the Premier League itself and Emery got Torres to the club.

“I think it’s probably a bit of both”, said Bardell. “It’s the place that most footballers want to come and play because it’s the highest standard of football that there is, in my opinion.

“Torres has played under Emery before, he’s probably played his best football under Emery, so there’ll be an element of trust and a relationship there already.

“He was in the team that got to the semi-finals of the Champions League with Villarreal under Emery, so he’s seen first-hand what Emery’s methods can do.

People stood up and took notice of Villa a little bit more towards the end of last season and gave Emery the credit he deserved for the job he’s done. To get Villa into Europe was absolutely unbelievable, Villa had no right to get there after the start they had. It just shows what a good manager Emery is.

“I think it’s quite encouraging to strengthen in a place that doesn’t need strengthening. Villa’s defence was really good towards the back end of the season with so many clean sheets especially away from home. The defence was really the foundation and a big part of what got Villa European football.

“To be strengthening in that position from a position of strength is a positive thing.

Torres has played international football for a big country in Spain, he’s got European experience as well which is a big thing in this squad because not many of the Villa players have experience actually playing any form of European football, let alone the Thursday-Sunday thing.

“If you watch him play when he’s on form, he’s an outrageous centre-back. He’s so, so skilful. The stuff he can do with the ball, he’s really progressive with his passing and will often do Cruyff turns to make space.

“He’s a really skilled defender, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to come to the Premier League and adapt straight away, that’s why I think it’s a good thing that Villa are well-blessed in the centre-half position. There are already three or four there, and he comes in and adds to that.“