Aston Villa were brought back down to earth following a drab 0-0 draw against Everton over the weekend as they slipped down to third in the Premier League table.
With just over a couple of weeks left in the January transfer window, Unai Emery will be keen on bringing at least another one or two fresh faces to Villa Park in order to bolster his squad.
|
Premier League Top Four |
Matches |
Wins |
Draws |
Losses |
Points |
GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Liverpool |
20 |
13 |
6 |
1 |
45 |
25 |
|
2. Man City |
20 |
13 |
4 |
3 |
43 |
25 |
|
3. Aston Villa |
21 |
13 |
4 |
4 |
43 |
16 |
|
4. Arsenal |
20 |
12 |
4 |
4 |
40 |
17 |
There have been plenty of names linked with a move to the Midlands, yet it is a talented 18-year-old who could be the most exciting link.
Aston Villa want to sign Champions League sensation
According to Graeme Bailey (via Total Villa on X), Villa are showing interest in teenage FC Copenhagen starlet Roony Bardghji this month ahead of making a potential move.
According to reports, Villa have even sent scouts to monitor the youngster recently, and it is clear that his performances have impressed Emery enough to consider luring him to the Premier League.
He could cost the club around £20m if any move goes ahead and while on the surface this sounds like a lot, the fee could turn out to be a bargain in the next couple of years if he lives up to his potential.
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Chelsea and Manchester United are also keen on signing Bardghji and this suggests that Emery must act swiftly to bring him to Villa Park.
How Roony Bardghji compares to Jhon Duran
Jhon Duran only signed for Villa last January from Chicago Fire in a deal worth £18m, and it looked as though he could be the heir apparent to Ollie Watkins.
It hasn’t quite worked out for the Colombian sensation at Villa, however, as he has played 35 times for the club and scored just four goals during that time period.
Out of these 35 matches, only seven have been starts and Emery has yet to unleash him in the starting XI in the Premier League.
The arrival of Bardghji could spell the beginning of the end of Duran’s Villa career, especially considering how impressive he has been this season.
In 30 matches for Copenhagen, the youngster has already found the back of the net on 11 occasions, including a famous strike against Man Utd in the Champions League to send the Danish side through to the last 16 at their expense.
While this goal certainly caught the eye of a few teams, his consistent performances in the Danish top flight have shown that he is remarkably mature for his age.
Indeed, across the whole Copenhagen team, Bardghji ranks second for goals and assists (seven), while ranking third for successful dribbles per game (one) and second for goal frequency (a goal every 134 minutes), which clearly indicates just how impressive he has been during 2023/24.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig perhaps foresaw how good he would be at such a tender age, describing the Swede as an “unreal talent” back in 2022 and there is seemingly no limit to just how good he can become.
Duran has not enjoyed the most productive of seasons, and he can count himself unlucky that Watkins has been in such good form.
If Bardghji does join Villa, however, it could mean even fewer opportunities for Duran on the pitch as there will be a new teenage starlet in town ready to steal the plaudits.