An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their plans to make further additions to the playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window…
What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?
According to The Mirror, the Villans are one of a number of clubs eyeing up Manchester City central defender Aymeric Laporte as he looks set for a move away from The Etihad.
The report claims that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also monitoring the Spain international's situation. However, Pep Guardiola's side would prefer to sell him to a foreign team if possible.
Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…
It is stated that the Cityzens are willing to cash in on the former Athletic Bilbao star following the signing of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig for £77m. The Croatia international's arrival has opened the door for the left-footed ace to depart and a fee of £30m is said to be enough to secure his services.
How good is Aymeric Laporte?
Despite having fallen down the pecking order under Guardiola of late, Laporte remains an outstanding central defender who would be a phenomenal addition to the Villa squad.
The 29-year-old Rolls-Royce has proven himself to be an excellent Premier League performer who could be Unai Emery's next Thiago Silva.
Laporte, who was once dubbed "incredible" by Guardiola, would arrive as a serial winner who knows exactly what it takes to perform at the top level as he has won 14 trophies with City, which includes five top-flight titles and one Champions League.
Silva played 79 matches under Emery during their two seasons together at Paris Saint-Germain and was a colossal figure at the back for the Spanish head coach.
The Brazil international, like Laporte, is a proven winner who is also an outstanding defender. He won an eye-catching 25 trophies during his time in Paris and has gone on to win the Champions League with his current club Chelsea.
In the 2017/18 Ligue 1 campaign, Silva showcased his ability in possession for Emery's side with 4.77 progressive passes per 90, which placed him within the top 6% of his positional peers in the French top-flight – as per FBref.
This shows that the Brazilian titan was exceptional on the ball for the now-Villa tactician as he was able to consistently progress the team up the pitch with his incisive passing.
Laporte is a defender with similar qualities as the Spanish ace has ranked within the top 2% of centre-backs in the Premier League in each of the last six seasons with City for progressive passes per 90, which is an extraordinary achievement given the length of time he has been able to remain among the best in his position when it comes to passing out from the back.
The Etihad outcast has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 or higher in all six of those top-flight campaigns, which is a greater score than any Villa defender managed for the club last term.
Therefore, Laporte, who was once described as a “beast” by writer Muhammad Butt, could be a fantastic signing for the Villans as he is a proven winner who is also a solid defender and has sensational ability in possession.
This is why he could be Emery's next version of Silva, who offered those qualities to the manager in Paris, if the club can strike an agreement for the treble-winner.
