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Aston Villa are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with Everton in their pursuit of Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior.
Unai Emery and Monchi have already secured the signings of Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby in an impressive summer so far, however, reports suggest that the Villans could have a lot more in the tank yet.
Could Aston Villa sign Samuel Iling-Junior?
According to Calciomercato, former Chelsea academy star Iling-Junior is on Monchi’s list and the Midlands side are ‘willing to present a concrete offer’ and are joined by the Toffees with this stance.
It’s speculated that Juventus will expect a fee in the region of €25m (£21m) to sanction a sale, as the Italian giants prepare to offload talent this summer to adhere to financial requirements.
No one at the Old Lady is reported to be ‘non-transferable’ this window as per reports in Italy, making Villa’s claim to the winger encouraging.
How good is Samuel Iling-Junior?
Making the move from Chelsea’s academy to the youth set-up in Turin in 2020, the winger has showcased his talents performing in Italy’s Primavera 1 youth league.
The 19-year-old made a fast start to life with the Bianconeri, contributing to 11 goals in his opening campaign in Primavera 1, scoring four and assisting seven in 27 appearances.
The standard was exceeded the season after in the 2021/22 term, in which he scored 10 and assisted another seven goals in 26 appearances in the league, cementing himself as a key member of Juventus’ youth side.
Last season, the teenager earned his first taste of Serie A, in which he recorded a goal and an assist in just 309 minutes played for Massimiliano Allegri’s side.
Once hailed as an “assist machine” by Eurosport Italy journalist Michele Neri, the winger was identified by scouting site Total Football Analysis as being a competent ‘creative output’ as a player that fits the ‘old-school winger narrative’ due to his favoured approach of dribbling to then ‘whip rapid balls into the penalty area’.
For Villa, the interest in Iling-Junior could hand Emery the key to unlock the next door to Ollie Watkins’ talents, in a move that could allow the Englishman to add to his highest Premier League goal tally of 15 goals, secured last season.
The 27-year-old is a striker identified as being one to lurk in the penalty area to ‘pose a close-range threat’, as per a scouting report via The Coaches Voice.
Such traits make the striker the ideal outlet for a player as dynamic and creative as Iling-Junior, who could feed the goal-hungry star with added opportunities that suit his style of line leading.
Averaging 1.47 key passes per 90 during his cameo in Serie A last term, the Londoner could be the perfect acquisition for Emery to integrate into his side with a bid to bolster his depth in attack as a reliable source in the final third.
An area of the former Chelsea man’s game that could make him a strong capture for Monchi is his experience in playing in England, and his understanding of the demand of the English game, a trait that can determine the success of a transfer.
In a reportedly cheap swoop, the Spanish duo could once more add to the project on show at Villa Park with a teenager that could have his best years in the Midlands.