Aston Villa and Unai Emery have been handed a blow as it has emerged that one of their top January targets has now picked up another injury and won’t be available for multiple months, throwing any potential deal into doubt.
Villa looking to strengthen in attack
It had been an excellent start to the season for Aston Villa, but four consecutive losses in their most recent outings have tempered the feel-good factor in the Midlands somewhat.
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A shock loss to Club Brugge, courtesy of a controversial handball decision on defender Tyrone Mings, ended Emery’s 100% start to the Champions League with the Villans, though three wins at the halfway mark of the league stage still puts them well on course for progression into the knockout rounds.
In the Premier League, losses to fellow top four hopefuls Tottenham and Premier League leaders Liverpool have left the Villans sitting in ninth place, though given the congested nature of the early running they remain just a point behind third placed Chelsea, and they will be hoping that the international break will act as a reset to prevent their blip in form turning into a full downturn in performances and results.
They are expected to be active in the January transfer window as they look to re-qualify for the Champions League with a top four finish, but now doubt has been cast on a potential move.
Injury throws Aston Villa transfer into doubt
That comes as Sporting CP forward Pedro Goncalves has picked up yet another injury, which is set to keep him sidelined until the start of 2025. The Portuguese forward has been a revelation under Ruben Amorim, enjoying the best form of his career under the now-Manchester United boss, who dubbed him a “very intelligent” player who could play for “any team in the world”.
He has reportedly been a long term target for Aston Villa and Sport Witness had previously relayed reports that Villa were even preparing an offer to sign the 26-year-old forward in either the January transfer window or next summer.
Pedro Goncalves under Ruben Amorim | |
Appearances | 190 |
Goals | 81 |
Assists | 61 |
Yellow Cards | 32 |
Minutes per goal/assist | 103.5 |
“He can play in any team in the world and with any player, because he is a great player,” Amorim said. “I could take him anywhere. He is very funny, which improves the personal relationship. But he is also very intelligent, but he also has to focus on Sporting because we have to be champions this year. But he could play in any team in the world.”
However, with Goncalves now injured for the rest of 2024, it is claimed that his injury-prone nature is a “red flag” for Villa, who don’t “want to invest a major amount on an injury prone player, regardless of how good he can be”.
With Amorim having also revealed he won’t plunder his former side in January, Goncalves may be forced to wait until the summer for a move out of Portugal, though with three years left still to run on his £38,000 a week deal and Sporting top of the Portuguese league, that may well have proved the case anyway.
