Aston Villa are currently in the midst of a poor run of form and are struggling to break out of it. Unai Emery’s side have lost their last four games in all competitions, and have not won in five games. Admittedly, the Villans have had some tough fixtures, having lost 4-1 away to Tottenham and 2-0 away to Liverpool within the last week or so.
Their disappointing results of late have left them reeling in ninth in the Premier League after such a promising start. The Midlands club are just one point off the top four, but if their concerning form continues, there is no reason to suggest they will not slip further down the table.
Emery may well look to recruit over the winter transfer window as they look to strengthen their squad in the hope of improving their fortunes. They have recently been linked with one player who could add depth in midfield.
Aston Villa transfer news
The player in question here is Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The 26-year-old was a summer signing for the Blues in 2024, following boss Enzo Maresca from Leicester to London. However, he has been out of favour at Stamford Bridge.
According to a report from Spain, the Villans are interested in signing the former Leicester City man this winter. Dewsbury-Hall is ‘one of the names that has emerged strongly on their list of targets’ as they look to strengthen their side.
The report suggests the Blues are looking to make their money back on the midfielder. They paid the Foxes £30m for his services, and are thought to want £28.9m plus add-ons back for him, taking the price back up to what they paid.
As per report, the Villans are hoping to secure Dewsbury-Hall’s services on loan, with an option to buy him in the summer. They are believed to be ready to lodge an offer of £12.4m up front and £5.7m as bonuses.
Why Dewsbury-Hall would be a good signing
It has been a very frustrating season for the Leicester academy graduate. He has played just ten times in all competitions, scoring once in the Europa Conference League. Incredibly, the £80k-per-week midfielder has just 43 Premier League minutes to his name and has not even been in the squad for six of the 11 games this term.
However, he was superb last season as the Foxes stormed the Championship. He was one of six players to score and assist 25 or more goals last season, one of only two midfielders to do so.
In total, the 26-year-old scored 12 goals and grabbed 14 assists to help Leicester back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. It was for this reason that football statistician Statman Dave described him as a “top talent”.
Players with 25+ G/A in 2023/24 Championship season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Club | Games | Total G/A | |
Adam Armstrong | Southampton | 46 | 34 | |
Sammie Szmodics | Blackburn | 44 | 31 | |
Crysencio Summerville | Leeds | 43 | 28 | |
Morgan Whittaker | Plymouth | 46 | 27 | |
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall | Leicester | 44 | 26 | |
Gabriel Sara | Norwich | 46 | 25 | |
Stats from FBref | ||||
He could be a perfect upgrade on John McGinn. The Aston Villa captain plays as one of the outside number 10s in Emery’s famed 4-2-2-2 system. However, for all the hard work he does off the ball, his goal contribution numbers are underwhelming.
The Scotland international has played 13 times this season and has just one goal and one assist to his name so far. In nine Premier League appearances, McGinn is yet to score or assist and was actually dropped to the bench for their most recent game at Anfield.
The transition from McGinn to Dewsbury-Hall should not be too tough. The pair are both impressive off the ball, with the Scotland international averaging 4.83 ball recoveries per game last season, and the Leicester academy graduate even more, at 5.57 as per FBref.
Not only can Dewsbury-Hall match, or even better the intensity that McGinn has out of possession, but his quality in possession in the final third is superior.
Last term, the Chelsea midfielder registered more key passes with 2.7 per game to McGinn’s 1.32, and more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, with 0.77 compared to 0.42. On top of that, he also got far more goal involvements, including a goal and assist in a crucial game against Norwich City.
It seems like the perfect deal for the Villans to do this winter. They would be signing a perfect fit for Emery’s system, who will contribute goals and assists and work incredibly hard without the ball.
On a loan with an option to buy, signing Dewsbury-Hall seems like a fantastic option.
Related
Aston Villa now battling Premier League rivals to sign “blistering” star
He’s a man in-demand…
