Aston Villa rescued a late draw against Crystal Palace over the weekend, but it is now six games without a win for Unai Emery.
Of course, panic buttons won’t be pushed yet as the Spaniard has plenty of credit in the bank, but the Champions League clash against Juventus on Wednesday has taken on greater importance now.
It looks like the manager is also thinking ahead to the future, especially with the January transfer window opening in just a few weeks.
Could he bring in another player or two to strengthen his squad?
Aston Villa showing interest in Premier League striker
According to Caught Offside, new Man United boss Ruben Amorim is reportedly looking to offload £36.5m summer signing Joshua Zirkzee and there is plenty of interest in the Dutchman heading towards January.
Juventus and Napoli are showing a willingness to make a move for the former Bologna frontman, while Aston Villa have thrown their hat in the ring too, in order to boost their attacking department.
The £105k-per-week gem hasn’t quite hit it off at Old Trafford. Could a change of scenery work wonders for him?
Furthermore, signing the 23-year-old would also potentially spell bad news for the prolific Jhon Duran…
What signing Zirkzee means for Duran
Duran has been one of the club’s brightest lights this season, scoring eight goals in 18 appearances, although the majority of these have been from the bench.
In the summer, the Colombian attracted plenty of attention, as Chelsea wanted to sign him at one stage, but he ended up staying in the Midlands, and it looks like this decision was a smart one.
Comparing Zirkzee vs Duran: 2024/25 PL | ||
|---|---|---|
Metric | ||
Goals | 4 | 1 |
Assists | 0 | 1 |
Big chances created | 0 | 2 |
Key passes per 90 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
Total shots per 90 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
Successful dribbles per 90 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
Although playing second fiddle to Ollie Watkins isn’t ideal, Duran has shone when called upon. If Zirkzee signs, however, could this see him pushed further down the pecking order and potentially closer to the exit door?
The Dutchman hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in the Premier League this season, though, and would surely be a downgrade. He has only scoried one goal, but for Bologna last term, he demonstrated why he was one of the finest young strikers on the continent.
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Not only did he find the back of the net 13 times for the Serie A side, but Zirkzee also registered seven assists in all competitions, showcasing his selfless side.
The youngster created 11 big chances in Serie A, along with averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.5 successful dribbles and 2.5 shots per game, indicating how impressive he was in the final third for Bologna, who secured a Champions League berth.
Dutch pundit Hans Kraay Jr lavished praise on the striker after a positive display for the Netherlands, saying: “Zirkzee is so intelligent. He not only passes it on the run, he also passes it in such a way that it is not too hard and ends up on Reijnders’ left. I think that is so beautiful.”
With Watkins scoring the brunt of Villa’s goals, Zirkzee could add something extra to Emery’s attack, something which he doesn’t quite have at the minute.
If he does sign, it remains to be seen whether Duran will stay. It seems unlikely though.
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