Aston Villa want to sign a "monster" who's similar to Bellingham

The Athletic’s transfer correspondent David Ornstein has confirmed that Aston Villa have successfully achieved compliance with the Premier League‘s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, and can now prioritise the reinforcing of Unai Emery‘s Champions League-qualified squad.

This is momentous news, with the threat of a points deduction or some form of sanction hanging over Villa Park at a time of prosperity and progress. Villa have toppled the big six, following trailblazers Newcastle United and proving that the Premier League may be welcoming a new period of advancement from upwardly mobile clubs typically lower down the table.

Lest we forget, Aston Villa languished in the Championship only five years ago, seemingly lacking direction and purpose before the fortunes turned and the Midlands club entered the ascendancy.

Now, after competing in the Europa Conference League last term and currently taking a seat at Europe’s elite table, the Villans are, as Ornstein confirms, ready to pounce on a number of transfer targets.

Aston Villa transfer news

The protracted transfer saga revolving around Douglas Luiz will soon draw to a close, with the Brazil international joining Juventus and Samuel-Iling Junior and Enzo Barrenechea moving in the opposite direction.

Perhaps recent relations between the clubs could lead Villa to capitalise on another opportunity.

As per TEAMtalk, Villa have joined a host of top European outfits – notably including Manchester United – in tussling to sign Adrien Rabiot, with the French midfielder out of contract with Juventus this summer.

Rabiot has held crunch talks with the Old Lady regarding an extension but to no avail, opening the door for suitors to canvass their proposals.

It’s further mentioned that ‘Emery wants a particular kind of midfielder’ with two favoured options being Rabiot and Matteo Guendouzi.

The 29-year-old is a multi-talented player and would add an invaluable dimension to Emery’s outfit.

How Adrien Rabiot would fit in at Villa

Rabiot, currently starring for Les Bleus at Euro 2024, might be nearing his third decade on this planet but he’s performing at a high level and boasts the kind of robust physicality that Emery looks for in his team.

Also, importantly, Villa might be claiming two talented players in return for Luiz’s sale but both are young (20 and 23 respectively) and relatively untested. Rabiot’s grit and experience would pay dividends in this regard.

As per FBref, Rabiot ranks among the top 11% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 14% for progressive carries, the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90.

The France international thrives across a range of departments and, in this regard, he could be considered Villa’s very own Jude Bellingham, if Emery prevails in securing his signature.

How Rabiot compares to Bellingham

Bellingham needs no introduction, having skyrocketed to the footballing skies and cementing himself, aged 20, as one of the world’s best players, conquering Europe in May in his maiden year at Real Madrid, having signed from Borussia Dortmund in a deal rising to £115m last summer.

Last season, completing the La Liga and Champions League double, Bellingham scored 23 goals and supplied 13 assists across 42 appearances, consequently ranking among the top 2% of positional peers for goals scored, the top 3% for blocks and the top 19% for aerial duels won per 90.

Further highlighting the player’s remarkably rounded skill set, bearing similarities to Rabiot’s, let’s examine his seasonal statistics in La Liga compared to the £146k-per-week Frenchman’s over in Italy.

We’re prepared to take stick for this but it appears like Bellingham might, perhaps, be the best goalscorer, more creative and crisper in possession too, but Rabiot has occupied more of a box-to-box role than his English counterpart, who has effectively performed as a box-crashing forward for much of the campaign.

But still, Rabiot holds his own in accuracy in both his ball-carrying and duel success rates, proving to be more active and energetic and still creating six big chances to Bellingham’s seven despite their positional differences. The Juventus ace has even been dubbed a “monster” by football writer Robin Bairner.

Rabiot flattered to deceive in front of goal for his nation last weekend, failing to capitalise on a host of opportunities to bypass the Netherlands net, but profligacy is not something that features prominently on the regular – Rabiot missed only two big chances during the concluded Serie A campaign.

As per Sofascore, against the Dutch, he won all seven of his contested duels, completed 97% of his passes, completed, moreover, all four of his dribbles, placed four key passes and even chipped in with three tackles. It was, all in all, an appearance that showcased his lofty talents, marred by one or two chances that went begging, leading the masses to conclude that he failed to impress.

Villa, Monchi, Emery, the transfer team. Last season’s Premier League high-fliers will have read the underlying numbers and determined for themselves that Rabiot is a player capable of making a real impact on their squad, especially as they venture onto Champions League soil.

Some might scoff at suggestions that Rabiot could perform as Emery’s own version of Bellingham at Villa Park, but the Francais phenom is both fluid and fierce in his forward movements, switched on during defensive phases, endowed with an inborn understanding of the game that is discernible through his spatial awareness and link-up play.

Furthermore, he knows his way around a goal, bagging 11 times during the 2022/23 campaign to evidence this point. Once hailed as “world class, an extraordinary player” by compatriot and one-time Les Bleus star David Trezeguet.

Villa would do well to add him to the ranks, and while the likes of Manchester United are interested, Emery’s project could tempt him to try his hand at Villa Park, playing a leading role for the Lions.