Aston Villa have had a very successful season so far and are looking to solidify their position by signing new players in 2026. Midfield is an area that manager Unai Emery wants to work on, with club officials identifying key targets in recent weeks.
Emery already has the likes of Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans among his defensive midfield options, but he plans to bring in new players. As expected, he is looking to use his wealth of knowledge of Spanish football by bringing one of La Liga’s most highly-rated pivots to Villa Park.
Mikel Jaureguizar has interest from Aston Villa
According to FootballFanCast, Aston Villa are interested in Athletic Club midfielder Mikel Jaureguizar and hope to sign him in January. The 22-year-old is thought to be the perfect fit for Emery’s system, which is why Villa Park bosses are open to offers in the region of €60m (about £52m).
Jaureguizar has been outstanding for Athletic Club since joining the first team in the 2023-24 season. Along with the likes of Nico Williams and Oihan Sunset, he is considered one of Bilbao’s stars, so it will be difficult for Aston Villa to secure him.
Athletic Club are reportedly not prepared to allow Jaureguizar to leave unless an “irresistible” offer is received. This could be difficult for Aston Villa given that Chelsea, who are also interested, could play more.
Should Aston Villa splurge and sign Mikel Jaureguizar?
With PSR’s well-documented problems, Aston Villa won’t be able to afford to pay such a high fee. Despite this, it is hoped that Jaureguizar can still be signed as he would be a great addition to Emery’s side.

