Aston Villa begin contract negotiations with ‘midfield maestro’

There is still a long way to go, but this season is shaping up to be a special one for Aston Villa.

Manager Unai Emery has his team playing some brilliant football, but more importantly they are not that far behind Arsenal in the Premier League.

Additionally, they have progressed to the next round of the FA Cup and are third in the Europa League.

If that wasn’t reason enough for fans to celebrate, Aston Villa appear keen to strengthen their squad this month, with a man currently rumored to be an upgrade to Conor Gallagher.

Aston Villa aim to upgrade Gallagher

With Villa’s progress so far at the moment, it’s no surprise that the club are so keen to strengthen their squad this month.

For example, there are of course links with former loanee Tammy Abraham, and former Chelsea star Gallagher was seen as the club’s top target before his move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Losing a player of that quality is never ideal, but the good news for fans is that it appears the club have found another midfield target, someone who could be even better than the Englishman.

At least that’s according to recent reports from Belgium, which claim Villa are interested in Rafael Onyedika.

In fact, the Swiss reporter revealed that the Villains have already contacted Club Brugge regarding the situation with the Nigerian player, due in part to Boubacar Kamara’s injury.

However, the West Midlands outfit will need to act quickly if they wish to sign the 24-year-old, as reports suggest that Galatasaray is currently his most likely destination.

Therefore, it could be a complicated situation to make a move happen, but given Onyedika’s ability and the state of the squad, he is one Villa should be in contention for, especially as he would be an upgrade to Gallagher.

Comparison of Onyedika and Gallagher

Now, both players are fairly versatile and can play in a variety of positions depending on the team’s needs, although Onyedika tends to prefer a more defensive role.

For example, Gallagher has played in just 60 games compared to 195 out of six, which would be a huge advantage for the Nigerian in terms of what Villa need at the moment.

That being said, looking at their performance is not the best way to determine which players are better.

So instead, it’s important to look at the numbers behind it.

Interestingly, the Brugge star comes out on top in this comparison, although it’s not a complete victory.

According to FBref, he excels in the most important metrics, including progressive passing, passing accuracy, key passes, passing into the penalty area, goal- and shot-producing actions, clearances and ball recovery, all with a score of 90.

In other words, a ‘midfield maestro’, as U23 scout Antonio Mango calls him, is someone who can help break up an opponent’s attack before starting their own.

Additionally, respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson says he has the “composition on the ball” and “positional discipline”, and appears to have the mentality and temperament to play in a top-flight team.

After all, he may not be that big of a player in England, but if Villa want to strengthen their midfield this month and bring in a player who looks better than Gallagher, they should sign Onyedika.