{"id":38053,"date":"2026-01-19T05:34:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T10:34:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/19\/aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T05:34:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T10:34:40","slug":"aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/19\/aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro\/","title":{"rendered":"Aston Villa begin contract negotiations with &#8216;midfield maestro&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/19\/aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro\/#Aston_Villa_aim_to_upgrade_Gallagher\" >Aston Villa aim to upgrade Gallagher<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/19\/aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro\/#Comparison_of_Onyedika_and_Gallagher\" >Comparison of Onyedika and Gallagher<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/01\/19\/aston-villa-begin-contract-negotiations-with-midfield-maestro\/#A_bigger_coup_than_Abraham_Aston_Villa_could_sign_new_Marcus_Rashford\" >A bigger coup than Abraham: Aston Villa could sign new Marcus Rashford<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>There is still a long way to go, but this season is shaping up to be a special one for Aston Villa.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Manager Unai Emery has his team playing some brilliant football, but more importantly they are not that far behind Arsenal in the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, they have progressed to the next round of the FA Cup and are third in the Europa League.<\/p>\n<p>If that wasn&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"aston-villa-target-gallagher-upgrade\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aston_Villa_aim_to_upgrade_Gallagher\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Aston Villa aim to upgrade Gallagher<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With Villa&#8217;s progress so far at the moment, it&#8217;s no surprise that the club are so keen to strengthen their squad this month.<\/p>\n<p>For example, there are of course links with former loanee Tammy Abraham, and former Chelsea star Gallagher was seen as the club&#8217;s top target before his move to Tottenham Hotspur.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>At least that&#8217;s according to recent reports from Belgium, which claim Villa are interested in Rafael Onyedika.<\/p>\n<p>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&#8217;s injury.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, it could be a complicated situation to make a move happen, but given Onyedika&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-onyedika-compares-to-gallagher\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_of_Onyedika_and_Gallagher\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Comparison of Onyedika and Gallagher<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now, both players are fairly versatile and can play in a variety of positions depending on the team&#8217;s needs, although Onyedika tends to prefer a more defensive role.<\/p>\n<p>    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.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, looking at their performance is not the best way to determine which players are better.<\/p>\n<p>So instead, it&#8217;s important to look at the numbers behind it.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the Brugge star comes out on top in this comparison, although it&#8217;s not a complete victory.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, a &#8216;midfield maestro&#8217;, as U23 scout Antonio Mango calls him, is someone who can help break up an opponent&#8217;s attack before starting their own.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"3\" style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Onyedika vs Gallagher<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Statistics per 90<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Onyedika<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>gallagher<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>progressive path<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>6.34<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>3.47<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>progressive carry<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.50<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>2.53<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>pass accuracy<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>90.2%<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>87.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>key pass<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0.59<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.53<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Pass into the penalty area<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0.79<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.40<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Actions that create shots<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>2.08<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>1.86<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Action to create a goal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0.20<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.13<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>tackle<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>2.08<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>2.27<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>clearance<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>1.68<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>1.07<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>ball collection<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>6.24<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>4.67<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Percentage of wins in aerial duels<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>61.5%<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>55.6%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"3\" style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><em>All stats for the 25\/26 league season (via FBref)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>Additionally, respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson says he has the &#8220;composition on the ball&#8221; and &#8220;positional discipline&#8221;, and appears to have the mentality and temperament to play in a top-flight team.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"new-rashford-villa-could-seal-a-bigger-coup-than-abraham-with-marmoush\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/marcus-rashford-premier-league-aston-villa.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/marcus-rashford-premier-league-aston-villa.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_bigger_coup_than_Abraham_Aston_Villa_could_sign_new_Marcus_Rashford\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tA bigger coup than Abraham: Aston Villa could sign new Marcus Rashford<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Aston Villa have a busy January transfer window. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[390,876,40,4210,1575,382,633],"class_list":{"0":"post-38053","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-aston","9":"tag-contract","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-maestro","12":"tag-midfield","13":"tag-negotiations","14":"tag-villa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}