{"id":46456,"date":"2026-04-28T08:45:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T08:45:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:45:52","slug":"aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/","title":{"rendered":"Aston Villa in race to sign Champions League&#8217;s best tackler"},"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\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/#Interest_is_gathering_in_Araujo_after_his_good_performance_in_the_Champions_League\" >Interest is gathering in Araujo after his good performance in the Champions League<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/#Maxi_Araujos_main_statistics_this_season\" >Maxi Araujo&#8217;s main statistics this season<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/#Key_stats_for_Lucas_Digne_this_season\" >Key stats for Lucas Digne this season<\/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'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/aston-villa-in-race-to-sign-champions-leagues-best-tackler\/#Aston_Villa_plan_to_move_former_Celtic_star_with_%E2%80%98strong_bond_with_McGinn\" >Aston Villa plan to move former Celtic star with &#8216;strong bond&#8217; with McGinn<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Aston Villa are currently keen to sign Sporting CP defender Maxi Araujo, with the Portuguese side willing to allow him to move this summer.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"araujo-attracting-interest-after-impressing-in-the-champions-league\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interest_is_gathering_in_Araujo_after_his_good_performance_in_the_Champions_League\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Interest is gathering in Araujo after his good performance in the Champions League<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sporting CP lost 1-0 on aggregate to Arsenal in the round of 16 stage, knocking them out of the Champions League, but this is no disgrace as Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side sit top of the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the team&#8217;s loss to the Gunners, Araujo has been very impressive on an individual level and ranks among the top tacklers in this season&#8217;s Champions League.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Uruguayan is now beginning to attract interest from other countries, with Arsenal recently negotiating a summer deal for the left-back, who has a \u00a370m release clause in his contract with the Portuguese La Liga side.<\/p>\n<p>However, Sport Witness reports that Aston Villa have jumped into the race to sign Araujo, with Sporting prepared to cash in around 50 million euros (about \u00a343 million) this summer.<\/p>\n<p>However, there could be stiff competition from some of Villa&#8217;s Premier League rivals, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Manchester City and Manchester United also said to be interested.<\/p>\n<p>The Sporting star, hailed as &#8220;explosive&#8221; by some analysts, could play as both left-back and winger, making him a versatile option for Unai Emery.<\/p>\n<p>    Former scout Mick Brown says Emery wants to upgrade current left-back Lucas Digne this summer.<em>The left-back position is a position that coach Emery wants to strengthen, so we expect him to do so in the summer.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Digne is not a bad player, but he&#8217;s not a real top player either. If Villa want to be a top team, he&#8217;s a player they need to improve on.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"maxi-araujo-39-s-key-stats-this-season\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maxi_Araujos_main_statistics_this_season\"><\/span>\n            <strong>Maxi Araujo&#8217;s main statistics this season<\/strong><br \/>\n    <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>    As well as impressing in the Champions League, the 26-year-old has also been an important player in La Liga, where his attacking qualities have been at their best.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>                                        Play time 1,855 minutes\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        4 goals\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        3 assists\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        661 passes completed\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        102 defensive contributions\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        99 recoveries\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        6 clean sheets\n                        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"lucas-digne-39-s-key-stats-this-season\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_stats_for_Lucas_Digne_this_season\"><\/span>\n            <strong>Key stats for Lucas Digne this season<\/strong><br \/>\n    <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>    Digne was at times dropped to make way for Ian Maassen, but the Frenchman has made 29 appearances in the Premier League this season and, like Araujo, has a keen eye for creating chances.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>                                        Play time 1,746 minutes\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        0 goals\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        5 assists\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        563 passes completed\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        108 defensive contributions\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        60 recovery\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                                        5 clean sheets\n                        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"aston-villa-now-plotting-transfer-move-ryan-christie-john-mcginn\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/aston-villa-s-john-mcginn-reacts.JPG?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/aston-villa-s-john-mcginn-reacts.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=\"Aston_Villa_plan_to_move_former_Celtic_star_with_%E2%80%98strong_bond_with_McGinn\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tAston Villa plan to move former Celtic star with &#8216;strong bond&#8217; with McGinn<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Villains want to sign &#8216;incredible&#8217; player.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aston Villa are currently keen to sign Sporting CP defender Maxi Araujo, with the Portuguese side willing to allow him to move this summer. Interest is gathering in Araujo after his good performance in the Champions League Sporting CP lost 1-0 on aggregate to Arsenal in the round of 16 stage, knocking them out of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[390,276,40,3201,180,43,9158,633],"class_list":{"0":"post-46456","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-aston","9":"tag-champions","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-leagues","12":"tag-race","13":"tag-sign","14":"tag-tackler","15":"tag-villa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46456","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=46456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}