{"id":47310,"date":"2026-05-18T07:52:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/18\/aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T07:52:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:52:42","slug":"aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/18\/aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star\/","title":{"rendered":"Aston Villa target Unai Emery with mysterious \u00a335m offer for beloved former Barcelona star"},"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\/05\/18\/aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star\/#Villa_eye_rivals_Watkins_and_Rodgers_as_new_forwards\" >Villa eye rivals Watkins and Rodgers as new forwards<\/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\/05\/18\/aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star\/#La_Liga_star_enters_Villas_sights\" >La Liga star enters Villa&#8217;s sights<\/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\/05\/18\/aston-villa-target-unai-emery-with-mysterious-35m-offer-for-beloved-former-barcelona-star\/#Hes_the_perfect_player_for_Grealish_Aston_Villa_enter_formal_talks_to_sign_35m_star\" >He&#8217;s the perfect player for Grealish: Aston Villa enter formal talks to sign \u00a335m star<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Aston Villa are eyeing a summer move for the &#8216;sensational&#8217; forward, with the club now open for a sale.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"villa-eyeing-new-forward-to-rival-watkins-and-rogers\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Villa_eye_rivals_Watkins_and_Rodgers_as_new_forwards\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Villa eye rivals Watkins and Rodgers as new forwards<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Villa achieved their goal of qualifying for the Champions League with one game to spare with a 4-2 win over Liverpool last Friday night, sealing their place in Europe&#8217;s elite competition.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s despite Ollie Watkins being inconsistent at times, scoring just one goal in his opening 13 Premier League games this season, but has since found his form and is now top of the table in terms of goals and assists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Ranking<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Aston Villa combined for a goal and an assist.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><strong>number<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>1.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>ollie watkins<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>17<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>2.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>morgan rogers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>16<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>3.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>John McGinn<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>4.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Emiliano Buendia<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>8<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>5.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Matty Cash<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>6<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>5.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Lucas Digne<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>6<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>As you can see, Watkins and Rodgers are well ahead of the rest of the team, meaning they could be very difficult to replace, and there have been suggestions that the two England internationals could move elsewhere this summer.<\/p>\n<p>Manchester United are particularly keen to sign Rodgers, but there are speculations they would need \u00a380m to get him over the line, underscoring his importance to Unai Emery.<\/p>\n<p>It is hoped the Villans&#8217; return to the Champions League will help persuade both players to stay, but new forwards have been identified as targets ahead of the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"la-liga-star-now-in-villa-39-s-sights\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_Liga_star_enters_Villas_sights\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>La Liga star enters Villa&#8217;s sights<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to a report in Sport (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are currently very keen to sign Real Betis winger Abde Ezarzouri, with the Spanish side accepting a \u20ac40 million transfer fee this summer.<\/p>\n<p>Newcastle United are also in the race to sign the former Barcelona player, but despite receiving an &#8216;offer&#8217;, a move to the Premier League has not yet been confirmed. It is not clear which suitors actually made bids.<\/p>\n<p>    Emery is known to be a fan of wingers, having scored more goals and assists in La Liga (18 games) than Villa did in the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>Hailed as &#8220;sensational&#8221; by journalist Thierry Niang, the Moroccan has an impressive 27 goals and assists in all competitions, but given how dependent they are on Watkins and Rodgers in the Premier League, Villa could probably do something by signing a prolific forward.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read next: Aston Villa step up move to sign attacker likened to Jack Grealish<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"just-like-prime-grealish-aston-villa-enter-talks-for-matias-soule\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                        <\/p>\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=\"Hes_the_perfect_player_for_Grealish_Aston_Villa_enter_formal_talks_to_sign_35m_star\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tHe&#8217;s the perfect player for Grealish: Aston Villa enter formal talks to sign \u00a335m star<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Aston Villa appear ready to make a move for a star who can capture the hearts of their fan base.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aston Villa are eyeing a summer move for the &#8216;sensational&#8217; forward, with the club now open for a sale. Villa eye rivals Watkins and Rodgers as new forwards Villa achieved their goal of qualifying for the Champions League with one game to spare with a 4-2 win over Liverpool last Friday night, sealing their place [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[1528,390,839,820,5501,40,3214,185,86,1250,6965,633],"class_list":{"0":"post-47310","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-35m","9":"tag-aston","10":"tag-barcelona","11":"tag-beloved","12":"tag-emery","13":"tag-football","14":"tag-mysterious","15":"tag-offer","16":"tag-star","17":"tag-target","18":"tag-unai","19":"tag-villa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47310","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=47310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47310\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}