Aston Villa have now made an approach to sign another midfielder, after hijacking Newcastle United for SC Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi.
Newcastle had been hoping to sign Manzambi, but Villa have made a last-minute move to secure his signature, and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a verbal agreement is in place.
Personal terms have also been agreed, with the Freiburg star appearing to confirm the move to Emiliano Martinez after Switzerland were knocked out of the World Cup by Argentina at the quarter-final stage.
However, Villa have no plans to stop there, with a Premier League star midfielder recently emerging as a target.
Aston Villa planning to raid Man Utd for midfielder
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have now made contact with Manchester United regarding a deal for Mason Mount, but it could be difficult to get a deal over the line.
Michael Carrick remains a big fan of the Englishman, who rakes in £150,0000-a-week, and the Red Devils have little interest in sanctioning a sale.
Football FanCast’s Verdict | |
|---|---|
Credibility | Villa have been eager to strengthen their options in the middle of the park this summer, with a late hijack for Manzambi close to being completed. However, the need to sign a new midfielder has been exacerbated by the news Man United are closing in on Youri Tielemans, so signing Mount could be ideal. |
Finances | That said, any deal for the Englishman could be a costly operation, considering he joined from Chelsea for £60m back in 2023. Moreover, wages could be an issue, with none of Villa’s current players earning over £150,000-a-week. |
Insight | Lauded as “incredible” by BBC Sport’s Umir Irfan, the 27-year-old is established at international level, collecting 36 caps for England, and he has 56 goal involvements to his name in 183 Premier League matches. |
Impact | With Ross Barkley yet to extend his stay at Villa Park beyond the end of next season, it could be important for Unai Emery to sign an attacking midfielder this summer, and Mount has the necessary experience to be a solid replacement. |
How Mason Mount compares to Ross Barkley
At 27, the Man United midfielder is over five years younger than Barkley, and there are signs he could be more solid than the Villa star from a defensive point of view.
Last season, Mount averaged 5.3 recoveries and 2.1 tackles per 90 in the Premier League, compared to figures of 4.8 and 1.5 from his compatriot.
However, Barkley performed better from an attacking perspective, averaging 0.32 goals per 90, slightly more than the United star’s average of 0.27.
In truth, the two midfielders are relatively evenly matched. However, there may be doubts over Mount’s fitness, considering he has made just 54 Premier League appearances since signing for Man United, as a result of a number of injury setbacks.
