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Aston Villa could still sign Jeremy Doku after Moussa Diaby transfer
Aston Villa are considering a move for Rennes winger Jeremy Doku even if they sign Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen, according to the Express and Star.
The outlet reported (22 July) that while Diaby’s £43million move from the Bundesliga looks to be finalised this weekend, Doku is of “serious interest” and could still be brought in.
Doku’s move to Villa may depend on the future of Leon Bailey, with the Belgian much more likely to be bought if the Jamaican is sold.
Back up required
While Diaby looks to be a quality deal for Villa, they are lacking in the winger department with just Bailey and Bertrand Traore in this area.
Traore looks set for a move away to Turkey [Birnmingham Live] after failing to have the desired impact since his £17million move from Lyon [Sky Sports].
So, more reinforcement would be needed and Doku could be an ideal candidate. With Diaby coming in, he will likely be the first choice in this position.
However, with Villa’s increased fixture load this season after their qualification for European football, Unai Emery would be smart to reinforce this area, while Doku’s experience across all three UEFA competitions for Rennes shows Europe is not new to him.
The 21-year-old has earned himself some impressive stats in France, finding himself with 6.95 progressive carries per 90 (99th percentile), 6.12 touches in the attacking area (99th percentile) and 5.77 shot-creating actions per 90 (99th percentile) [FBRef], which show him to be an impactful attacker who can influence games.
Securing the young winger’s signature could be shrewd business, especially considering his young age and relatively high experience.
Villa should be wary of a price however as perhaps other areas could be invested in before they double up on wingers. Reportedly, the Villans had a £21.6million bid rejected by Rennes for Doku [Ghanna Soccernet], so paying much more than that would mean a lot of the budget is spent on one area.
The Express and Star also noted that Emery is in the market for another right-back and possibly a goalkeeper so perhaps, for the good of the squad, Emery should tackle these areas before considering Doku.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton shares his verdict on Phillipe Coutinho’s Villa career and predicts where his future lies.