Aston Villa: Clement Lenglet has surely forced Unai Emery into an exit U-turn as transfer update emerges at Villa Park
Clement Lenglet may well have saved his Aston Villa career this month and forced Unai Emery into an exit U-turn as a fresh transfer update emerges.
Italian news outlet Calciomercato reported on its website on Saturday (20 January) that AC Milan have made contact over the potential January signing of Lenglet with the Frenchman wanting to leave the club.
It is reported that discussions have taken place over a potential deal, but two big issues remain in place to prevent the Italian giants from securing the Villa centre-back’s services.
Lenglet’s high wages are believed to be an issue for Milan and Unai Emery is also keen to keep the 28-year-old at Villa Park for the remainder of the season and these two “knots” make a deal very difficult to complete.
Just a few months ago it seemed as though it was almost a given that Lenglet would depart the club upon the opening of the January window as a result of his lack of Premier League action during the first part of his loan spell in England.
The Frenchman was resigned to a bit-part role, playing in the UEFA Conference League with Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa establishing themselves as Emery’s tried and trusted centre-back pairing in Tyrone Mings’ absence.
As per SofaScore, Lenglet has started all five of their European games so far this season, recording 92.8 touches per game, completing 95 per cent of his passes, recording 0.4 key passes from centre-back, averaging 1.2 tackles per game, 5.4 balls recovered, completing 100 per cent of his dribbles and 64 per cent of his total duels.
In terms of what he offers Emery in terms of ball progression and retention from deep, the Frenchman has proven effective in that regard.
Amongst all players in the Europa Conference League this season, Lenglet ranks ninth for touches, joint-second for successful take-ons %, and sixth for progressive carries distance [FBRef].
Amongst his positional peers in Europe’s top-five leagues, he ranks in the 99th percentile for pass completion % per 90, 90th percentile for progressive passes, 92nd for progressive carries and 93rd percentile for success take-ons.
Emery thought the Frenchman was a good addition because of his tremendous attributes on the ball and he has proved it but Lenglet will certainly feel opportunities to do so regularly have not been enough.
However, fast forward over a month earlier and things have taken a turn for the better for the Frenchman with Lenglet now usurping the returning Pau Torres in Emery’s starting lineup and the Barcelona loanee has impressed.
His most impressive display certainly came against Everton in the 0-0 draw at Goodison Park (14 January) where he heavily contributed to a much-needed assist in a rampant atmosphere on Merseyside.
Lenglet took to those intimidating surroundings like a duck to water, winning 100 per cent of his ground duels, 100 per cent of his aerial duels, completed 100 per cent of his dribbles and 84 per cent of his passes in a dominant display.
With European football still to come in the second half of the campaign, Emery and Villa are going to need strength in depth and it would be a huge blow to lose Lenglet at such a crucial stage of the season, especially with Mings out for the season.
When all seemed lost for Lenglet a few weeks ago, he has completely revitalised his Villa Park career in a matter of games under Emery and that should surely force the Spaniard into a January exit U-turn.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton has been left delighted by an “absolutely ideal” update involving John McGinn at Villa Park
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