Aston Villa now in advanced talks to sign Mario Hermoso after Unai Emery transfer request
Aston Villa are reportedly in “advanced negotiations” for Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso, according to Calciomercato.
The versatile defender’s contract with the Spanish giants expires at the end of this season, opening the door for a free transfer this summer.
The Premier League outfit face competition from Juventus and AC Milan, but the Italian news outlet’s report on 28 March indicates that talks with the former have “cooled” in the last two weeks.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery targeting statement signing
The capture of Hermoso on a free transfer would certainly represent a statement signing for Villa boss Unai Emery.
Hermoso spent 12 years as part of Real Madrid’s youth set-up – including a season-long loan to Real Valladolid – before moving permanently to Espanyol, where he impressed and earned a switch to Atletico Madrid after just two campaigns in Catalonia.
The 28-year-old featured regularly for the Rojiblancos in his five seasons at the club, making 165 appearances across all competitions so far, including 28 in the Champions League – valuable European experience for a Villa side that look likely to qualify for another continental adventure in 2024/25.
Hermoso is capable of operating at either centre-back or left-back – and naturally left-footed defenders are a rare and valuable commodity at the top level.
However, Villa find themselves in the rare position of possessing an overabundance of left-footed central defenders, with three – Pau Torres, Tyrone Mings and the on-loan Clement Lenglet, though Mings has hardly featured this term after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
It remains to be seen if the future of one of that trio would be affected by the potential arrival of Hermoso this summer.
In other Aston Villa news, the club have bolstered their academy ranks with the signing of a new teenage goalkeeper.
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