Monchi blown away by midfielder he now wants Aston Villa to sign
Aston Villa chief Monchi is already planning for a busy summer.
The Villans’ president of football operations has presided over stellar business in the past few years in partnership with Unai Emery.
The recent loan signings of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford helped to turn the B6 outfit’s season around and get back in contention for a Champions League qualification spot.
Monchi eyes Payero transfer for Aston Villa
Midfield is one area of Emery’s squad at Villa Park that has been identified as an area for improvement in the summer transfer window.
A report from Alfredo Pedulla (15 May) claims that Monchi has been blown away by Udinese maestro Martin Payero.
It states that negotiations have not progressed past an initial appreciation but the 26-year-old could be on the move when the market reopens.
Aston Villa need a huge window
The Villans face key decisions in the next window, it could be the difference between the Bodymoor Heath outfit heading in the right direction or not.
Emery needs extra quality, that is abundantly clear, as the injection of form from Asensio and Rashford has steadied the ship in recent months after a rough period.
| Premier League | Played | GD | Points |
| 4. Man City | 36 | +24 | 65 |
| 5. Chelsea | 36 | +19 | 63 |
| 6. Aston Villa | 36 | +7 | 63 |
Completing permanent deals for those two may prove complicated, with interest coming from elsewhere after their impressive performances and potential Profit and Sustainability (PSR) issues.
Villa may have to sell one star by 30 June due to the potential of a PSR breach, according to reports, which means they could lose one of Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers or Boubacar Kamara.
That will throw a spanner in the works for Monchi and Emery but it is a path which they must negotiate correctly if the Villans are to have a successful window.
It is vital that the two Spaniards get it right this summer, if they fail to do so, Villa could be left langushing in the Europa League, rather than amongst Europe’s elite, where they want to be for the foreseeable future.
Otherwise, it could turn out to be a very frustrating summer for the B6 club, as their top-tier ambitions are stifled by rules and regulations.