Aston Villa want to sign ‘huge talent’ from Stoke City
Aston Villa will need to be sensible this summer amid ongoing financial issues at the club.
Things haven’t gone Villa’s way since their controversial loss to Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League season.
The Villans now look set to lose out on long-term target Sverre Nypan, but could turn to the Championship for an alternative.
Aston Villa want to sign Sol Sidibe from Stoke City
Villa have changed their approach to this summer’s transfer window, straying away from big money signings and instead building for the future.
Norwegian wonderkid Nypan was joined by Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra on Emery’s wish list, and the Villans have now been linked with Stoke City’s Sidibe.
As reported by John Percy via X (6 June), Villa have a strong interest in the England Under-18 international.
| Championship 2024/25 | Appearances | Assists | Minutes |
| Sidibe | 8 | 1 | 304′ |
Sidibe is “firmly on Villa’s radar” and has already played 12 games across two seasons in the Championship. Other clubs have reportedly inquired about the 18-year-old, who is regarded as a “huge talent for the future.”
The central midfielder made his debut at the age of 16 in Stoke’s 4-1 win against Rotherham on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 Championship season.
Sidibe signed a three-year contract with Stoke last summer. However, it shouldn’t be too difficult to convince the Staffordshire club to let go of their young talent.
Signing Sidibe would spark the start of a new money-saving era for Aston Villa, who have managed to avoid PSR struggles until now.
Pushing for a more unproven and cheaper signing like Sidibe instead of Nypan could highlight just how much the Villa Park club are struggling to comply with the Premier League’s financial rules.
Sidibe signing could be huge for Aston Villa
Despite Sidibe’s lack of first-team experience, the youngster could become a key player for the Villans in the coming years.
Stoke fans are already worrying about losing their midfielder despite only seeing glimpses of the talented star.
Emery has a history of developing talent from the Championship, having massively improved Morgan Rogers since he signed from Middlesbrough in January 2024.
Villa paid just £15million for Rogers, and if forced to sell the playmaker, could rake in more than £70million.