Coppola bid to be accepted in Aston Villa and Brighton tussle for Italian talent
Aston Villa and Brighton have been battling it out to land one of Italian football’s brightest prospects.
That talent is 21-year-old centre-back Diego Coppola, who has been turning heads with his performances in Serie A.
Unai Emery is looking to bolster the hub of his defence to provide competition for Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, and Tyrone Mings.
Villa’s tussle with the Seagulls has taken a significant twist with Hellas Verona accepting an offer for Coppola.
Coppola heading to the Premier League after offer accepted
Villa will need a squad capable of competing on all fronts, with Emery’s side set to play Europa League football next season.
The West Midlands outfit will also need to be smart in the transfer market, given that they risk breaching PSR rules.
It has already been confirmed that Villa are to be sanctioned by UEFA for breaching financial regulations because of recorded losses.
This all means that making a move for Coppola makes sense, given that it should not cost a great deal to sign him.
| Diego Coppola’s 2024/25 Serie A statistics | Total |
| Appearances | 34 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Clean sheets | 8 |
| Interceptions | 2.1 |
| Tackles per game | 1.9 |
| Clearances | 5.7 |
It had previously been reported that Brighton had held initial talks with Coppola regarding a move to the Amex Stadium.
Now, Coppola is on the verge of joining Brighton, with an official bid in excess of £8.42million sent to Hella Verona, according to Fabrizio Romano via X (9 June).
Romano goes on to state that the final details of the deal are to be sorted, and then it will be a done deal for the South Coast side.
Whether Villa will make a late move for the Italian is unknown, but they must act swiftly if they are to challenge Brighton.
Aston Villa must sell to reinvest in squad
Given the West Midlands outfit’s financial state of play, they may have to sell first to be able to sign new players
Several prized assets have already been linked with moves away from the Premier League club, which supports that notion.
Emi Martinez looks the most likely to leave Villa, having waved a teary goodbye during their final home game against Tottenham.
Elsewhere, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins have also been linked with moves away from Villa Park, but Emery will surely strive to keep the former.
Given the low figure that Brighton have bid for Coppola, he is surely within the Villans’ spending capabilities.
However, if they decide not to bid, then they must have another target on the agenda as they look to strengthen.