How Lois Openda compares to Ollie Watkins as Aston Villa in talks over new signing
Aston Villa may have a new talisman on their hands in Lois Openda.
Openda, 25, has been linked with a move to Villa Park in what would be a lucrative deal for the striker, with talks said to have been ongoing for several months now.
The Belgian, who currently plays his trade for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, is reportedly interested in the move, but Ollie Watkins would need to be sold before any move were to take place.
Watkins has been frequently linked with a move away from Unai Emery’s side, with Manchester United being one of the clubs the England international has been linked to.
Openda v Watkins data compared
Nicolas Jackson has also been mentioned as another potential option to lead the line for Villa in the case of Watkins’ departure, with the Chelsea striker previously working under Emery at Villarreal.
Openda seems to be a more exciting prospect for the Villa Park faithful, however, with the striker previously netting over 20 league goals in both Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
His debut campaign for Leipzig in Germany was particularly impressive, with his statistics being simply outrageous.
- Bundesliga appearances (23/24) – 34
- Goals – 24
- Assists – 7
- Shots on target per game – 1.8
- Key passes per game – 1.0
Openda’s last campaign was not as productive, however, notching just nine goals whilst managing to supply five assists as Leipzig struggled and finished 7th.
Despite this, there are still key areas in which the Belgian outperformed Watkins last season.
While Openda had an off-season in front of goal last season, Villa would be purchasing a player who is better in the air than Watkins and is better at pressing and winning the ball back in dangerous areas.
Playing alongside quality players like Morgan Rogers would also help Openda’s goalscoring numbers rebound emphatically, with the playmaker being one of the finest players in the Premier League.
Openda fits Emery’s ideal profile
Emery is known to like strikers who lead the line with energy and enthusiasm, and Openda would certainly bring that to B6.
Cashing in on Watkins, who turns 30 later this year, to bring in a 25-year-old alternative could prove to be incredibly shrewd business from Monchi and Co.
There is always a risk of Bundesliga strikers not adapting to the Premier League, however, with Timo Werner at Chelsea springing to mind.
But for every Werner, there is an Erling Haaland, and with Liverpool poaching Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt, this should be proof that even the very best clubs in Europe discover gems in Germany, and hopefully, Openda becomes one for Villa.
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