Aston Villa should upgrade Matty Cash with long-term target who is keen on Premier League move

Aston Villa have an opportunity to secure a vast upgrade on Matty Cash that the club should pursue.

Monchi has been criticised by some sections of the Villa fanbase for his poor long-term squad planning, with the ages of some of his signings this summer.

Marco Bizot is 34, whilst Victor Lindelof, who Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist criticised, is 31 and has struggled with injuries in the past.

If Monchi could secure a deal for Denzel Dumfries, however, this would be a move that almost nobody would complain about.

Aston Villa should attempt to bring Denzel Dumfries to B6

Dumfries was linked with Villa earlier in the summer when the defender’s release clause of £21.6million was active.

However, for one reason or another, Villa passed up on the chance to trigger Dumfries’ clause in a decision they could regret if they ever reignite their interest in the Dutchman.

Fabrizio Romano reported on X on 7 September that Dumfries would be open to a move to the Premier League, and his quotes should be sparking Villa’s recruitment team into action by the time the January window rolls around.

“I play in Serie A and I’m comfortable at Inter, but I think I could do well in the Premier League too,” Dumfries said.

“I’d definitely be interested. The Premier League is known for its intensity, while Serie A is one of the strongest leagues tactically.”

How does Denzel Dumfries compare to Matty Cash?

Whilst Cash has been a solid servant for Villa over the years, Dumfries is a player who has been regarded as one of the best in Europe in his position for multiple seasons.

The data suggests that Dumfries is a better player in every area compared to Cash, aside from being a slightly worse carrier of the ball and significantly worse at winning possession back for his time.

Matty Cash vs Denzel Dumfries data comparison 2024/25 season
Credit: DataMB

Despite this, the Inter Milan defender is in a different stratosphere when it comes to providing an attacking threat and being better in the air.

Dumfries also has a better defensive duel percentage, suggesting he is not just a glass cannon full-back who attacks.

Bringing a player of Dumfries’ calibre with his experience will only aid Villa as they aim to continue to establish themselves as a European outfit.

Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.