An update has emerged regarding Aston Villa‘s search for attacking reinforcements before the end of the January transfer window…
What’s the talk?
According to the Express & Star, the Villans are eyeing Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique as a potential target to bring to England before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
However, the report claims that the Premier League club will need to splash out a fee of at least £40m in order to tempt the LaLiga outfit into parting ways with the Brazilian gem.
It is stated that Villa are willing to break the bank to make a significant addition to Unai Emery‘s squad but that they are also open to the possibility of a loan deal if they are unable to snap up their top targets.
Leon Bailey’s heir
Aston Villa could land the long-term heir to Leon Bailey‘s position in the squad by striking a deal with Betis to sign Henrique before next week’s deadline.
The current Villa forward is a left-footed right winger who has struggled at times this season in the Premier League, averaging a modest Sofascore rating of 6.69.
He ranks 16th in Emery’s squad for average rating in 2022/23, which indicates that the winger – who has scored four goals and provided two assists in 19 league appearances – has been one of the more disappointing performers at the club this term.
The 25-year-old’s inconsistent end product has left a lot to be desired, as proven by his average rating, and bringing in a younger winger with the potential to take over from the Jamaica international in the mid-to-long term could be a shrewd move by Emery.
At 22, Henrique is a young player with plenty of scope to improve and could come in as someone who the Villa manager can coach and develop on the training pitch over time.
The Brazilian has only scored one goal in 15 LaLiga outings this season but his form in the Europa League suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent player in the final third. Henrique has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18 across six appearances in the latter competition, scoring two goals and providing two assists in three starts.
Should Aston Villa sign Luiz Henrique?
Yes
No
Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described the gem as “enjoyable” to watch and claimed that he is always capable of doing something “spectacular“, which suggests that the 22-year-old is a player who the Villa Park faithful would love to watch in the Premier League.
If Emery can unlock Henrique’s full potential and get him to a place where he can consistently replicate his Europa League form in the English top-flight, then the Betis forward could be an excellent prospective signing for Villa and the long-term heir to Bailey’s place in the squad as a left-footed right winger.
