Aston Villa have reportedly already started to turn their attention to the summer transfer window, as the club are being increasingly linked with star names.
At the start of the season, Villa fans couldn’t have dreamed of the outcome of this campaign as the Villans continue to push for a top-six European finish in the Premier League.
They say time flies when you’re having fun, and at Villa Park it does, as only six months ago they were the club threatened with relegation as Unai Emery took the reins from Steven Gerrard.
The Spaniard has turned it all around for the Midlands club and has reportedly widely increased their hopes of some intriguing transfers this summer, with the four-time Europa League-winning coach having a strong pull on Spanish stars.
From Marco Asensio to Pau Torres, Emery has been rumoured to want to bring a host of La Liga talent to the Premier League, with the latest news revealing his desire to see Yeremy Pino trade Villareal for Villa Park.
What’s the latest on Yeremy Pino to Aston Villa?
As reported by Football Transfers, Villareal “fear” that Villa will make a move for Yeremy Pino.
Emery worked closely with the young winger at his former club, and now hopes to bring him to the Midlands to play in the Premier League.
The link between Pino and Villa was made by Fabrizio Romano back in November when the Spaniard became manager at Villa Park, with speculation rising that he would attempt to sign the 20-year-old.
The winger is contracted to Villareal until 2027 however could move this summer should the right offer come in, with his value being around the €37.5m (£32m) mark, with FootballTransfers admitting his price tag may rise considering the interest.
What could Yeremy Pino bring to Aston Villa?
As per Sofascore average match ratings, the forward scores 6.81 in La Liga this season, highlighting him as a consistent performer in the league.
The 20-year-old has contributed to nine goals in 31 league appearances this season, assisting six and scoring three himself – as per FBref.
The youngster, who has been dubbed “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, was coincidentally handed his senior debut by Emery and has thrived in the Spanish top tier since.
Villareal’s number 21 has a lot of admiration for the Villa boss, saying to DAZN just last month that his former coach “gave him a lot” during their time together in Spain.
The budding relationship between the young winger and Emery resonates with his commitment to developing the career of Bukayo Saka at Arsenal, now described as a "mentality monster" for both club and country.
The Spaniard handed the young Englishman his debut in north London, and arguably thanks to his nurture, has contributed to the player that he is today, a feat that could be replicated should Pino be reunited with his former coach.
Not just similar in age, but in footballing nature too, Saka and Pino take pride in getting themselves forward from the wide positions.
The two both rank highly among Europe’s best at getting involved in the box, with the Englishman averaging 6.57 touches in the area per 90, with the Spaniard closely behind with 5.17 – as per FBref.
Pivotally, they also boast a similar success rate for take-ons, with Pino registering 1.65 per 90 to Saka's 1.85.
At such a young age, with talent manipulatable by the right coach, the 20-year-old could follow in the footsteps of Saka in the Premier League under the watchful eye of Emery.