Jordan Amavi has been linked with the club in recent days, but who is he and what is he about?
The OGC Nice player is a relative unknown to many in the Premier League, however in France he is vying with Lucas Digne to be France’s left back for the future. Amavi has recently been called up to the France u21 side after a string of solid performances for the Côte d’Azure outfit.
Villa snapping up the 21-year old would give us more tactical versatility, and allow for Jack Grealish to play a more advanced role without having to worry about tracking back.
Amavi can play as a traditional left-back as well as being a wing back, giving Villa more defensive solidarity.
Not one to shy away from a tricky winger the Frenchman has garnered a reputation for getting stuck into challenges, and possesses a very strong tackle.
Amavi is a former team-mate of Idrissa Gueye, and averaged the highest amount of interceptions of any defender France last season racking up a massive 147.
What this shows is that Amavi is a defensively savvy player who can outthink a player on the ball in order to break down moves.
Amavi is also a player that likes to get forward when the opportunity allows and the idea of him overlapping whilst Grealish cuts inside is a mouthwatering prospect for a Villa side that desperately needs goals.
Although he possesses the dribbling ability of a forward player the youngster struggles to follow that through with a solid cross; often delivering a shorter ball to a more competent player to do it for him.
The £9-million target’s only other weakness is he is rather one footed meaning that, when going forward he can be easily exposed to defenders showing him on his right side in order to break down moves.
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Amavi possess a few rough edges, but at 21 he is already a clear step up from Aly Cissokho and possesses the potential to be worth far more than the £9-million being asked for him.
Should Amavi join us, he will give Sherwood more options tactically and is a much more sounder option than Joe Bennett, Kieron Richardson, and Aly Cissokho.
