Aston Villa aren’t short of midfielders with Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Marvelous Nakamba, Conor Hourihane, Ross Barkley and Henri Lansbury. However, Barkley is only on loan, Lansbury is surplus to requirements, Nakamba has been on the periphery and Hourihane doesn’t command a regular starting place either.
Dean Smith could do with strengthening the midfield ahead of a potential exodus in January or next summer and Calciomercato reported that Inter Milan’s Matias Vecino is on Villa’s radar. The 29-year-old underwent surgery on a serious knee injury in July and is still recovering in December, so he hasn’t played a minute of competitive football this season.
Vecino, who is regarded as a favourite of former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, was a regular last season when fit and made 25 appearances in all competitions. In 20 Serie A games, the Uruguay international averaged one successful tackle every 41.3 minutes, which trumped McGinn (43.7) and Luiz (56.7) in the Premier League.
READ ASTON VILLA VERDICT
Whether Villa make a genuine move in January is unknown, however, as Vecino is valued at £14.4m and turns 30 next season.
There is little resale value if the midfielder is lured away from the San Siro, so Villa might be better off considering other options who could reap greater value further down the line.
