- Aston Villa are reportedly keeping tabs on Roggerio Nyakossi
- Six other Premier League clubs are also monitoring his progress
- Summer exit looks likely
The 22-year-old Roggerio Nyakossi has emerged as one of Europe’s most coveted defensive prospects following a standout 2025/26 campaign with OH Leuven.
As of April 6, 2026, the 6ft 4in Swiss U21 captain is at the centre of a high-stakes seven-way transfer battle.
Ontheminute.com has reported that OH Leuven defender, Roggerio Nyakossi is on Aston Villa’s radar this summer.
They face a battle with Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace, all of which are interested in his signature.
The 22-year-old’s contract runs until June 2027, leaving the door open for a cut-price deal to be made. Despite staying in Belgium during January to aid Leuven’s fight to avoid a relegation battle, an exit in the summer is looking realistic.
Short career so far
Nyakossi has an intriguing football career so far. To date, he has only made a total of 61 senior appearances, starting at Servette. He spent a year at the Swiss side, playing 5 times, before moving to Marseille.
The centre-back played 30 games for their reserve side, Marseille B, who play in the fifth tier of French football. After two-and-a-half years in France, Nyakossi joined OH Leuven on a free transfer in January 2025. Until now, he has featured 26 times, only establishing himself in a starting role this season.
At 6ft 4in, the Swiss U-21 captain is a towering figure in the back line. His aerial dominance would provide a lot of value for many teams, especially from set pieces. In the current campaign, he has scored 3 times, with 2 coming from set-plays.
With a number of clubs keeping a close eye on him, Nyakossi’s performances must have impressed scouts in a short space of time.
Potential role at Villa
As Villa looks to qualify for the Champions League next season, the summer transfer window will become key to ensure they sign the players who can maintain the level of the squad for future seasons.
Securing the No 34 at a low price would be a sensible move by the Villans, given their financial difficulties.
Ezri Konsa is likely to be at the heart of Unai Emery’s defence for the next couple of years at least. Bringing in a younger player, who can learn from him, means Villa can have a smooth transition once Nyakossi is ready to take over.
A potential stumbling block in the deal is Marseille’s buy-back option, giving them the opportunity to match any agreed fee made by another club.
Personal terms will still need to be agreed with him for the move to go ahead, so where each club plays in Europe next season could be a deciding factor.
