Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy as Unai Emery pushes to add more power to his Champions League squad.
The Spanish club now view Lopy’s departure as increasingly likely, with Aston Villa’s offer reported at around €15m and Almeria already working on a deal for Real Zaragoza midfielder Yussif Saidu.
Cadena SER reports that Almeria are preparing to sell Lopy, possibly to Aston Villa, in a deal worth around €15m. The same report says Saidu has been identified as the natural replacement because of his youth, versatility, physical output and tactical profile.
That matters because this has moved beyond a loose scouting line. Almeria are now acting like a club planning for a midfield sale.
Dion Lopy Gives Unai Emery A Powerful Midfield Option
Lopy, 24, fits the physical midfield profile Emery needs before Villa return to the Champions League.
Sports Mole reports that Aston Villa have made a €15m offer for the Senegal international, with the midfielder having already made 105 appearances for Almeria and 62 across all competitions for Reims before his 2023 move to Spain.
Villa’s interest is not just about depth. With UEFA squad-cost pressure still shaping the window, a deal below the £20m mark would give Emery a powerful ball-winner without forcing the club into an elite-price midfield auction.
Read Aston Villa previously reported how Villa’s €17m Dion Lopy offer had been knocked back by Almeria, with the Spanish side then holding out for closer to €20m. This latest update suggests the market may be moving towards a compromise.
That is the key shift. Villa have not simply returned to an old target. They have reached the stage where Almeria are preparing for life after him.
Almeria Replacement Plan Strengthens Villa’s Position
Saidu’s role in the story matters. Cadena SER had already reported that Almeria were preparing for Lopy’s possible departure by tracking the Zaragoza midfielder.
That is usually when a transfer becomes more than noise. Clubs do not line up replacements unless the outgoing route feels real enough to plan around.
For Emery, Lopy would bring legs, duel strength and defensive security. He would not arrive as a glamour signing, but Villa’s midfield does not need glamour. It needs depth that can survive Champions League weeks and Premier League intensity.
The fee also keeps the deal inside a sensible bracket. If Villa can land Lopy closer to €15m than €20m, the recruitment logic becomes stronger.
Villa still need discipline. Lopy should not become a signing simply because the Spanish market has opened a door. But if Emery wants a physically mature midfielder who can rotate quickly and protect the centre of the pitch, this is exactly the kind of move that makes sense.
Almeria’s replacement planning gives Villa a clearer route. Now the question is whether they can finish the deal before the price or competition shifts again.
