Aston Villa could do business with Barcelona just days after a heavy defeat to the Spanish champions in the Champions League.
Unai Emery’s side ended their perfect start to their Champions League campaign at Camp Nou on Tuesday, but they have since received positive news regarding the manager’s future.
Unai Emery is close to signing a new contract with Aston Villa
Speaking after the 3-0 defeat in Catalonia, the Spaniard insisted the experience will help his team improve.
“Barcelona are at the highest level in Europe, so it was a good test for us and gave us a lot of information about how we can be better in this competition and in the Premier League, how we can make our structure stronger for the coming weeks and months.”
Villa subsequently received a significant boost regarding the future of their manager.
Emery is close to agreeing a new contract at Villa Park, with talks underway to extend his stay beyond 2029.
Fabrizio Romano has revealed Villa are determined to secure his future amid interest from Manchester United, who see the 55-year-old as the ideal manager should they part ways with Michael Carrick.
With Emery seemingly committed to overseeing the club’s long-term development, attention can now turn to strengthening his squad ahead of the January transfer window.
Aston Villa are in talks with Jorge Mendes over the transfer of Alejandro Balde
Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs in talks over a potential January move for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, according to Spanish newspaper Sport, via Sport Witness.
The 23-year-old has played just 124 minutes in all competitions this season and his agent Jorge Mendes has since opened talks with January suitors, namely Villa, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Barcelona are prepared to sanction Balde’s departure for around €40m (£33m), although Mendes believes a loan deal that includes an option to buy would be a more affordable solution.
The Spanish international is in favor of a move to the Premier League, with his representatives assessing the available options before making a decision in December.
Villa could certainly benefit from more competition at left-back following the departure of Lucas Digne.
Ian Maatsen is currently the main option for Emery, but the club do not have an established specialist replacement should the Dutchman become unavailable. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has provided cover this season, but it’s not his natural role.
Balde would therefore represent an interesting addition, bringing Champions League experience and considerable potential to a position where Villa could benefit from greater depth.
However, competition for his signature is expected to be fierce, with Manchester City and Tottenham also monitoring the development.
Unai Emery rebuilds Aston Villa ahead of clash with Manchester United
Villa’s interest in Balde comes amid an extensive overhaul of the squad that produced Europa League glory last season.
Several members of that successful team have since left, with Emery tasked with maintaining the club’s upward trajectory by integrating a new generation of players.
The departure of stalwarts including Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers has created opportunities for newcomers to establish themselves, while at the same time increasing the scale of the rebuild at Villa Park.
Despite a difficult start to the current campaign, Villa have shown considerable progress in recent weeks, making the prospect of Emery’s contract extension particularly important, ensuring the manager who turned the club’s fortunes around remains central to their future.
Villa now face another crucial test against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Emery hoping to show how far his rebuilding side have come.
A win against their direct Premier League rivals would be a positive response to the disappointment at Barcelona, while further additions in January could help Villa maintain their ambitions in multiple competitions.