Paris Saint-Germain might have retained the UEFA Super Cup after beating Aston Villa 2-1 on Wednesday evening, but Unai Emery‘s side gave a great account of themselves, spirited and competitive after a testing summer.
Despite winning the Europa League last season and paving a path back into the Champions League, Villa have encountered a number of roadblocks throughout the transfer window, selling Youri Tielemans to Manchester United and losing Morgan Rogers to Chelsea in a record-breaking £117m move. Lucas Digne sat on the French bench at the Red Bull Arena after joining PSG last month.
The Midlands side need to better equip themselves for the year ahead, but there is still time for further signings to be welcomed (though Emery and co have done well to replace the missing pieces thus far).
In attack, perhaps there’s still something missing – but Aston Villa have witnessed the birth of a potential superstar in Brian Madjo.
Why Aston Villa have hit the jackpot on Brian Madjo
Back in January, eyebrows were raised when Aston Villa spent £10m on a 16-year-old striker from Metz. Meet Madjo, a 6 foot 4 menace of a centre-forward who is still months away from his 18th birthday.
He has spent months in limbo, unable to make his competitive debut for the Villa due to FIFA rules prohibiting under-18 players from completing international transfers. A three-cap Luxembourg international, Madjo has switched to the English scene, and Villa have successfully registered him after arguing that since he was born in London, he could be exempt from the rules.
It proved worth the wait. Madjo led the line on Wednesday, scoring an emphatic close-range goal to level the scores before half-time. Talk about an entrance.
Spanish journalist Guillem Balague remarked post-match that the teenager “is a Haaland in the making“, boasting remarkable natural-born movement and pace and timing. His finishing ability doesn’t leave much to be desired either.
Ollie Watkins is still the main man up top for Aston Villa, but the 30-year-old ebbed and flowed last season, and a prolific challenger at No. 9 could prove a masterstroke for Emery’s title-hungry outfit.
That’s not to say the club don’t need further attacking reinforcements.
The transfer Aston Villa could make to help Madjo
There’s still a sense that Rogers hasn’t been replaced at Aston Villa. Emery has welcomed Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho to his brood on loan, but the young winger remains a mixed bag.
According to Turkish journalist Yakup Cinar, Aston Villa and Leeds United have made offers worth €55m (£47m) for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao, who is also attracting significant interest from Galatasaray.
Leao, 26, is resolved to leave Milan this summer, and while Emery’s outfit have options in attack, Leao’s direct attacking approach may mark him as the perfect signing to add depth and dynamism down the left flank.
Garnacho only scored once in the Premier League last season, whereas Leao bagged nine times in Serie A for AC Milan, starting only 23 matches and creating ten big chances besides.
In the eyes of Como scout Ben Mattinson, Leao is “one of the best left-wingers in the world“. The Villa could do much worse than bring him over to Villa Park, with his keen eye for goal supported by underlying data that speaks strongly toward his potential to succeed in the Premier League.
|
Rafael Leao’s Career Stats by Position |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Apps |
Goals + Assists |
|
Left winger |
208 |
61 + 56 |
|
Centre-forward |
93 |
31 + 8 |
|
Right winger |
3 |
1 + 0 |
|
Attacking midfield |
22 |
3 + 5 |
Such an impressive base could see him form a devastating partnership with a striker such as Madjo, whose Haaland-like goalscoring ability would bounce off the dynamic interplay of Leao, whose speed and style down the left would create any number of chances for the young striker.
Leao ranked inside the top 20% of Serie A attackers last season for dribbles completed and duels won per 90, and the top 7% for expected assists (xA) per 90.
He’s the real deal, and by matching him with a forward as naturally clinical as Madjo at Aston Villa, Emery could hit the jackpot once again, steering this club to even more success and continuing a journey that is showing little sign of slowing down – even after numerous setbacks.
