Aston Villa hold pre-January talks for 28-year-old who Chelsea could look to re-sign
Aston Villa had barely absorbed Erling Haaland’s equaliser before Nicolas Jackson gave Man City another problem they could not solve.
The striker needed just eight minutes to restore Villa’s lead, turning a tense afternoon into another memorable occasion for Unai Emery and the home crowd.
Jackson’s double secured a 2-1 victory at Villa Park on Saturday, ending City’s run of seven straight Premier League wins and giving Villa a result to savour.
Haaland had threatened to change the mood with his header early in the second half. Instead, Jackson met Ibrahim Mbaye’s delivery to put Emery’s men back in charge.
Villa still had defending to do.
|
Total |
Aston Villa |
Man City |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals |
2 |
1 |
|
Possession |
36.8% |
63.2% |
|
Expected goals (xG) |
0.61 |
1.79 |
|
Total shots |
8 |
15 |
|
Shots on target |
2 |
7 |
|
Big chances missed |
0 |
3 |
|
Corners |
4 |
7 |
|
Passing accuracy |
80.9% |
89.4% |
|
Goalkeeper saves |
6 |
0 |
|
Successful tackles |
13 |
10 |
|
Duels won |
59 |
60 |
|
Fouls committed |
21 |
17 |
|
Offsides |
1 |
2 |
|
Yellow cards |
4 |
4 |
|
Red cards |
0 |
0 |
Matty Cash, who was lavished with praise for his display, stuck to his task against Jérémy Doku, while Zion Suzuki helped frustrate the visitors as they chased another equaliser.
After taking only one point from their opening four league fixtures, Villa have now climbed to 11 points from eight games, with their recovery gathering pace.
It was the sort of performance that lifts expectations, and Emery will now want his players to turn a headline victory into something more lasting.
Now, there is an intriguing January transfer story bubbling away alongside the celebrations.
TEAMtalk journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Villa have had contact regarding AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, with a return to the Premier League becoming increasingly likely.
Chelsea are also considering a reunion as they explore bringing an experienced defender into their squad, so Villa could find themselves competing with the club where Tomori began his career.
According to Bailey, Milan are willing to negotiate because the England international is outside Ruben Amorim’s main plans for the future, and Tomori is understood to be interested in returning to the UK.
The 28-year-old’s contract adds another twist.
His deal expires next summer, meaning January offers an opportunity to secure a fee before that deadline.
Villa’s interest also has some history, as back in August, Tomori was named among the defenders being considered by NSWE as Ezri Konsa moved towards Arsenal.
That gives this latest development extra weight for supporters, although contact alone does not establish how far Villa are prepared to go.
From Villa’s perspective, the question is whether he would improve the options Emery already has and justify the overall cost of a deal.
Emery started Victor Lindelöf alongside Pau Torres against City, and they helped Villa see out a huge win. That sets the standard for anyone coming through the door.
Tomori would have to fight for his place, giving Emery another decision to make every single week.
Chelsea’s reported interest gives Villa another reason to assess the opportunity carefully, and if they decide Tomori is their man, they may need to move decisively.
