Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing the acquisition of a “magnificent” defender on a free transfer next year.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans are absolutely flying under Unai Emery this season, having recovered so well from the shock 5-1 defeat away to Newcastle United on the opening weekend of the campaign.
Emery’s men now sit fifth in the Premier League table, and only four points behind current leaders Tottenham, and there is no reason why they can’t mount a genuine push for Champions League football given their ability to score goals so freely.
Villa have been linked with a move for a number of players recently as the look to add even more attacking quality, including Besiktas forward Semih Kilicsoy, but they may also need to add to their defensive departments, with the likes of Alex Moreno and Tyrone Mings suffering long-term injuries.
It looks as though the Midlands side are now eyeing a player who is already plying his trade in British football – one with plenty of experience at both club and international level.
Aston Villa eyeing Borna Barisic as a free agent
According to a new report from Italian publication Calciomercato, Villa are interested in signing Rangers defender Borna Barisic in the near future. The Villa target is out of contract at the end of this season, at which point he will be available on a free transfer, and Emery could be ready to pounce.
Barisic’s statistics for Rangers show what a consistent player he has been for them down the years, with 215 appearances coming his way and an overall tally of 52 assists. He has also won 35 caps for an impressive Croatia team, during a generation that has seen him play alongside the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic.
This all outlines why the left-back could be a really shrewd signing by Villa in one of the next couple of transfer windows, bringing plenty experience to the squad, as well as attacking quality, all without a transfer fee.
|
Borna Barisic’s key Rangers stats |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
215 |
|
Goals |
9 |
|
Assists |
52 |
At 30 years of age, Barisic wouldn’t necessarily be seen as a long-term option for Emery, but he still has enough years left in him to be an important figure for a while, especially at a time when footballers can often tend to peak later.
Journalist Quentin Gesp has lauded the Rangers ace as “magnificent” in the past, and he could come in and provide good competition for Lucas Digne and Moreno at left-back, allowing Emery to shuffle his pack more often and have even more depth at his disposal.
It could be that next summer is the most likely time for Villa to sign Barisic, with a January switch likely to require a transfer fee, but either way, he would be an astute addition if he does complete a move to Villa Park.