Aston Villa appear to have added another goalkeeper to their list of transfer targets ahead of the summer window.
The Villans are reportedly exploring the market for a new shot-stopper and have identified a candidate who could be available for a relatively modest fee. According to a report from TeamTalk, Villa have already opened initial talks regarding a potential move.
“Aston Villa have opened talks with Borussia Monchengladbach over a potential transfer for goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas, with club-to-club contact already established.”
Nicolas is regarded as one of the Bundesliga’s most underrated goalkeepers and enjoyed an impressive campaign despite Borussia Monchengladbach finishing in the bottom half of the table last season. The German has even been touted as one of the standout goalkeepers in the division.
The 28-year-old remains under contract with Gladbach until 2029. However, he reportedly has a relatively affordable release clause of around £13 million. The Bundesliga side are also unlikely to stand in his way should he decide to pursue a new challenge.
Nicolas is believed to be interested in the move, as it would offer him the opportunity to compete in the Champions League and test himself at a higher level.
At present, Aston Villa are the only club reported to have made a serious approach. The club are looking to recruit a goalkeeper capable of genuinely challenging Emiliano Martínez rather than simply serving as a backup.
The German could even be viewed as a long-term successor should Martínez eventually depart. The Argentine has once again been linked with a move away from Villa Park, with Liverpool reportedly among the clubs monitoring his situation.
Nicolas’ emergence as a target comes as something of a surprise. Earlier in the summer, Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford was widely reported to be Villa’s preferred option. However, his potential £40 million price tag may have encouraged the club to explore more affordable alternatives.
Moritz Nicolas has established himself as Gladbach’s first-choice goalkeeper over the past three seasons. Before earning that role, he spent several years as a backup and completed four loan spells away from the club.
Those temporary moves took him to Union Berlin, VfL Osnabrück, Viktoria Köln, and Dutch side Roda JC.
So far, Nicolas has made 88 appearances for Gladbach and recorded 22 clean sheets. Notably, 13 of those clean sheets came during the most recent campaign.
According to the Bundesliga’s official website, bundesliga.com, he finished the season as the league’s top goalkeeper for total saves, making 143 stops.
FotMob data also highlights his impressive numbers. Nicolas recorded a 72 per cent save percentage and a 70.7 per cent passing accuracy rate. He also registered 28 successful high claims and completed 219 accurate long passes.
Should Nicolas arrive at Villa Park while Martínez remains at the club, Unai Emery could potentially operate with two goalkeepers capable of competing for the starting role. The player most affected by such a scenario would likely be current backup Marco Bizot, who is already 35 this year.
Given his age profile, experience, and performances in Germany, Nicolas could represent a smart long-term investment as Villa continue to strengthen their squad for domestic and European competition.
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