Aston Villa have been monitoring the situation of Freiburg man who played alongside their new signing, Johan Manzambi.
Aston Villa’s transfer business is not likely to stop until deadline day as they attempt to sign more players to rebuild the squad. Ironically, they could also be losing more of their key men this summer.
Emiliano Martinez is one of them, as he has been linked with a move to Italian giants Juventus. Unfortunately, nothing is official yet despite the Argentine’s verbal agreement with them. Thus, Villa are likely to keep him in the squad, so long as La Vecchia Signora are unable to meet their asking price.
However, that does not stop them from searching for a new goalkeeper. Their latest target is none other than the one they faced in the continental final last season, Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu. According to a report in TeamTalk, Villa have their own reason for remaining in pursuit of him.
“Aston Villa are understood to be monitoring the situation closely and have made contact as they look for solid backup for Emi Martinez.”
The 24-year-old goalkeeper has been stealing the spotlight since becoming the first-choice goalkeeper for the Bundesliga outfit. Atubolu is highly praised for his excellence at saving penalties. In fact, he is the record holder for the longest run of consecutive penalty saves in the German top flight.
He seems to have set his sights on playing at a higher level after helping Freiburg, alongside Johan Manzambi, reach their first-ever major continental final. Playing for a Premier League side appears to be his ambition.
His contract with Freiburg runs until 2027, yet they are open to selling him should their asking price be met. His valuation is reportedly between £21 million and £26 million. Freiburg have even prepared for his possible departure by signing Mio Backhaus from Werder Bremen.
Atubolu has reportedly turned down offers from two Premier League newcomers, Coventry City and Hull City. Now, Villa would be in a tussle with Bournemouth to sign the goalkeeper, who has yet to make his international debut.
The shot-stopper with Nigerian descent has made 125 appearances, keeping 38 clean sheets. His composure between the sticks despite his age would definitely help him rise to prominence.
Based on data from FotMob, Atubolu’s form last season was impressive. His save percentage was 64.2% and 100 % for saving penalties while he recorded 31 high claims and acted as a sweeper on 15 occasions. His successful pass rate was 67%, while his accurate long-ball percentage stood at 39.8%. There is certainly still room for him to improve. Yet, he undoubtedly has the potential to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
This is probably the biggest challenge in luring him to Villa Park, especially if Martinez remains in the squad. Atubolu would not be guaranteed regular minutes despite the opportunity to play in the Champions League. That is something Bournemouth could offer, as he would have a genuine chance of becoming their first-choice goalkeeper. Can Villa convince him to join only to be the temporary deputy for Martinez as a long term successor or will Emery use double first choice goalkeeper with shared task?
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