Aston Villa could be focusing on their approach to sign the teammate of a Real Madrid star who was loaned out to a Ligue 1 side last season.
The summer transfer window always brings some unexpected tales of its own each year. One of them is surprisingly related to two Aston Villa transfer targets, Endrick and Pavel Sulc. Both were playing for Olympique Lyon last season. They have been under Villa’s radar, with the latter being on the list earlier than the former.
According to a report in But! Football Club in France, The Lions were already ahead of their contenders in the race.
“Aston Villa have also reportedly inquired about Lyon’s top scorer from last season.”
However, when Endrick became available, Unai Emery’s men soon made a move for him too. In fact, they were ready to submit a loan offer, something which Real Madrid preferred.
Unfortunately, such changes occurred within a matter of just a few hours, when Endrick’s camp decided to stay and fight for his place alongside Kylian Mbappe, Ibrahim Diaz, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Arda Guler and the new signing Yan Diomande.
Sulc joined Lyon last summer from Viktoria Plzen for a transfer fee of up to £6.4 million. His contract runs until 2029. The Czech international has attracted interest from several clubs this summer.
Aston Villa are just one of them. They are likely to be in a tussle with Everton and Leeds United. Unai Emery’s men are also not the only team to have made an inquiry for Sulc, as The Toffees have done the same.
Les Gones are in a strong position in the negotiations. They are likely to value him at up to £21.2 million. Such an amount is still relatively affordable for any Premier League side, including the Clarets and Blue.
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder is a versatile figure who fits the profile to replace Morgan Rogers. He can be deployed on both wings, operate as a frontman, or play as a playmaker or number 10.
Last season, he featured in 38 games, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists in all competitions. Sulc excels at long-range shots, set-piece situations, and lay-offs. The midfielder with 24 international caps also likes to play short passes and press the opposition.
Based on data from FotMob, Sulc’s xG in Ligue 1 was 9.10, while his xA was 1.91. His successful pass rate was 74.5%, while his successful cross rate was 20%, with an accurate long-ball rate of up to 42.9%. Meanwhile, his successful dribble rate was 46.9%, with a duel-winning rate of 36.6%.
His contribution in the defensive phase was fairly impressive for an attacking midfielder. Last season in Ligue 1, he made 42 defensive contributions, including 24 tackles, seven interceptions, 11 clearances, and 42 recoveries.
Sulc is definitely a great addition to Villa’s attacking options. They need a squad that can provide the same quality from both the first-choice players and their understudies. His versatility would be highly valued in Emery’s team.
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