Aston Villa have been linked to a French defender who became their target last summer.
Aston Villa transfer business could only begin next January but they have been linked to another potential target. It was their target last summer when Villa was in search of Lucas Digne, who switched sides to Le Parisien after the World Cup.
The limited options in the left back position made Emery turn to several names in mind. Their top target was ACMilan’s Pervis Estupinan but their approach was stalled by their new boss himself, Ruben Armorim. They eventually signed Matteo Ruggeri instead.
Unfortunately, the current injury of Ian Maatsen plus Pau Torres could still put Villa in the potential crisis at the backline ahead of the busiest time of the season, especially in the second half of the campaign.
According to FootMercato via Get football news France, Villa was one of the interested clubs for RC Lens defender, Matthieu Udol.
“Aston Villa and Sunderland were two of several clubs interested in the Frenchman.”
Udol just joined RC Lens last season after spending almost the entire career in Metz. The left back instantly became the first choice in Pierre Sage’s side as the team finished second in Ligue 1 and won the Coupe de France.
Last summer, Lens rejected any offers or interest for him. Beside Aston Villa and Sunderland, the Italian giant, AC Milan also expressed their interest to snatch him. Udol’s contract runs till summer 2028. So, it would be interesting to see if The Lions or any of those potential suitors would revisit their approach on the 30-year old versatile full back in January.
His current value is just £ 8 million. However, his asking price could definitely be higher than that.
Aston Villa should be in no urgency to sign him, especially if Ian Maatsen can be fully fit and deliver his fine form again. The Netherlands international could be competing against Matteo Ruggeri who has been in positive performance since the former Chelsea man’s absence.
However, it could be a different story if their backline crisis worsens with more injuries on the table and one of their full backs took a knock again and could be sidelined for weeks or even months. Udol can be a short-term solution and his asking price could be matched without too much difficulty.
The former Metz man has featured in 47 games, scoring four goals and providing 11 assists. He contributed heavily when his team won the domestic cup as he bagged two goals (one of which was in the semifinal) and registered three assists, one of which was in the final.
The full back who has yet to earn an international cap also set up a goal when Lens thumped PSG in the French Super Cup in a 1-0 victory. Last season, his crucial contribution in the league was when he provided double assists in a 2-0 win over OGC Nice, their opposition in the French Cup final, and set up another one for a narrow win against Strasbourg.
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