Aston Villa in contact to sign World Cup centre-back as Emery role in landing star midfielder revealed

Aston Villa are in contact to sign a replacement for Ezri Konsa, while the role Unai Emery played in landing a star midfielder has been revealed by an insider.

The Villans have some recruitment still to do this summer. The side which started the season against Brighton included just one of seven new signings – Joao Gomes – and he was sent off in the first half.

Why Unai Emery left so many new signings on the bench is unclear, but it could perhaps point to not being enamoured with the options available to him.

There remain links with a few more potential Villa signings, with a centre-back to replace the recently-departed Konsa firmly on the radar.

After Villa saw an £18million offer for Taylor Harwood-Bellis turned down, The Athletic reports the club has made an approach to sign Ecuador centre-back Joel Ordonez.

Contact is said to have been made with Club Brugge, for a player who it’s believed will be more expensive than Southampton’s Harwood-Bellis.

Unai Emery gets Leon Goretzka at Aston Villa

Should Ordonez sign, he’d be joining Leon Goretzka in the Villa squad, after a number of insiders revealed the former Bayern Munich man had agreed to head to the club.

The German international left Bayern at the end of last season, and Villa will be getting him through the door as a free agent.

Matteo Moretto was the first insider to reveal the deal was done, stating he ‘will sign’.

Fellow insider Florian Plettenberg has also suggested the deal is one, and he credited Villa boss Emery as the driving force in the transfer.

He said: ‘Leon Goretzka to Aston Villa – DONE DEAL

Full agreement reached. Final approval now in. Last details clarified.

Medical to be finalized soon. Goretzka is expected to sign a 2-3 year contract.

Unai Emery played a key role and personally called Goretzka to convince him of the project following @MatteMoretto. Aston Villa have stepped up their efforts massively over the last 72 hours.’

Goretzka’s signing will be the eighth Villa have made this summer, and the third in the midfield, after Gomes and Johan Manzambi.

The latter is currently out with an injury, while Gomes will now be suspended after he was sent off against Brighton, so Villa could certainly do with the German reinforcing their midfield as soon as possible.

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