Unai Emery pushing very hard to hijack 27-year-old star as his first official signing from Tottenham

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is “pushing” to sign Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer, according to an update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Where is Lo Celso playing currently?

The Argentine may be on Spurs’ books currently, but he was loaned out to Villarreal last summer, having not been promise regular playing time in north London. In fact, this is his second season at the La Liga club, having initially joined them on a temporary basis in January 2022.

Lo Celso has struggled to be a key figure for Villarreal throughout this season, with the £70,000-a-week midfielder making just 13 starts in the league and 18 appearances overall, with one goal and three assists coming his way. He will return to Spurs at the end of the campaign, at which point it looks highly likely that he will leave the club for good.

Villa have been linked with a move for 27-year-old in recent past, as Unai eyes up summer reinforcements, and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away.

Could Villa acquire Lo Celsos signature?

According to Romano on Twitter, Villa continue to show genuine interest in Lo Celso, with Emery keen on bringing him to the club and being part of the club’s summer business:

“Aston Villa have concrete interest in Gio Lo Celso and the player would be keen on the move; still waiting to understand who’s gonna be new Tottenham coach as he will return from Villarreal. Unai Emery, pushing for Lo Celso; but it’s not the only name in the list.”

Lo Celso could be a shrewd signing by Villa in the summer transfer window, even though he hasn’t exactly shone brightly Villarreal this season. He is a 42-time capped Argentina international, which is no mean feat, considering the calibre of players they produce, while Harry Winks once lauded him as “fantastic” and “technically gifted” during their time together at Spurs.

He could add quality and depth to an area of the pitch that may need it if Villa qualify for Europe, and he is capable of playing in both defence and attack-minded midfield roles, meaning his versatility is an added bonus.

Lo Celso’s current deal expires in 2025 and the north London club will surely be keen to sell him now, in order to get good money for him. The fact that he has already played 55 times in the Premier League is also a positive, meaning he shouldn’t be overawed by the pace of the competition if he comes in.