In a recent tweet, Nicolo Schira has stated that Aston Villa are locked in a three-way battle for Napoli full-back Faouzi Ghoulam this summer. It is understood that the Villans could face fierce competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers and LOSC Lille in the race to secure his signature in this off-season.
Jorge #Mendes is working to move Faouzi #Ghoulam from #Napoli this summer. #Wolverhampton, #AstonVilla and #Lille have asked info for the algerian left-back. #transfers
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) August 15, 2020
Ghoulam’s Injury-Ravaged Season In Italy
The Algerian left-back endured an injury-prone campaign at the San Paolo Stadium after he was sidelined for several matches due to a serious muscle injury. He took part in only nine games for the Naples-based club last season, picking up just one assist in all competitions.
Inconsistency has been a big problem for Ghoulam whenever he featured for Gennaro Gattuso’s side in the previous campaign. He could only manage to average 0.7 tackles, 0.7 clearances, 0.8 crosses and 0.9 key passes in the Serie A. However, the 37-time Algeria international deserves a little bit of credit for being tidy with his ball-distribution based on his pass completion rate of 88.4% in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).
The 29-year-old is in dire need of securing regular game time next season so that he can find some form and get his career back on track. Therefore, a switch to Villa Park could be quite appealing for the full-back as he will be able to test himself against the very best players in the Premier League.
What Are The Algerian Left-Back’s Best Attributes?
When he is fit and playing with confidence, Ghoulam can be a tireless worker inside his half and is not afraid to go in for a few tackles to earn possession back for his team. He excels at delivering the ball in with pace from the left flank and can usually strike the ball with a lot of power. However, the Algerian’s recent record with injuries makes him a gamble for Dean Smith’s side as it is uncertain whether his body will be able to deal with the physicality and high intense nature of football in England.
Is Ghoulam The Right Fit For The Villans This Summer?
The France-born talent has a wealth of experience of playing in Italy and has won a few major trophies in his career as well. A full-back of Ghoulam’s experience and defensive prowess would be an intelligent addition to the Villans squad ahead of the new campaign. The 29-year-old has still got a few good years left in him and could bring more creativity and variety to Villa Park which makes him a decent fit for Smith’s side in this off-season.
Plus, Ghoulam will offer some much-required competition for Matt Targett and Neil Taylor at the West Midlands club in the coming seasons. With all things considered, Smith should try his best to negotiate a deal to bring the Algerian full-back to England this summer. The Villa boss would need to put his hands around Ghoulam and give him the confidence he needs to succeed in the English top-flight.
