In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Sunderland forward Kevin Phillips urged Aston Villa to make a move for Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu. Phillips said, “I think Romeu would be a solid option for Villa.
“He reminds me a lot of Hojbjerg. He is an 8 out of 10 every week but he will never be that player who pulls up trees. I wouldn’t say he ever stands out but he does the nasty side of the game – the tough industrious side of things.
“Villa will know what they’re getting. Romeu is an organiser and a leader. If Villa could secure his services, it’d be smart business. He gives you a platform to build off and allows other more offensive players to play.
“The more I think about it the more he reminds me of Hojbjerg. It wouldn’t surprise me if he went and did well at Villa.”
Romeu’s Impressive Run Of Form At St. Mary’s Stadium
Romeu is experiencing a solid campaign with the Saints as he has managed to produce a run of dominant displays at the heart of Ralph Hasenhüttl’s midfield. The Spanish talent has made 19 appearances for Southampton this season, picking up one assist across all fronts.
The 30-year-old has given a good account of himself based on his average of 2.5 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.8 clearances, 0.5 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from midfield, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 80.2% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
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Is Romeu The Right Fit For Aston Villa?
Romeu is a tough-tackling midfielder who can time his challenges well to make a few important interceptions at the centre of the park. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and can offer decent protection for his teammates at the back.
The ex-Barcelona sensation can set up some promising openings for others around him in the opposition half but needs to add a few more goals and assists to his game.
At the moment, Steven Gerrard can definitely use someone of Romeu’s talents to add more bite and steel to his midfield. We can expect the Spaniard to add some serious competition for Douglas Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba at Villa Park if Gerrard can devise a way to get him on board next year.
With all things considered, the Saints star would be a good fit for the West Midlands side as long as he gets a regular run of games to prove his worth to the Aston Villa supporters.
