In a recent report, Estadio Deportivo stated that Aston Villa could move in for Jason Denayer who is currently available as a free agent. It has been mentioned that the Villans are eyeing a move for the Belgian centre-back after Diego Carlos suffered a season-ending injury against Everton last weekend.
Denayer’s Decent Campaign In French Football
Denayer played a sporadic role in Olympique Lyonnais’ squad last season but managed to put in some solid performances at the heart of their backline. The Belgian sensation made 20 appearances for Lyon in the previous campaign, finding the back of the net on three occasions and picking up one assist across all competitions.
The 27-year-old was a reliable performer when defending inside his half after he averaged 0.7 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per game in Ligue 1. He was even excellent when distributing the ball from the back as he completed 93.7% of his attempted passes in the French top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Denayer is currently available on a free transfer and would serve as a good, short-term fix to Steven Gerrard’s defensive headaches following Diego Carlos’ injury last weekend.
What Will Denayer Bring To Aston Villa?
Denayer is a decent tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his side on the defensive third of the field. He usually puts his foot through the ball when in danger of being caught out at the back. The Belgian defensive ace is even proficient at playing his way out from the back. Standing at 1.84m, he can use his strong frame to win a few aerial duels for his team.
Hence, Denayer would be a good fit for Steven Gerrard‘s style of play at Villa Park. He is good enough to bring more bite and steel to Aston Villa‘s defence and increase competition for places within their match-day squad.
At 27, Denayer is about to enter the peak stage of his playing career and could make an instant impact at the West Midlands club if Gerrard decides to offer him a contract this month. He might even serve as a decent emergency replacement for Diego Carlos for this campaign.
However, there are some concerns over whether Denayer is good enough to cope with the physical nature and high intensity of Premier League football. Still, he is a free agent at the moment and would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Villans this summer.
