In a recent report, Foot Mercato mentioned that Aston Villa are set to rival Everton for Olympique Lyonnais forward Moussa Dembele. It has been revealed that the Villans are one of the clubs eyeing a move to secure the services of the French attacker this year.
Dembele’s Lack Of Game Time In Ligue 1 This Season
Dembele is experiencing a difficult campaign in French football as he has struggled to earn regular first-team starts at the Groupama Stadium. The 26-year-old has found the back of the net twice and earned one assist in 16 matches for the French club this season in various competitions.
The Pontoise-born talent has seen most of his appearances come as a substitute which could be why he is only averaging 1.4 shots, 0.1 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per game in Ligue 1 football. However, he has linked up play relatively well in the opponent’s half after making 76.9% of his attempted passes in the French first division (stats via whoscored).
Dembele’s current deal with Lyon is set to expire next summer. Hence, the Villans could potentially bring him to Villa Park on a free transfer at the end of this season but would have to fend off competition from Everton in the process.
What Will Dembele Bring To Aston Villa?
Dembele has got the pace to get in behind the opponent’s backline and excels at generating space for himself to get a few strikes in on-target. He can be a decent finisher in front of the opposition goal when he is playing regularly and with confidence on the pitch. The French sensation can also create some good chances for his teammates in the final third. Thus, the Villans will do well to get Dembele on board at the end of this campaign.
We can expect the Frenchman to bring more pace and goals to Aston Villa boss Unai Emery‘s attack. He could even go on to form a good attacking partnership with Ollie Watkins at Villa Park in the coming seasons.
At 26, Dembele has his best years ahead of him and would be a shrewd acquisition for the West Midlands club to pull off next summer. However, it remains to be seen whether he can adapt to the physicality and high intensity of English football.
Still, the pros outweigh the cons of signing Dembele, so Emery should look to offer him a contract when he becomes a free agent later this year.
