In a recent report, Fichajes claimed that Aston Villa are leading the race to land Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia. It has been mentioned that the Villans are in pole position to secure the services of the talented midfield ace.
Kondogbia’s Impressive Form In Spanish Football This Season
Kondogbia is having a solid campaign for Diego Simeone’s side as he has managed to put in a run of dominant displays for them at the centre of the park. The Central Africa international has picked up a couple of assists in 23 matches for the Spanish outfit this season across all competitions.
The 30-year-old has anchored the midfield with conviction based on his average of 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 0.6 clearances and 0.7 shots per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has interchanged possession relatively well with his teammates after completing 89.2% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium is set to run out in the summer of 2024. Thus, the Villans could potentially land him on a cut-price fee at the end of this season.
Should Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery Move In For Kondogbia?
Kondogbia is a good tackler of the ball and can make a few timely interceptions for his team in the middle of the park. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required and can strike the ball with venom from long range.
The Central Africa sensation is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also operate as a centre-back or as a box-to-box midfielder if his manager asks him to do so.
We can expect Kondogbia to bring more bite and steel to Unai Emery’s midfield department at Villa Park. He could even help the West Midlands club challenge for a top-half finish in the Premier League over the next few years.
At 30, Kondogbia might still have a few good years left in him which makes him a decent, short-term choice for the Villans to consider in the summer. However, there are some question marks over whether the experienced midfielder can adapt to the physical style and high intensity of English football.
Still, the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting Kondogbia as he will be available on the cheap during the summer transfer period. All in all, Emery should consider moving in for the La Liga sensation as he has what it takes to become a fan-favorite at Villa Park over the next few years.
